OKEII seeks to improve Oklahoma’s education system

(This is the first in an ongoing series by The Constitution in looking at the state of Oklahoma education.)

It is well known that Oklahoma ranks poorly nationwide for its education system.

Oklahoma Education Impact Initiative, founded by the Brock Institute, a nonprofit organization in Tulsa, released research findings detailing what the public and educators find to be the greatest hurdles to improving Oklahoma schools.

Ed Harris, Professor Emeritus of Education Leadership at Oklahoma State University and current OKEII director stated in a press release: “We want to first identify the critical priority issues in Oklahoma and then, working with parents, educators, community leaders, state officials, and agencies across the state, develop and implement a comprehensive initiative to rapidly transform the state’s public education system.”

“Education is improving around the country and around the world, but it’s going down in Oklahoma,” said Harris.

OKEII, a project conducted by the Brock Community Foundation, has refocused its efforts to improving education in Oklahoma.

The Brock Community foundation is best known for the Brock Prize in Education Innovation. After years of Oklahoma’s education system declining in national polls, OKEII began to focus on improving public education in Oklahoma.

The purpose of the survey, according to Harris, was to discover the root of the problem in the Oklahoma education system so that solutions may be proposed.

“We have a problem in our state that we need to address,” he said. “Everybody seems to have a solution to the issues, however, we haven’t read or seen any substantial research that identifies the problem.”

OKEII’s survey took place from July to September of 2024. Two surveys documented the thoughts of Oklahomans in general and educators alike. The survey was able to take place with a randomized sample across the state using phone numbers.

From the general population, OKEII surveyed just over 1,000 people. Women responded to the survey at a rate double that of men. Respondents by race were “generally representative of the statewide populations,” according to the report.

Of respondents, just over 50 percent had a college or graduate degree. 63 percent of respondents were over the age of 45. The sample was also representative based on an urban and suburban or rural population, aligned generally with Oklahoma’s population.

From the survey of educators, nearly 1,500 educators from K-12 schools in Oklahoma answered. Just over four out of five respondents were classroom teachers. Among the respondents, race and age were generally representative of populations. All respondents in this category held a college degree.

“Likewise, our survey of public-school educators yielded a statewide representative sample in our survey,” according to the report.

Both surveys have a 95 percent confidence level and 3 percent margin-of-error.

The surveys asked specific questions to educators and the public.

“In your opinion, what should be the main focus at your school?” The survey asked.

The top answer, out of six responses, was to promote work habits and discipline, with nearly 30 percent of the public and 32 percent of educators deeming this the focus needed for their schools.

Other responses included: character and values, at 19 percent and 16 percent, respectively; prepare for workforce, 24 percent and 18 percent, respectively; prepare citizens, eight percent and 20 percent, respectively; prepare for college, 15 percent and 10 percent, respectively; and strengthen health and wellbeing at four percent and three percent respectively.

By far, with 51 percent of the public and 45 percent of educators responded that teacher pay would be the best way to attract and keep high-quality teachers in their schools.

Other responses included reducing school week to four days, reducing teacher workload, reducing student behavioral problems, improving benefits for teachers, improving public perception of teachers, and creating scholarships for teaching degrees.

Of the responses, the second most selected was reducing student behavioral problems, with 18 percent of the public and 22 percent of educators responding that this would be the best way to attract and keep quality teachers.

The survey also asked respondents who should be responsible for making sure students attend school regularly. Over 50 percent of both groups responded that it is a shared responsibility between school staff, parents and students.

Forty-seven percent of the public answered that students and parents should be responsible, and 46 percent of educators responded the same. Responses for school staff and officials bearing sole responsibility was within the margin of error.

The survey also asked which areas of education require the most improvement. Six skills were listed: athletic skills, vocational skills, technology skills, math skills, and reading and writing skills.

A majority of the public ranked all skills excluding athletics as “not good” or “not good at all,” according to the report.

Educators responded quite differently, with a majority rating all skills excluding vocational as “very good” or “good.” 20 to 26 percent of respondents in this category rated technology skills, math skills, and reading and writing skills as “not good” or “not good at all.”

The survey then asked both groups to rate the following aspects of Oklahoma public schools or their school: distance of school to home, school meals, school facilities, extracurriculars and sports, school safety, and student behavior.

The worst response was for student behavior, with nearly two thirds of respondents ranking it as “not good” or “not good at all.” School meals and school safety were rated at 57 percent and 44 percent, respectively.

Responses by teachers were less dismal, with 44 percent rating student behavior as “not good” or “not good at all.” School meals also followed in second place, with around 36 percent of educators ranking them as “not good” or “not good at all.”

The hope for this research is to be a starting place for improving education in Oklahoma.

“We want to collaborate with others in the state to transform education. We want to work with legislators, we want to work with educators, we want to work with government agencies. We want to work with anybody that is generally interested in transforming education. The main criteria is that they generally want to transform education.” said Dr. Harris.