Tulsa Public Schools Spending

[Red Arrow]

In my opinion, we need consolidation in rural districts (too many fiefdoms in rural education), revised funding formulas that allow the board of education to fund by need and we have to continue to attack poverty in our urban districts.

Sounds like a plan to me.  Bring all school districts down to the lowest common denominator. Then the lower performing districts won't look so bad.

[TheArtist]

My kids go to the highest rated school possible. Here are rankings...

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/oklahoma/rankings?int=c0b4c1

The number one and two high schools in Oklahoma are small charter schools in OKC. Number 3 is in Edmond (very wealthy) and my son's school is number 4. It is in north Tulsa with over half of the students coming from homes that qualify for free lunches because the parent's are poor.

Booker T. Washington is the best school in the Tulsa area. That link shows a college readiness of 48.1 for BTW with Jenks getting a 38.4 and Jenks getting a 21.1.

So what is Booker T. Doing that could transfer to our other schools?

[RecycleMichael]

Booker T. Washington is a magnet school. Kids apply to go there. That gives them an advantage over most other schools. But it is way more than that. They truly engage the neighborhood to be part of the school and Alumni help every chance they can.

[Conan71]

Booker T. Washington is a magnet school.

Rare earth type?  How do you make a four year curriculum out of magnets?

[Red Arrow]

Rare earth type?  How do you make a four year curriculum out of magnets?

Alternate the polarity so they stick together.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Failin' showing again how she lives up to her nickname.  We have heard about the hundreds of millions in education cuts in Oklahoma.

Just saw the report on the news that cuts have amounted to 23.6% for each and every child in state schools!  More cuts than ANY other state in the nation - of course!  Again putting us at the wrong end of all the good/bad things lists, plus being at the wrong end of what's right for our children!!

She tried to "rationalize" it by saying that the last 2 years have seen "increases" of $150 million.... think about that for a minute....if so, then it was MUCH worse, because two years ago we were dealing with cuts that amounted to much MORE that 25% per child!!  Apparently even Failin' and Barresi do actually have a point where they do become embarrassed by their actions - and that point is hurting kids by way more than 25%!!!  Just not enough "embarrassment"!!

Will this state every learn??   I guess we will see in a few weeks.....

[Townsend]

I'm assuming there are going to be many more education cuts by the state so there might be more and more of these.

Public Meetings Set on School Bond Proposal

http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/public-meetings-set-school-bond-proposal

Tulsa Public Schools will host nine public forums to discuss the 2015 bond initiative, in advance of a public vote to take place on Tuesday, March 3. The $415 million bond will focus on capital improvement projects district wide – including plans for a centralized STEM center, replacing portable buildings with permanent classroom additions, including storm shelters that double as either classroom or library space – as well as a significant investment in technology to provide every child in the district with individual access to a computer, tablet or laptop device.

The first forum was held Feb. 10 at Edison, and the forum scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 17, at ECDC Porter was postponed due to inclement weather. That forum has been rescheduled for 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 26.

The adjusted community forums schedule is as follows:

·         Thursday Feb. 19, 5:30-6:30 p.m., McLain High School, 4929 N. Peoria Ave.

·         Thursday Feb. 19, 7-8 p.m., Central High School, 3101 W. Edison St.

·         Monday Feb. 23, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Rogers College High School, 3909 E. 5th Pl.

·         Monday Feb. 23, 7-8 p.m., Hale High School, 6960 E. 21st St.

·         Tuesday Feb. 24, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Booker T. Washington High School, 1514 E. Zion St.

·         Tuesday Feb. 24, 7-8 p.m., East Central High School, 12150 E. 11th St.

·         Thursday Feb. 26, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Key Elementary, 5702 S. Irvington Ave.

·         Thursday, Feb. 17, 6-7 p.m., ECDC Porter, 1740 W. 41st St.

"The 2015 bond will focus on improving facilities, expanding access to technology and improving the safety of our schools," said Dr. Keith Ballard, TPS superintendent. "It's also important that we plan for future growth and anticipated needs over the next six years. Tomorrow's workforce will demand increasingly higher levels of excellence and our students must be prepared to meet these expectations. We are excited to partner with the community as they vote on this exciting initiative to improve the education of every child served by Tulsa Public Schools."

