Restructuring Oklahoma's School Districts

Preparing For Great Schools

  Various interests and advocates have appealed for several ways of reforming public schools in Oklahoma. And all of them have some merit, especially in light of specific local scenarios that impact their own community, in particular.

School District

Enrollment

OKLAHOMA CITY (1st)

45,297

TULSA (2nd)

41,043

MOORE (3rd)

23,559

EDMOND (4th)

23,522

PUTNAM CITY (5th)

19,447

BROKEN ARROW (6th)

18,395

UNION (7th)

15,826

NORMAN (8th)

15,819

LAWTON (9th)

15,270

MIDWEST/DEL CITY (10th)

14,741

JENKS (11th)

11,439

MUSTANG (12th)

10,495

OWASSO (13th)

9,658

NEWCASTLE (60th)

2,028

VERDIGRIS (average, 112th)

1266

WOODLAND (median, 264th)

438

BYARS (529th)

39

  Some have called for massive consolidation. And that is perhaps the biggest fix which can provide the biggest relief to strapped education financing. But small schools, particularly in rural parts of the state will quickly point to their academic performance, especially when compared to Oklahoma's largest school districts. That is their strongest argument; and it is a good one.
  Some have called for breaking up the largest school districts so that no district exceeds 8000 students in K-12 grades. This will impact 13 school districts out of the 531 in Oklahoma. 

  Only 6 school districts would require more than a simple split into 2. But only 2 districts (OKC & Tulsa) would require a split into 5 or more districts.
  Some of the biggest advocates for public education include the folks at the national thinktank called American Progress. And when seeking a major reform of something so massive, it is important to first find the areas where consensus is broad and change is the least threatening. AmericanProgress.org has compiled several studies which all point to a "sweet spot" range of enrollment that makes for the most efficient and most productive institution. They determine that an administration works best when the school district handles between 2000 to 4000 students. See the report, here:
  https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education/report/2013/08/08/71849/size-matters-a-look-at-school-district-consolidation/

From 529 Districts, Down to 149

  But Oklahoma's School Districts have a median enrollment of just 423 students. So every district smaller than Newcastle (60th largest district) would need to be seriously looked at for likely administrative consolidation. But not necessarily. Over 400 of the 531 districts have a very compelling pressure telling lawmakers and state administrators to begin a process of restructuring. Some say there should not be more school districts that state legislatures; and that would be a good guide to get us where we need to be; because it would lead to an average school district of a little over 4000 enrollment.
  Harmon County has just one school district (Hollis Public Schools). It is unthinkable that the legislature would force the administrating of those schools to a neighboring county. But Harmon is currently the only county with just one school district. Several rural counties commonly have 10-15 school districts and rarely does even one of them approach an enrollment of 2000 students. It is very probable that 5 or more school districts of say 300 enrolled students each; will be administrated by a new school board & administrative team. That is what consolidation will look like.
  Would this lead to closing schools? Not necessarily, but that is up to the new districts to decide. The first order of business would be to create newly combined districts into one new entity and call for school board elections. Then the new school boards would go through the deliberative task of assessing their new assets and responsibilities. Only when those "moving in" tasks are completed and the new administrations have completed their strategic planning, can the state move to the next set of goals.
  The ultimate task is to guide each new district to the point of preparing for a review from the Oklahoma Department of Education where administrative audits are compared to statewide norms. If the new district is expending too high of a percent of their funds on administrative overhead, the state may need to take further action, to insure that a quality share of the state funding makes it into the classrooms.

  The loud screams of resistance will come from 2 camps:

1. Insecure school superintendents who may have to settle for being a lower-level job as an administrative assistant in a district restructuring.
2. Small towns who's identity is tied to the local school. 

  The local school system is a source of great civic pride and the primary way that a community gathers together to celebrate the great promise of the new generation. That intrinsic quality is a great part of the fabric of Oklahoma's quality of life. This may be why the legislature seems to always cower in retreat at the thought of consolidation.

  But the reality is that each of these towns is expecting the state government to heavily subsidize their source of civic identity. And that is what's wrong with state government taking over the funding of a community institution. If a community really wants to insure the livelihood and future of their public school, they need to be willing to pay for that autonomy with independent funding. Otherwise the state has serious budgetary pressures that will outweigh the local status quo. 

