PRATT CREATIVE

Jul 27

For folks still wondering why there was a new secretary calling the rolls yesterday: "The board members, who govern Oklahoma’s public schools, said they wanted to meet to discuss the extent of state Superintendent Ryan Walters‘ power and what actions he can take without their authority after learni...Read more

For folks still wondering why there was a new secretary calling the rolls yesterday: "The board members, who govern Oklahoma’s public schools, said they wanted to meet to discuss the extent of state Superintendent Ryan Walters‘ power and what actions he can take without their authority after learning Thursday morning that the body’s secretary was no longer employed by the state Department of Education." https://journalrecord.com/2025/07/25/state-board-authority-special-meeting/ Sad wow. ... 😳

Jul 26

It's a sad picture but important to see. And, no, everything isn't about funding but Oklahoma's ranking of 50th among 51 states and DC on WalletHub's latest national rankings is mostly about two factors: insufficient investment and low scores on national tests. The worst of the achievement factors i...Read more

It's a sad picture but important to see. And, no, everything isn't about funding but Oklahoma's ranking of 50th among 51 states and DC on WalletHub's latest national rankings is mostly about two factors: insufficient investment and low scores on national tests. The worst of the achievement factors is shockingly Oklahoma's Median ACT Score. ... Safety is not a big problem for our state but reading scores are. ☹️ “Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success. How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum. In addition, schools need to focus not just on test scores but also on making sure that students feel safe, comfortable and cared for.” CHIP LUPO, WALLETHUB ANALYST https://wallethub.com/edu/e/states-with-the-best-schools/5335

Jul 26

"Do Oklahoma schools have millions in surplus funds to cover student meals? We looked into it." - @readfrontier, July 24, 2025. When The Frontier staff fact-checked claims of Oklahoma's state superintendent about public school budgets, it was validating to realize I would have given these seven clai...Read more

"Do Oklahoma schools have millions in surplus funds to cover student meals? We looked into it." - @readfrontier, July 24, 2025. When The Frontier staff fact-checked claims of Oklahoma's state superintendent about public school budgets, it was validating to realize I would have given these seven claims the same ratings; we found only two claims to be verifiably "true." > “You are basically subsidizing the front end of the year with the carryover funds, with the fund balance,” Mike Anthony, Chief Financial Officer at Bixby Public Schools, told The Frontier." https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/we-fact-checked-oklahoma-schools-chief-ryan-walters-claims-about-school-lunch/ 👋 IF your school district does not have sufficient carryover funds at the end of each fiscal year, it won't be around much longer. ... JS 😬

Jul 25

What I found is Oklahoma law gives any member of the public access to the same materials under review by the Textbook Committee. They’re on display across the state (at least one in each in congressional district) inside university libraries. Here is a list of the locations. The public can also sh...Read more

What I found is Oklahoma law gives any member of the public access to the same materials under review by the Textbook Committee. They’re on display across the state (at least one in each in congressional district) inside university libraries. Here is a list of the locations. The public can also share their comments with the committee, which plans to hold a public hearing Oct. 3, according to a calendar on their webpage. Members of the public wishing to comment at the hearing should contact the committee by Sept. 12 and include a typed summary of the comments they wish to make.  https://oklahomawatch.org/newsletter/education-watch-we-read-the-textbooks-under-state-review-you-can-too/

Jul 24

"Chief Compliance Officer Kourtney Heard resigned from the Education Department on April 4. Her resignation letter, which Oklahoma Voice obtained, alleges significant challenges, including manipulation of school accreditation, are hindering the Education Department from achieving better outcomes for...Read more

"Chief Compliance Officer Kourtney Heard resigned from the Education Department on April 4. Her resignation letter, which Oklahoma Voice obtained, alleges significant challenges, including manipulation of school accreditation, are hindering the Education Department from achieving better outcomes for students. "Heard declined to comment Tuesday. Oklahoma Voice received her letter from another former agency employee and independently confirmed its authenticity. The letter is the subject of an open records lawsuit from another media outlet, Oklahoma Watch." https://oklahomavoice.com/2025/07/22/oklahoma-education-department-official-resigned-over-fundamental-issues-in-the-agency/