Category Archives: Local

Dr. Johnson’s Bold, Clear, Data-driven Goals

By Susan Phillips, Education Editor

During the December 21 State Department of Education (OSDE) meeting Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson laid out comprehensive plans to reach the three academic goals established during the November meeting. The plans included:

  • “refreshing” (increasing) several of TPS Board goals that are part of the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan
  • focusing on about 6,200 students grade four through eight
  • reassigning school principals to match school needs
  • freeing up office staff to go into the schools to cover classes during the English Language Arts (ELA) time periods freeing up the classroom teacher to focus on teaching ELA
  • reading tutoring: the Christmas Break tutoring has already successfully started with 323 TPS students having enrolled across five sites for eight days of three-hour sessions
  • implementing assessment culture: communicate expectation by setting goals (student and teacher), motivate teachers who in turn motivate students, include parents
Continue reading →

Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson

By Susan Phillips, Education Editor

Dr. Ebony Johnson became the first black woman to be elected permanent Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) shortly after 11 pm December 11, 2023. Her election was the highly anticipated result of this regularly scheduled school board meeting.  A record-breaking crowd, having waited one and one-half hours for the executive session to conclude, cheered and took photos to commemorate the occasion. Dr. Johnson’s tenure as Superintendent of TPS starts immediately and runs through June 30, 2026. 

The board vote was four in favor, two against and one abstention. Board members E’Lena Ashley and Dr. Jennettie Marshall voted no, and Dr. Jerry Griffin abstained.

The following day board member Dr. Jerry Griffin tendered his resignation effective January 2, 2024. He said that the timing is not related to the board’s decision, but rather to his career decision.  He is preparing to launch a national tour to promote his vision of educational reform based on a book he has written.

Over the next several days various stakeholders weighed in. State Superintendent of Education Ryan Walters labeled the board a “rubber stamp” and said it is “barreling toward drastic action”. Tulsa Mayor Bynum said that he agrees with Superintendent Walters pushing TPS for academic excellence, but disagrees with how he has gone about pursuing it. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recommended that everyone should calm down and give Dr. Johnson the benefit of the doubt and the chance to see if she can change TPS’s academic outcomes.

Dr. Ebony Johnson, Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent
Continue reading →

OK Board of Ed Resets TPS Goals

By Susan Phillips, Education Editor

The State Board of Education (SDE) set “a bit more ambitious goals” during the November 30, 2023, monthly meeting by passing two board orders and added that Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) will continue to report monthly progress to the SDE. The new goals followed the TPS team’s monthly progress report on the goals that they had proposed and reported on during the October SDE meeting. The events of the week following this meeting set the stage for the well-attended special TPS Board Meeting of Monday December 11, 2023.

The first goal asks TPS to at least increase the percent of students who score basic or above from the current 41% to 46% (a 5% increase, 773 students) and asks TPS to shoot for 50% (a 9% increase, 1,391 students).

Note that when TPS reaches the 50% level that means that 50% of the students remain at the “below basic” or below grade level. Also note that “basic” does not mean that a student has mastered the requirements of the grade level tested. As TPS Interim Superintendent Johnson frequently says, “We have a lot of work to do.”

Continue reading →

TPS Faces Challenges of English Learners

By Susan Phillips, Education Editor

Thirty-one percent of the students in Tulsa Public Schools are acquiring English in addition to their other coursework. As of this 11/27/23 regular board meeting “that is 10,395 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade” reported Dr. Grisso, Executive Director of Language and Cultural Services.

The number grows daily with 100 English Language Learners (ELLs) being added each week since late October of this year. A sizeable portion of ELLs in the secondary schools have had limited schooling and/or sizeable gaps in their education. A large number of the enrollees have no previous school records and/or no readily available way to acquire them.

By the end of 2022 TPS received 1,717 new ELLs. Now, near the end of 2023 TPS has received 2,098.  Dr. Grisso projects receiving 4,206 by the end of 2024. At the current time, based on current state testing requirements, English language learners make up 10% of the State Report Card.

Only about 10% of the ELLs were not born in America.  Some of the ELLs can read, but not in English.  All of the ELLs could greatly benefit from the specialized services of English Learning Development (EDL)Teachers. The vast majority of all the students acquiring English are in the classrooms with students whose primary language is English or who have successfully “graduated” from needing the special assistance of EDL teachers.

Continue reading →

Special TPS Board Meeting – Two Weak Decisions

By Susan Phillips, Education Editor

The results of the special TPS board meeting of November 14, 2023, were underwhelming. First, the Board decided to put off determining the process for searching for a new TPS Superintendent until sometime before January 31, 2024.

Second, the board only produced a resolution signifying confidence in and support of Interim School Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson rather than offering her contract beyond the current school year.

In contrast the agenda and accompanying rumors for the special meeting held great promise. The seven-member board was planning to establish a search process for a new superintendent. One Board Member, Dr. Jerry Griffin, was lobbying the Board to offer a contract to Interim Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson fearing that she would be “snatched up” by another school district before the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

Dr. Jerry Griffin boycotted the executive session during which the remainder of the board discussed Interim Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson’s employment. He chose instead to remain in the public room which resulted in an unplanned interview with News Channel 8’s Burt Mummolo, who regularly attends the board meetings.

Continue reading →