Tulsa Schools: The Oklahoma Board of Education gave Tulsa public schools strict power last Thursday. They needed a complete takeover to keep the state’s most extensive school system running.
The liberal Tulsa school system and Oklahoma’s strong-willed Republican director, Ryan Walters, fought over this final step.
Fight between two leaders.
Beginning the year, Walters became education director. He was the state education secretary before. He became powerful and polarizing due to his aggressive style. Walters is recognized for his digital cultural conflicts and public school religious promotion.
Walters recently blasted the Tulsa school system for its weak academic outcomes and an embezzlement case he saw as irresponsible money management. Walters firmly proposed assimilation or disbandment of the district, which serves nearly 34,000 predominantly Hispanic or Black youngsters.
Walters blamed Deborah A. Gist, the superintendent, for these issues.
Doctor Gist, who recently resigned to avoid government intervention, believed Walters was using Tulsa for political benefit. She didn’t hear about state involvement until Walters’ protest outside the district headquarters this summer. She mentioned they haven’t chatted much and only had one brief meeting.
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A State Department of Education spokesman called Dr. Gist “misinformed” and said she disliked Walters. Walters worried most about the district’s low literacy and financial control. He’s given the school board until year’s end to grow.
Question Mark on State Intervention Working.
Academic research shows that state-led takeovers may only solve some educational issues. University of Virginia professor Beth Schueler said, “There’s not a lot of evidence that state takeovers make a big difference in how well students do in school.” She also discusses potential issues, including classroom disruptions, especially in reading.
Most crucial are results.
Since then, Tulsa’s school district has recruited an interim superintendent and must report its finances to the state monthly.
With a sense of urgency, Walters emphasized how important it was to make changes quickly. This is a tough job, given the district’s students’ social and economic issues. The path ahead appears long and hard since only 8% of 2022 students were strong at math and 11% at English language arts (compared to 20% worldwide).
Walters said: “We expect results. I’ll intervene if they don’t fix it.”
Our Reader’s Queries
How good of a school is Tulsa?
The University of Tulsa holds a solid position at number 195 among 439 National Universities, reinforcing its reputation for academic excellence.
What is the phone number for Tulsa Public school district?
Contact the district at 918-746-6800 for assistance. Our office hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
What is Tulsa Public Schools district Code?
District Name: TULSA
District ID: 4030240
Type: Regular local school district
Status: Open
Supervisory Union #: N/A
Grade Span: PK – 12
Website: http://www.tulsaschools.org
District Demographics: School District Demographic Dashboard
How many students are enrolled in Tulsa Public Schools?
Tulsa Public Schools, situated in TULSA, OK, is a public school district accommodating 33,211 students in grades PK, K-12. The student-teacher ratio is 17 to 1.