Tag Archives: Education Oklahoma

The Real Problem with School Choice

By Jonathan Bartlett

Analysis: “School Choice” is the modern name for school vouchers.  Essentially, the idea is that money for schooling should follow a student wherever they go.  If they go to public school – great!  The public school gets the money.  But it is also fine if they go to a private school.  The private school will just get the money that would have gone to the public school.

Once upon a time I was in favor of this, and there are a lot of conservatives who favor this approach for a number of reasons.  I will also say that most of the criticisms of School Choice being brought out by either the public or the public school system almost completely miss the mark and misunderstand what is happening and what the goal is.  However, there is a deeper criticism of School Choice that I have come to recognize. 

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Walters Joins Teacher Freedom Alliance

By David Arnett

After resigning his position as Oklahoma State Superintendent, Ryan Walters has been named incoming Chief Executive Officer of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, a new national organization founded by the Freedom Foundation that provides educators professional support services and resources as an alternative to traditional union membership.

While conservatives supported many of Walter’s anti-woke initiatives, they frequently acknowledged that, during his term as State Superintendent, the most dangerous place any Oklahoman could stand was between Ryan Walters and a television camera. What Oklahomans demand is quality K-12 instruction in phonics, mathematics, and personal economics. Less dramatic leadership would also be appreciated.

Ryan Walters
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Sup. Walters Launches Tutoring Investment

By Staff Report

Superintendent Ryan Walters announced a 3,000,000 dollar investment Thursday in high-impact tutoring programs across Oklahoma, designed to accelerate student learning and literacy in both urban and rural school districts. The initiative focuses on providing students with research-based, small-group tutoring aligned with the Science of Reading and the Oklahoma Academic Standards.

“The national decline is unlike anything we have seen. Literacy is the foundation for everything our students learn, the bottom line is: if you can’t read you can’t be successful,” said Superintendent Walters. “By investing in targeted tutoring, we are giving Oklahoma students the tools they need to succeed in school, in their careers, and in life. This is about results, accountability, and making sure every child has the opportunity to thrive.”

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Teacher Guilty of Abuse: 42-years

By David Arnett

Former Choctaw-Nicoma Park High School teacher Samuel Melton has pleaded guilty to sexual crimes against a young student, receiving a 42-year sentence—the longest ever for an Oklahoma sexual predator in the classroom according to a release from OK Attorney General Genter Drummond.

Melton pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape by instrumentation, second-degree rape, sexual battery and sodomy as an adult employed by a school district.

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OCPA on OSSAA Dictatorial Decree

By David Arnett

Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small yesterday criticized the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) for arbitrarily banning four teenagers from playing basketball for Glencoe High School. The four youth used the state’s open-transfer process to attend the Glencoe district in the 2025-2026 school year.

Glencoe is located in northern Payne County, Oklahoma. The population was 601 at the 2010 census, an increase of 3.1 percent from the figure of 583 in 2000.

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