David Van Risseghem

Tulsa GOP Precinct Confusion

Chairman McCutchin Relents

Chairman McCutchin is not

seeking re-election to his post

  Broken Arrow's Republican Precinct 456 just received Chairman Mike McCutchin's personal approval to meet back at their traditional precinct location on next Saturday afternoon.

  The Tulsa County Republican Chairman has reportedly at least partially changed his position on local precinct meetings (scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 31st, at 10am), according to Jerry Weller.
  Jerry Weller is the Vice Chairman of Precinct 456. He informed McCutchin of his precinct's plan to maintain their long tradition of meeting in their precinct. Some of the leadership plan to attend the House District event in the morning and hear the speeches and many announcements, instructions, and other details. But they plan to convene their business in the  precinct. Signs have been posted for weeks. Calls & emails have reached out to every known Republican. The precinct typically plans to prepare and discuss several platform proposals, party rules, and other issues of party leadership at all levels. 

Precinct locations like this neighborhood cafe,
are the tradition in Tulsa County's GOP

  Precinct 456 Chairman, Larry Williamson, said he does not want time constraints to limit grassroots involvement on these key issues. Rather than scurrying for a venue change halfway through business when a host church orders the visiting precincts to leave; precinct 456 said they are making the most of both opportunities. "Folks can go in the morning to hear the speeches and talk to the politicians, but in the afternoon we will convene for the business of our own precinct, including the election of officers, naming a delegation, and establishing a platform. The Republicans of the precinct are not required to attend the speeches in order to attend the afternoon business meeting.

  Chairman Michael McCutchin had previously threatened that;

"Any business conducted at a biennial precinct meeting not held at the day, hour and place set by the Tulsa County Executive Committee will be deemed invalid - with no means of appeal to either the County Chairman or the Chairman of the Credentials Committee of the Tulsa County Convention."

  But the grand plan to overhaul the grassroots structure of meeting in the neighborhoods, was  not effectively structured or promoted.

  The County Executive Committee (who has the authority to approve specific locations outside the precinct) never met in an appropriate meeting (proper meeting notices were never sent to precincts, as the state rules require, & the Chairman was advised of that requirement ahead of that meeting).

  The Tulsa GOP Executive Committee voted to authorize a locations committee, to find the best locations to meet the goal of the plan. This move fell short of the requirements for the Executive Committee to approve the specific locations and the locations to be central so as to not put a burden of significant to travel outside the precinct. A report of the committee should have been presented to the Executive committee for a specific authorization of named locations. And prior notice of the meeting needed to go to all the precinct Chairmen & Vice Chairmen of Tulsa County.

  As a result, Chairman McCutchin selected some locations which put undue burdens on local precinct members. His official email notices had contradictions, in that some precincts were first told to meet at Tulsa's Nathan Hale Library; and later, some emails said to instead travel several miles north to a location north of Owasso. The Executive Committee's resolution was to move to central locations, but that standard of "central was not always met. Too many house districts were combined into far off corners of the county.

  The result is that voters who live in the Downtown Tulsa Condominiums and apartments, as well as Brady Heights; are being told to travel out of the city to the northeast, to attend their "neighborhood" precinct meeting... southeast of Collinsville, OK.
  More importantly, this house district meeting concept was not effectively presented to the whole grassroots foundation of the Tulsa GOP.
To be fair, the central meeting idea has worked rather well in several other counties and certainly has merit. But the Tulsa County precincts were not properly consulted and partnered with.

David Van Risseghem

Let's Go Out To The Precinct Meeting!

Tulsa County; your precinct meeting starts Saturday morning, January 31st, at 10am. Meet at your appointed rendezvous location by finding your zone on the 'clickable' map linked here.

Tulsa County is testing out a new format of biennial meetings by gathering at the central house district location (okay, some of you will have to travel further than we wished).  But your neighbors and fellow patriots will be there along with several legislators and party officials.
You will be eligible to run for office as a part of your precinct leadership. you will also be eligible to serve as a delegate to represent your precinct at the upcoming Tulsa County GOP Convention (it's more than a month away).
But talk with neighbors & friends; as well as that  fella who's always got an opinion on how the 'guv-ment oughta be run'. There's room for all of us to be a part of making a better community and state though the process of grassroots initiatives.
We'll see ya there, and then we'l talk about it afterwards!

David Van Risseghem

Marriage Certificates May Replace Licenses

  If there's anything Oklahomans have agreed upon, in the federal marriage controversy, it's that the state really isn't good at trying to be the church.

