Topic: Education

School support personnel play vital role, should receive pay during closure

Support staff serve as the backbone of schools, and their responsibility to keep schools safe and clean have become even more critical amidst the coronavirus outbreak. We call on lawmakers and the State Department of Education to continue working together to ensure Oklahoma school support employees are paid during school closures. [More...]

Providing food security for Oklahoma students who might otherwise go without meals

In response to this need, OSDE received approval for waivers to allow schools to provide “grab and go” meals at no cost to low-income students who qualify for free and reduced-priced lunch through the Summer Food Service Program. [More...]

Child care plays pivotal role during health crisis

By staying open, child care centers make it possible for those workers with children to carry out these important roles. Below are some policy measures that can support keeping child care centers open during the COVID-19 health emergency. [More...]

Now is the time to fund the School Counselor Corps

Students in Oklahoma experience trauma at higher rates than students in any other state. School-based counselors can help, but there currently are not enough to reach all students in need. [More...]

House bill to change the pre-K cut off date would be a step backward for children

The proposed change could be harmful to low-income children who benefit from early childhood education. Moving the pre-K cutoff date would remove parental control over when to send their children to school and give parents less access to early childhood education. HB 2908 is counter to evidence-based practices that work for children.  [More...]

Oklahoma college students are hungry, and there’s more we can do to help

About a third of university students and nearly two out of three community college students nationwide are food insecure, meaning they are uncertain where their next meal will come from. [More...]

CBPP: State higher education funding cuts have pushed costs to students, worsened inequality

Oklahoma has not been immune from these issues, but the last legislative session saw state lawmakers provide an additional $25.3 million increase, or about 3.3%, in funding for higher education. [More...]

Standardized tests fail the test (Capitol Update)

Giving whole schools performance evaluations and comparing them based on a standardized testing regime, regardless of the situations in the lives of the students, their parents, or the community, has become the norm... The result is standardized curricula forced on teachers, regardless of the needs of their students and teaching to the test as a matter of self-defense. No wonder teachers are in short supply. [More...]

Federal funding increases are making quality child care more affordable for Oklahoma families

A new report from Oklahoma Policy Institute finds that new federal grant funding is making affordable child care a reality for more Oklahomans. [More...]

Expansion in Federal Funding is Improving Access and Quality in Oklahoma’s Child Care Subsidy Program

In fiscal year 2019, Oklahoma’s child care subsidy program operated by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) received a $32 million increase in federal funding, which represents a 36 percent increase from the previous year. With Oklahoma continuing its state commitment to the subsidy program, OKDHS was able to significantly improve provider rates, invest in training for providers, and reduce costs and expand eligibility for Oklahoma families. [More...]