State lawmakers hurry to fix education reform bills

Republicans say many laws are tweaked — not only theirs but those by Democrats as well.

But others say highly touted education reform laws such as the A-F school grading system and requiring third-grade reading sufficiency to move up to fourth grade were hastily put together and without educator input.

"The reason they are being changed is because in the beginning, there wasn't input from the people who are teaching the kids," said Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Keith Ballard. "There wasn't input from people working in the (school) building. They have to be included in the process."

Meanwhile, the state is poised to repeal Common Core standards, another major shift for education.

"Yet again we have done another significant piece of legislation with no what I call sunlight on it," said Sen. Susan Paddack, D-Ada, regarding the Senate Education Committee's recent passage of a measure to repeal the standards approved by 45 states, including Oklahoma in 2010. "It is done behind closed doors with a select number of people and we all know that is not good public policy."

The flurry of changes to education reform laws has left parents and students confused, Paddack said.

Rep. Jason Nelson, R-Oklahoma City, said the state is replacing the Common Core standards with an Oklahoma-crafted version.

Critics say Common Core removes local control, is a nationalized plan and would increase testing. Supporters say the states need consistency in what is expected of students, regardless of where they live.

"They were just poor reforms backed up with zero funding," said House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City. "When Republicans took over the Capitol in 2004, part of their platform was that they were going to overhaul public education. Just a quick glance at what they have done in the last few years to public education ought to open the eyes of teachers, parents and everybody — every citizen in Oklahoma."

The A-F grading system underwent legislative changes to its formula.

Meanwhile, the Senate Education Committee on Monday is expected to consider major changes to the law that requires third-graders to read at a certain level before being promoted. State Superintendent Janet Barresi urged members of the committee "to continue to support high standards by ensuring that our children can read."

"All of those plans, they have rolled them out and they are now completely rolling them back and doing away with or trying to tweak or figure out how to give an exit strategy to the students and parents," Inman said. "At the same time, they said support our efforts on reform that they themselves now don't even support."

Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, and House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, say making changes to laws that have already passed is common.

"It is really tough to get major reform done 100 percent right the first time," Hickman said. "I think it is our responsibility to come back, make changes and to make sure those reforms are working."

Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, who is running for Congress, is the author of the A-F school grading system and the third-grade reading law. He is a former teacher.

"We tweak all laws," Jolley said. "We come in after the laws have passed to address them on a routine basis. They are called cleanup bills every session. Every year we have cleanup bills designed to try to fix problems or address issues created when the Legislature passes policy."

Barbara Hoberock 405-528-2465

Barbara.hoberock@tulsaworld.com