[sgrizzle]

My child's school is getting permanent classrooms to replace the prefabs they installed in the early 80s. Also potentially reconfiguring the entrance since you can pretty much walk in, grab your kid and walk out without the staff seeing you.

[rdj]

This bond package has a lot of great projects.

I'm surprised no one on this forum has latched onto the expansion and remodel of what is now Emerson Elementary just north of downtown.  TPS is trying to get OSU to give up some of their land to expand the school south and a block closer to downtown.  The school is being expanded with the downtown resident and work in mind.

[patric]

TPS considers eliminating its duplicate police force

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/tulsa-school-board-votes-to-cut-central-office-jobs-including/article_e3d22631-8fc7-59bf-96ad-9208e98a9e3b.html

[heironymouspasparagus]

TPS considers eliminating its duplicate police force

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/education/tulsa-school-board-votes-to-cut-central-office-jobs-including/article_e3d22631-8fc7-59bf-96ad-9208e98a9e3b.html

Wonderful !!   Then we can just hire off-duty police at double the cost !!

[Conan71]

Did either of you read the article?  They aren't talking about eliminating the police force, just a re-organization cutting it from a staffing level of 74 to 60.  If TPS were subject more to outside examination of essential school functions and waste, they could eliminate $12mm worth without affecting the educational experience nor extracurricular activities.  How long has TPS had a police force?  How on earth is this really justified or are these glorified security patrolmen we could contract for at a cheaper rate? I don't recall a TPS police force when I was still school age.

Board members voted after discussing the proposal to eliminate jobs for about an hour and 10 minutes in an executive session following a due process hearing requested by TPS Deputy Police Chief Dwight Jackson.

Jackson, who holds one of 17 campus police jobs Gist recommended be eliminated or de-funded due to lack of funds, appealed for his job to be saved and introduced his own proposal to cut costs in his department.

Other campus police positions that Gist recommended for elimination: an additional deputy police chief, police commander, police sergeant, detective, communications administrative manager, communications specialist and eight campus police officers. The police sergeant position and all but one of the police officer positions are currently vacant.

Gist recommended eliminating those positions and creating three new campus police positions: a police major, a lead communications specialist and a lieutenant investigator.

"The proposed eliminations of the management-level positions — including the deputy chief positions — are appropriate for the size of our campus police team," said Blaine Young, TPS chief information and operations officer, who was responsible for identifying campus police positions to be cut.

Young said he recommended reducing the total number of campus police department employees from 74 to 60 and the manager-level positions from six to four, would save the school system $387,000 annually while sustaining its ability to "effectively serve the needs of our schools."

Young said the "essential functions" of the deputy police chief positions would be absorbed by existing and proposed positions.

"It eliminates the inefficiencies while maintaining police and security service standards at schools," Young said about the proposal.

[patric]

Did either of you read the article? 

Why yes, I did.

Young said he considered several cost-reduction measures to the campus police department, including eliminating it altogether. School districts in Oklahoma are not required to have their own campus police, and many rely on local municipal police departments, he said.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Did either of you read the article?  They aren't talking about eliminating the police force, just a re-organization cutting it from a staffing level of 74 to 60.  If TPS were subject more to outside examination of essential school functions and waste, they could eliminate $12mm worth without affecting the educational experience nor extracurricular activities.  How long has TPS had a police force?  How on earth is this really justified or are these glorified security patrolmen we could contract for at a cheaper rate? I don't recall a TPS police force when I was still school age.

Yep.  I read it too.  The Chief of the department is working hard to keep his job by throwing some others under the bus.


But if you re-read my note, the tone that was intended was that it would be foolish to get rid of their own department.  Maybe that didn't come across quite as strongly as I wanted.   I submit it would cost more to get outside security than have internal employees.  Goe to my whole "anti-outsourcing" attitude for important parts of an organization's operation.

[brettakins]

Did either of you read the article?  They aren't talking about eliminating the police force, just a re-organization cutting it from a staffing level of 74 to 60.  If TPS were subject more to outside examination of essential school functions and waste, they could eliminate $12mm worth without affecting the educational experience nor extracurricular activities.  How long has TPS had a police force?  How on earth is this really justified or are these glorified security patrolmen we could contract for at a cheaper rate? I don't recall a TPS police force when I was still school age.

Not sure of your age but since I was in middle school we had security guards patrolling the campus. We definitely had them in high school. The installed a metal detector at the entrance one year but that only lasted for about a year and then it was disabled.