Looking back at 2009
By Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Thursday, December 24, 2009

 	 We look with optimism for a brighter new year, but before we leave 2009 to history, consider a few of the educational milestones we reached in Oklahoma.
      The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s “Leaders and Laggards” national report card this year graded Oklahoma as 2nd in the nation in technology for Web-based programs and computer-based assessments.  We received high marks, ranking 11th, among states for our education data system.
      The national publication Education Week issued its 13th annual “Quality Counts” report card in January on state education systems.  Researchers graded us among the best states in several categories, with perfect scores for school accountability and education policies related to the economy and workforce.  Oklahoma’s 25th overall ranking was based on more than 100 measures.
      In February, I convened the first State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council of 50 students from high schools across the state.   The council’s main focus was the problem of school dropouts and possible solutions, and its ideas were included in the Oklahoma Dropout Summit, “OK Graduation: DO IT,” held in March.  Students, educators, lawmakers and business leaders all came together to promote prevention and intervention strategies.
      Oklahoma was ranked No. 1 in early childhood education for the 6th time in the annual “The State of Preschool” by the National Institute for Early Education Research. Oklahoma gained the honor for its consistent accomplishment of providing access to quality—and voluntary—education programs for all four-year-olds.
      The month of April brought the first round of federal economic stimulus funding, specifically for math and reading instruction in high-poverty schools, and for the academic needs of special education students.
      This summer, the State Board of Education asked the state’s student testing company for Grades 3-8, Data Recognition Corporation (DRC), to help us raise the bar of student proficiency.  DRC facilitated committees of educators, business people and other stakeholders in making recommendations to increase the level of rigor on all state math and reading tests for students in Grades 3-8. 
      In August, the State Board of Education learned that 19 low-performing schools had made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for two years in a row and could therefore be removed from the state's “Needs Improvement” list. Twenty other schools on the list also made AYP, which means if they do so again next year, they will be dropped from the list.
      Enrollment counts in October indicated Oklahoma schools gained nearly 10,000 students since 2008 and are now serving 654,511 pupils.   A majority of the growth was once again in the Hispanic student population, which is now equivalent to the state’s African-American student population.  About 19 percent of Oklahoma public school students are American Indian, while about 2 percent are Asian and 56 percent are white.  
      In December, the state achieved a new record in the number of nationally certified teachers with 2,599.  Oklahoma ranks 8th nationally in the number of new teachers with this certification and 9th in the total number of National Board Certified teachers.
      As we leave 2009, I pause to remember the true statesman that Oklahoma lost this year, former Governor Henry Bellmon.  As the father of standards-based education reform in our state, his wisdom and guidance will be greatly missed.
      Gov. Bellmon brought people together from both parties and from all walks of life across our state to craft a vision for the education Oklahoma boys and girls deserved. We will do all we can during these challenging economic times to protect the education reforms he envisioned, and to make certain ALL students are prepared for college and the workplace of tomorrow!
      
       Read to a child – the benefits last a lifetime!
       




www.sde.state.ok.us


EDITORS: For more information, contact Shelly Hickman, State Department of Education, (405) 521-3371.