With student proficiency at a horrific 14.7%, down 21% since 2018, it is clear that a radically different approach is needed to turn TPS around. A massive 73% increase in non-instructional costs and 21% drop in student proficiency at TPS since 2018 can lead to only one conclusion. Vote NO on this bond package. Demand accountability and a new bold vision.
First, stop the bleeding and save the patient. Then follow the best student-focused science available to rehab TPS into a world-class educational system. It will be a long difficult process, but our children believe their future is worth the effort. Do we?
1. Audit Results: Let the ongoing audit come to conclusion. Then act boldly and decisively to stop the on-going mismanagement, fraud, and other issues it reveals.
2. Teacher Pay: Focus on delivering the Pathways to Opportunity commitment TPS made to families. More teachers and fully qualified/certified teachers are the cornerstone of that plan. That commitment can only be met if TPS pays teachers competitively, enabling TPS to hire and retain the best. Average TPS teacher actual pay is 20% below the state average. 21% of TPS teachers are emergency certified.
Bonds do NOT pay teachers.
3. Refocus on K-12: Continue to evaluate the effectiveness of specific programs, roles, staff, and facilities. Identify programs that are not effective or not core mission, like free daycare and adult education. Make tough decisions to eliminate unproductive overhead to reduce non-institutional costs. Those costs are currently 52.12% of spending, which is well above the state average of 48.2%. Continue to push non-instructional costs down towards the national average of 41.2%.
In short, replace the current failed business-as-usual with bold visionary solutions that our children, families, and teachers deserve.
Voters will easily give TPS $1 BILLION to implement that vision, if the 3 steps above have been completed to their satisfaction, the vision is science-based and data-driven, and the implementation includes significant independent oversight.
Vote NO April 7th on the TPS bond package.
TPS will continue to rob our children of their future until citizens hold the administration accountable. Rubber-stamping every funding request because they repeat nonstop “it’s for the children” with a tear in their eye, prevents the bold visionary reforms that are desperately needed.
Background:
Audit: The recent audit looked at less than 1% of TPS $4.1 BILLION spending 2015-2023. It revealed millions in education funding are being stolen. A single person stole over $800,000. Another $500,000 was illegally moved to an external company and then paid out to 40 TPS employees. Kickbacks! The list goes on and on.
Let the ongoing audit play-out. Then act boldly and decisively to stop the on-going mismanagement and fraud it reveals.
Certified Teachers: The TPS 5-year plan, Pathways to Opportunity, is a commitment made to families. The bond package is entirely out of sync with that commitment. The plan depends entirely on a significant increase in fully trained and certified teachers. But TPS spends hundreds of millions of dollars on consultants, services, and underutilized facilities instead of hiring more teachers and attracting the best by paying them fairly.
Sources: Not covered above: +25%: TPS cost per student is 25% more than private school.
https://www.privateschoolreview.com/tuition-stats/oklahoma
Student Proficiency: Percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards by scoring at or above the proficient level on their state test. Only 14.7% of TPS students perform at grade level. Far below the state average of 26.3%.
https://oklaschools.com/district/2025/99STAT/contextual/assessments
According to the Oklahoma Schools Report Card method of measuring achievement, TPS student grade level proficiency dropped 21%, from 11.3% to 8.9%.
https://oklaschools.com/district/2025/72I001/academic-achievement
Non-instructional costs:
https://oklaschools.com/district/2025/72I001/contextual/financials
https://oklaschools.com/state/2025/contextual/financials
Teacher Pay: TPS average teacher salary is $50,562, an increase of 40% since 2017.
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Tulsa-Public-Schools/salaries/Teacher/Oklahoma
Oklahoma average teacher salary is $61,330, an increase of 35% since 2017, and competitive compared to neighboring states.
21%: Emergency certified teachers at TPS.https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-adds-83-emergency-certified-teachers/70523849
About the author: Gerald McGarvin is a Tulsa area resident disrupting the Liberal Echo Chamber to preserve opportunity and self-determination. Author, conservative, GOP Precinct Chair, husband, and father. Defeating extreme liberal regimes using all available legal means. He may be reached by email and on Facebook at the following links: gerald.mcgarvin@xafta.com, https://www.facebook.com/glmcgarvin.author, https://www.facebook.com/GeraldMcGarvin1/