  When the state travels down the road of social engineering to the point where the role of the church is co-opted, We end up with a government that tries to establish a consensus version of godliness.

  But a more limited role would be to protect individuals from being harmed by others. So the more sensible public policy is to call the filing process what it really is, and is meant to be. It is good to have a public registry of marriage partnerships, just like it is good to have a filing of business partnerships. It's a government service to provide a public record and make safeguards readily available  so as to substantiate claims. 

  But the term "license" was the wrong classification for this government service. "Certificate" conveys a certainty that the public record is verified, just like a birth certificate states that the details of a human birth have been verified.

  More importantly (to many Oklahomans) , the new policy sidesteps a sticky issue. When the state licenses an activity or association, there is an inferred endorsement (or at least an acceptance). But with marriage, it really doesn't matter if the community accepts a union. For that matter, it doesn't negate the union if one's in-laws are un-accepting of a covenant.

  A marriage certificate will provide the legal safeguards while returning honor and independence to the parties joining the domestic union
For many of us, the sacrament of marriage is defined by our faith; and we won't call a sin "a sacrament". But we must none-the-less recognize the business part of every partnership and accord each other the legal rights of a civil society.
And beyond the spiritual/moral issues of folks with religious convictions, there are also people whose view of marriage has no religious component at all. They are able to solemnize their life covenant without a ceremony of any kind.
Society isn't so much interested in your theology about marriage as how well you utilize your conveyed status for the stability and betterment of society.

Read: HB1125 text

David Van Risseghem

Faught Moves To Throw Out Or Reform Several Laws & Agencies

Oklahoma's Top Repealer Of Laws

  Rep. George Faught is the most prolific writer of legislation in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. With one noted exception; Mr. Faught's primary efforts this year have been to seek a "sun set" to several instances of state bureaucracy and restrictions. 20 of 21 bills filed by Faught seem to be primarily focused on ending bureaucracy and portions of statutes.

  However; with reference to HB1004, we are not at all convinced that drivers should face prosecution while there is still a half hour before dusk, for not having their headlights on. In fact, the slight added glare to oncoming westbound traffic count actually create a slightly more dangerous driving condition. Currently, a driver faces prosecution at 1/2 hour after dusk.

  But we are listing, below; the  newly introduced bills for your further research.

  George is returning to the legislature after a 2-year hiatus following an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Congress. He is a small businessman from Muskogee. His legislative updates are a part of the new Sooner Politics Lawmakers Journal (LawmakersJournal.com).
  Several lawmakers are providing regular updates via their blogs and Facebook Public Figure pages.

OK HB1023 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; State Capitol Preservation Commission; re-creating the Commission; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1013 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Board of Tests for Alcohol and Drug Influence; recreating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1014 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Oklahoma Liquefied Petroleum Gas Research, Marketing and Safety Commission; re-creating the Commission; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1016 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; State Board of Examiners of Perfusionists; recreating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught
OK HB1004 02/01/15 11:00 pm Motor vehicles; modifying certain time requirement for displaying lamps and illuminating devices; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1026 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; creating the Sunset Act of 2015; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1011 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Oklahoma State Athletic Commission; recreating the Commission; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1021 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; P-20 Data Coordinating Council; re-creating the Council; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught
OK HB1020 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; re-creating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1037 02/01/15 11:00 pm Oklahoma Open Records Act; providing additional exemption under Oklahoma Open Records Act; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1015 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; re-creating Oklahoma American Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission; re-creating advisory council to Commission; modifying termination dates. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1036 02/01/15 11:00 pm Public health and safety; requiring Emergency Medical Services to conduct certain reviews; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught
OK HB1018 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; State Board of Osteopathic Examiners; re-creating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1040 02/01/15 11:00 pm Purple Heart Day; changing Purple Heart Week to Purple Heart Day; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1019 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners; re-creating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1010 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; enacting the Oklahoma Sunset Act of 2015; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught
OK HB1025 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; creating the Sunset Act of 2015; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1022 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Educational Quality and Accountability Board; re-creating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1024 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; enacting the Oklahoma Sunset Act of 2015; effective date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught	OK HB1012 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Commission on County Government Personnel Education and Training; recreating the Commission; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught
OK HB1017 02/01/15 11:00 pm Sunset; Polygraph Examiners Board; re-creating the Board; modifying termination date. 2015/02/02 Authored by Representative Faught

David Van Risseghem