April 9, 2021

Charter School Funding – The Latest

Happy Friday, readers! The biggest topic in education these last few weeks has been charter school funding, so I thought it was a good time to catch you up on what has happened since the state Board of Education’s surprise vote to equalize funding – including local tax revenues – with virtual and brick-and-mortar charter schools.

• First, the vote, on March 26, which state Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said violates the state constitution.
• Then, Oklahoma City Public Schools challenged the settlement.
• Districts across the state started joining in. More than 100 districts have contacted the attorneys handling the case.
• The Legislature waded into the fray with its own solution, one that would exclude virtual charter schools from at least once source of revenue.

So that’s where it stands currently.

Also, the teacher walkout was three years ago this week, when many schools across the state closed and thousands of teachers and supporters descended on the state Capitol to protest low pay and lack of education funding. Have a good weekend.

—Jennifer Palmer

On Oklahoma Watch

Around the web

• Lawsuit Against Stillwater Public Schools Dismissed After District Welcomed Students Back To Class [KGOU]
• State auditor spells out questionable practices by Epic Charter Schools for Oklahoma school leaders [KFOR]
• Cherokee Nation gives $6.3 million to northeastern Oklahoma schools [Tulsa World]
• More students applied to top colleges this year. How making test scores optional opened the field. [Washington Post]

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