Financial illiteracy

"Three out of four Oklahoma high school seniors failed a national test designed to assess knowledge of personal finance," The Oklahoman reports. "Only 6 percent of the Oklahoma students correctly answered 70 percent of the test questions, the equivalent of a 'C' grade."

Superintendents wrong about New Hope

In a recent piece in the Muskogee Phoenix, 30 tax-funded school superintendents misrepresented the New Hope Scholarship Act. Here is my reply.

'The cracks are appearing'

The public school monopoly "had remarkable staying power," William McGurn writes today in The Wall Street Journal, "but the cracks are appearing. In cities like Washington, D.C., and Newark, N.J., African-American mayors like Anthony Williams and Cory Booker–Democrats both–have taken courageous stands to offer children more and better school options. And these brave souls are being joined by a growing number of parents, pastors and advocates who recognize that the status quo is cheating their children out of a chance at the American Dream."

Here at home, Democrats like Judy Eason McIntyre and Jabar Shumate have taken courageous stands. And these brave souls are being joined by parents and pastors like Barbara Shannon and Rev. Donald Tyler. Here's Dr. Tyler at an April 21 press conference telling reporters that he supports the New Hope Scholarship Act because "our kids aren't being educated."

"I have kids in my church who have graduated who can't read," Dr. Tyler says. "You tell me the system is working?"

'Failing to provide New Hope'

State Rep. Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) has an excellent analysis of the legislature's failure to give children new hope.

'Courageous decision-making needed'

In its lead editorial on Sunday, the state's largest newspaper discussed the New Hope Scholarship Act, which went down to defeat on the House floor last week.

Approving the bill would have taken some real courage. Education groups were united in their opposition. They feared the plan would dilute public education funding, and some lawmakers bought into the idea that approving the plan would equate to abandoning public education. Although the bill targeted Oklahoma City and Tulsa, rural school officials complained it might eventually spread their way, too. One lawmaker even suggested what's needed is a study to identify education's problems.

By all means, conduct another study. The problem couldn't possibly be that many parents, educators and policy-makers expect too little of our students and that's exactly what we get. Or that parents are too disinterested. Or that many struggling schools suffer from poor leadership, a problem that often begets poor teaching. Or that it's way too difficult to get rid of ineffective administrators and teachers. Or that we do too little to help keep the good teachers in education or find ways to help them do an even better job.

We all know a lot about what's wrong in our schools. Depending on which classroom one uses as a point of reference, the list can be quite long. What's required isn't a task force. It's the will and the courage to do things differently. ...

The scholarship proposal had weaknesses, and it wouldn't have saved public education. But it might have helped some kids in Oklahoma City and Tulsa's poorest performing schools, and that should have been the focus.

Republicans against school choice

In March the Oklahoma Senate passed the New Hope Scholarship Act by a vote of 30 to 18, with all 24 Republicans voting in favor (roll call here). The bill would give a tax credit to taxpayers who contribute to organizations that provide private-school scholarships for low-income children currently attending failing public schools in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

On April 23 the Oklahoma House of Representatives defeated the measure by a vote of 57 to 40 (roll call here). Here are the 17 Republicans who voted against the bill:













Rep. Don Armes (R-Faxon)














Rep. Gary Banz (R-Midwest City)














Rep. Lisa Billy (R-Purcell)














Rep. Ann Coody (R-Lawton)














Rep. Dale DeWitt (R-Braman)














Rep. John Enns (R-Waukomis)














Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee)














Rep. Terry Ingmire (R-Stillwater)














Rep. Mike Jackson (R-Enid)














Rep. Shane Jett (R-Tecumseh)














Rep. Fred Jordan (R-Tulsa)














Rep. Charlie Joyner (R-Midwest City)














Rep. Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville)














Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow)














Rep. Phil Richardson (R-Minco)














Rep. Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville)














Rep. Weldon Watson (R-Tulsa)

Educator-misconduct watch

"Vian Police Chief Danny Hoover said he is investigating allegations that two teachers at the Vian High School had inappropriate relationships with students," The Oklahoman reports ('Vian district allows teachers to resign').

