Tulsa investigates allegations of altered attendance records

KTUL has the story.

Oklahoma educational-choice champion wins 'November's most important election'

"Going forward, the GOP needs to study the trends and look for ways, through solid policy, to give citizens good reasons to vote for them instead of staying home on Election Day," The Oklahoman notes today in an excellent editorial.

One place to start is with education. Republicans in the Legislature backpedaled this year from education reforms such as third-grade reading tests and Common Core. They might note the re-election of Rep. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City. Nelson supports school choice, charter schools and greater parental control. He authored legislation to create education savings accounts that allow parents to use state dollars for a child’s tutoring or private schools. That such an agenda can win in a truly competitive district shows school choice and parental empowerment are winning issues. Statewide, several pro-school choice candidates from both parties won legislative races.

Not only did Nelson win in a competitive district. He won despite being targeted by state's most powerful school-employee labor union, which dubbed his race "November's most important election."

Authorities investigate altercation at PC West

"Law enforcement authorities are investigating an altercation involving a knife that took place Thursday morning at Putnam City West High School," The Oklahoman reports.

Where is the money going?

As Dr. Greg Forster has previously noted, there's a tremendous amount of bloat in Oklahoma's monopoly school system. I encourage you to read his article, but if you want to understand the concept in 15 seconds or less, I present the following.

Lawmakers are considering requiring child sexual abuse education in Oklahoma schools

Which is ironic if nothing else.

Tulsa student injured breaking up knife fight

KRMG has the story.

Parents complain after Shawnee school bullying caught on video

KOCO has the story.

Student arrested after gun found at Norman North High School

NEWS 9 has the story.

School officials want parental involvment, except when they don't

"The need for parental involvement in a child's education is almost universally acknowledged," The Oklahoman editorializes today. "Yet too many school officials send mixed messages regarding their support for parental participation."

Some school administrators in Oklahoma, who undoubtedly cite lack of parental involvement as an education challenge, have fought against legislative proposals that would boost parental power.

Most famously, school officials in the Tulsa area sued the parents of children with special needs who qualified for state scholarships. The Oklahoma Supreme Court ultimately tossed that lawsuit, but it sent a clear message: School administrators' support for parental involvement has its limits, particularly if the parents of a child with autism seriously seek the best education possible for that child.

In 2012, legislation was filed to create a "parent trigger" law in Oklahoma. Under that proposal, if 51 percent of local parents signed a petition to intervene in a chronically low-performing school, they could force the replacement of staff or convert the school to a charter school.

School administrators opposed the bill.

This year, legislation was filed to create education savings accounts (ESAs) that would allow low-income parents of children at failing schools to use state money to pay for a child to receive tutoring or attend private school. Another bill was filed to allow the creation of charter schools in rural communities when local parents want more options.

School administrators opposed both those bills as well.

Apparently, some administrators think parents should be involved in children's education — but not too involved.

It's wrong and misleading to call a tax-credit scholarship a 'voucher'

Longtime journalist Jon East explains why.

It's no secret why the defenders of the monopoly system, both nationally and in Oklahoma, use the word "voucher." They believe it to be a dirty word, and thus useful for demonization purposes. I don't think they realize that Oklahomans actually favor vouchers by a wide margin (survey methodology here). Given the popularity of vouchers, I cheerfully encourage voucher friends and foes alike to use the V word liberally.

But we shouldn't use the word voucher when we're talking about tax-credit scholarships.

Mother demands answers, says her child was assaulted by a Tulsa Public Schools staffer

KJRH has the story.

Former Mid-Del teacher arrested

KOCO has the story.

Using school choice to get tax cuts, and vice versa

I explain today in The Oklahoman.