Oklahoma Educated Workforce Initiative Executive Director Jennifer Monies released the following statement following the announcement that Oklahoma’s waiver from federal No Child Left Behind mandates has been reinstated:
“While it is good news that schools will have more flexibility on how to spend some federal education dollars, today’s announcement doesn’t change the need for more rigorous education standards in Oklahoma.
“Making sure that every child is ready for college or a career upon completion of high school is the best way to plan for Oklahoma’s economic future. We need to challenge our students to exceed expectations and goals. Settling for the bare minimum requirements is not in the best interest of our students or their future. I am confident Oklahoma students can and will rise to any challenge put before them.
“As Oklahoma starts the standards writing process, the business community stands ready and willing to help so that our education system aligns with our state’s current and future workforce needs. As the process moves forward, I urge the Legislature to set politics aside in order to keep high expectations at the heart of such a critical issue.”
First of all, we do not need business helping to write standards for education- unless you think the primary purpose of a school is to create a workforce. Secondly, how ironic that the state chamber wants legislators to “set politics aside” when it was the chamber who went guns a blazing to oust Senator Brackeen ….and not because he was anti-business but because he was against common core. Here’s a suggestion state chamber, why don’t you practice what you preach and “set politics aside” by keeping your nose out of education standards writing. Leave that to the education experts. If you do, we agree to not tell your members how to run their companies or use their transferable tax credits.
Excellent points, Corey! All I can say is DITTO!!!!
Leaving it to “education experts” [an oxymoron if there ever was one] is the reason education has been flat-lining for the last 40 years. There are many things that can be done to improve education, but “education experts” are advocating none of them.
As a former educator and now in the business world, I can say without hesitation that for our children and grandchildren to become good productive citizens it will REQUIRE all facets of the educational process to provide input. To “dump” this responsibility on the “educational experts” is to allow a severe case of “inbred” policies and practices to be developed by personnel who have (most likely) never been outside the academic “bubble”.
I have said many times that a school district will teach to one of two levels: (1) college entrance or (2) capability to get 80% of the jobs within the community. Unfortunately number 2 may mean only the “promise to get a GED”!
It’s nice to see so much agreement on this subject.
I just want to know who directed my public school education a ‘huge’ number of years ago – and hire them back to do the job right!