A recent analysis by the Associated Press found that "sexual conduct plagues U.S. schools."

With friends like these ...

During floor debate on the New Hope Scholarship Act yesterday, state Rep. Ray McCarter (D-Marlow) made a valiant bid for entry into public education's "Friends Like These" Hall of Fame. Mr. McCarter, a public-school teacher and administrator, helpfully explained why private schools are able to perform so well academically: It’s because of the students they are able to enroll. "They’re smart kids," McCarter explained, "or else they’d be in the public schools with the rest of the kids." All righty then.

Of course, Rep. McCarter isn’t the only school-choice opponent whose arguments might cause the education establishment to wince. Last year on the House floor, state Rep. Wallace Collins (D-Norman) confessed: "I’m only a public school graduate so I'm not very literate." (Not to worry, Rep. Collins, there's a lot of that going around.)

And who can forget state Sen. Constance "Sinking Ship" Johnson (D-Oklahoma City), who memorably asked on the Senate floor why it is "we want to take some of the kids out of the public schools and essentially leave the rest on the sinking ship?"

Perhaps my favorite observation is from one Evelyn Walsh of Guthrie, who suggested in a letter to the editor last year that school choice is a bad idea because, well, the majority of Oklahomans might just choose a private school. After all, she pointed out, it's unlikely that "people will opt for hamburger when T-bone steaks are available."

With friends like these, does the education establishment really need enemies?

David Boaz puts it well in his new book The Politics of Freedom. "Every argument against choice made by the education establishment reveals the contempt that establishment has for its own product. School boards, superintendents, and teacher unions are convinced that no one would attend public schools if they had the choice. Like Fidel Castro and former postmaster general Anthony Frank, they have a keen sense of the consumer demand for their product and are fighting a rearguard action to protect their monopoly."

New Hope bill ...

... goes down to defeat on the House floor. Supporters vow to fight another day. Michael Bates is rightly disappointed with squishy Republicans.

New Hope bill ...

... will be considered on the House floor on Wednesday.

Bullied, with no way out

The Oklahoman reports today ('Many Hispanic students are targets of bullying in state') that bullying is a problem in some schools.

"We try to ignore it as much as we can, but it just gets worse and worse," Mayra [Sigala] said about the racist slurs yelled at her in the crowded hallways of Edmond Memorial High School.

The first incident occurred in early November, within a week of the passage of House Bill 1804, Oklahoma's stringent immigration enforcement statute. A fellow student, a football player, yelled at her in the hallway.

"He kept calling me names," she said. "He kept telling me to go back to Mexico. I tried to tell him that I was born here, but he didn't believe me."

Other students laughed.

"I guess they all agreed with him," she said.

Wouldn't it be nice if students who were bullied could choose another school?

New Hope debate continues

Good coverage today of the New Hope Scholarship Act in The Oklahoman, the Tulsa World, the Journal Record, and Education Week.

State Rep. John Auffet, a Democrat from Stillwell (pictured at left), told the World that the bill is about channeling public money into private schools (which is false). "It may not be in this bill, but it is right around the corner," he said. Or as labor union boss Roy Bishop (who knows full well the door is already open) put it, "This just opens the door."

Will Oklahoma boost its school choice grade?

Today the Oklahoma House will take up SB 2093, the New Hope Scholarship Act, which passed the State Senate on March 13 by a vote of 33-15.

If the bill becomes law, Oklahoma will double its school choice grade. Last week, the Heartland Institute issued its school choice report card, grading each state on the availability of school vouchers, charter schools, tuition tax credits, tax credits for scholarship funds, and choice within the public school system.

Oklahoma qualifies for only 2 points out of a possible 23: We have open transfer, and we have charter schools, although they're severely limited. That's a failing grade, even when graded on the curve. Passing the New Hope Scholarship Act would earn Oklahoma two more points by establishing a scholarship fund tax credit in which corporations are welcome to participate.

Arizona and Florida top the school choice chart, earning 15 and 14 points respectively, because they offer vouchers, charters, and scholarship funds. Arizona gets full marks for its charter schools program.

Here's a link to the Heartland Institute's detailed report card (PDF).