Velocity: Oklahoma City Public Schools' effort to redesign its system is about to reach a major milestone

BY DAVID MCCOLLUM

Oklahoma City Public Schools’ effort to redesign its system is about to reach a major milestone in the next few days.

Analysts are expected to make recommendations on facility updates or closures and the district will hold public comment sessions on those recommendations later this month.

The project, Pathway to Greatness, is a collaborative effort intended to disrupt the status quo by redesigning OKCPS for the future. The project will align the district’s resources to provide equitable learning opportunities for all students to achieve the district’s vision of every student graduating ready to fulfill their unique purpose in a healthy, vibrant community.

“Trends over time show that our enrollment is declining slightly and will likely level-off in the next couple of years,“ said Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel. “This means our share of state funding will decline, even if the overall funding level increases again. A comparison of the number of students we have enrolled and the amount of space in our school buildings shows that we are maintaining a lot of instructional space that we aren't using, a choice that is directing resources to facilities instead of to our students.”

According to OKCPS, roughly one third of available instructional capacity is vacant.

“We have done considerable work in the last few years to update our instructional practices, to collect and analyze data about long-term trends, and to stabilize our financial situation,” McDaniel said. “Through these efforts, it has become clear that our district is primed and ready for a reinvention to take us to the next level.”

McDaniel emphasized that it is time for things to change, stating that “the status quo is not acceptable.”

He also acknowledge that the way OKCPS did business in the past contributed to today’s problems and that the problem is “a district-wide problem that requires a district-wide solution."

"We must build on what is working and improve what is not working,” he added. “It is time to create the future of education, not recreate the past.”

He went on to say: “The purpose of this process is to get students the resources they need and to align our budget with our values. Our highest priority is serving our students equitably and to ensuring access to more educational opportunities and support services regardless of their zip code.”

The project has involved several committees composed of teachers, principals and other stakeholders. It has also included public comment opportunities, such as a survey to which 2,600 parents, teachers, students and community members responded.

The survey asked several questions, especially of parents. Would they be willing to drive farther to a different school if it meant their students would have better access to electives, expanded curriculum or other opportunities? More than 48 percent said yes. About 24 percent said no, and the rest were unsure or felt the question didn’t apply to them. It also includes some other service provisions, such as increasing access to counseling.

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