Senators discuss education reforms

The chairman and vice chairman of the state Senate Education Committee stopped by OCPA today to address a gathering I hosted of a couple dozen conservative leaders.

Sen. John Ford (center) and Sen. Clark Jolley (bottom right) outlined three key education reforms:

— Senate Bill 834, the School District Empowerment Program, which removes many of the state mandates from local school districts;

— Senate Bill 1111, which increases the transparency and accountability of student achievement data (along the lines discussed here); and

— Senate Bill 882, the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Educational Scholarship Act, which provides school-choice opportunities to students in low-performing schools and students with special needs.