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SDE Mission and Title IX Policy

Our mission at the Oklahoma State Department of Education, is to improve student success through: service to schools, parents and students; leadership for education reform; and regulation/deregulation of state and federal laws to provide accountability while removing any barriers to student success.

As Chief Executive Officer of the State Department of Education, State Superintendent Sandy Garrett has led the timely implementation of mandates in the state's landmark Education Reform Act of 1990 and the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. By working with parents, business/community leaders, and CareerTech and higher education officials, the State Department of Education (SDE) puts state education policies and programs into action to support the efforts of public schools. The SDE's vision is to make children Oklahoma 's top priority through the Department's mission of:

  • Quality services to students, schools and communities;
  • Leadership for education reform and school improvement; and
  • Regulatory flexibility focused on accountability and improving student success.

Expertise, experience and persistence of officials at the State Department of Education (SDE) have been instrumental in developing Oklahoma 's early childhood education system from its beginnings in the 1980s. Today, the National Institute for Early Education Research recognizes Oklahoma as the national model in Pre-Kindergarten programs. In March 2006, NIEER's national report card showed Oklahoma No. 1 in the percentage of four-year-olds attending public preschool programs, and one of only two states offering voluntary access statewide.

The SDE was authorized in state law to start standards-based education reforms in 1990, which is why Education Week , a national education periodical, ranked Oklahoma among the top ten states in each of four major reform categories in January 2006. Accountability measures the SDE has implemented since 1990 helped to prepare Oklahoma public schools for the federal policy changes in the No Child Left Behind Act. The Education Commission of the States (ECS) Web site, which tracks each state's implementation of the federal law, ranked Oklahoma No. 1 in July 2004. Oklahoma met more of the 40 major requirements met than any other state. Since then, ECS has revised their tracking system; but, in January 2006, Oklahoma remained in the top five nationally.

The SDE's “School Support Teams” provide technical assistance to schools that are struggling and identified on the federal improvement list. And, approximately 50,000 educators, administrators and board members are annually provided additional training (professional development) by SDE staff at:

  • individual school districts (on location or over the Internet using H.323 full motion audio/video links),
  • statewide conferences on teaching content areas, high school reform, library media, technology and leadership topics,
  • regional workshops and institutes, and
  • training sessions on the SDE's Title I Videoconference Network of 10 classrooms around the state and in the Hodge Education Building , State Capitol Complex.

Additionally, since taking office in 1991, the Department has downsized, saving taxpayers a cumulative $52.7 million by flattening the organizational structure, focusing efforts on reform laws and customer service, using technology to maximize resources and streamlining processes. Most of the printed accountability reports required from school districts annually have been changed to electronic processes on the Department's online “School District Reporting Site.” At the same time, the SDE has been working with schools and software developers to implement The Wave, a 21st century, customized and secure statewide student information system, created to comply with state law related to the reporting requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act (Title 70 Oklahoma Statutes § 3-160). On May 4, 2006, the SDE's Wave Team received one of only 30 Commendation of Excellence Awards at this year's Quality Oklahoma Team Day.

Increasing academic standards, improving reading skills, bringing technology into classrooms, integrating character education programs, and making schools safer are also priorities the SDE continues to pursue. With her fellow members of the State Board of Education, Superintendent Garrett has initiated school deregulation, a uniform financial accounting system for schools, and the state's first core curriculum – developed with aligned assessments for accountability. The SDE also uses federal administrative funding to provide the nation's first statewide school safety hot line (1-877-SAFE-CALL, ext. OK1), which allows anonymous reports of suspicious or potentially dangerous activity in schools.

In July 2005, the SDE's fiscal accountability was honored by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the best in the nation. Only 12 states received the award recognizing outstanding performance in data quality and reporting. The U.S. Department of Education has honored the SDE's Financial Accounting and Data Services teams many times for on-time and high-quality reporting of revenue and expenditure data about public schools.

For more on the policies, programs and progress of the State Department of Education, please see the “Investing in Oklahoma” report and the “National Rankings” Web page.

Contact
Title IX Joni Younts, Title IX Coordinator, (405) 522-3319
State Department of Education
2500 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Room 111
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105

It is the policy of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs or employment practices as required by Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Civil rights compliance inquiries related to the OSDE may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer, Room 111, 2500 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4599; telephone number (405) 522-3319 or the United States Department of Education's Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Inquiries or concerns regarding compliance with Title IX by local school districts should be presented to the local school district title IX coordinator.