Katie is a Legislative Director for ExcelinEd in Action. In this role, she works with leaders and policymakers from the western states to promote student-centered solutions focused on educational quality, innovation and opportunity.
This week, students and families across America – and Oklahoma – are (virtually) celebrating and raising awareness of the life-changing power of education choice. Whether choosing a magnet school, public charter school, private school, virtual or blended learning school or homeschool, all families deserve the freedom to select the learning environment that best fits the needs of their child, regardless of their ZIP code or background.
The pandemic has raised even more awareness about the need for more educational options. During the summer, nearly nine in ten parents were worried about their children falling behind academically due to coronavirus-related school closures, ranking higher than any other financial or socioemotional concern.
A November 2020 poll found that 61 percent of Oklahoma parents favor school choice policy. More specifically, the poll found that all subgroups of Oklahoma parents – including rural parents (65 percent), and both Democrat (66 percent) and Republican (68 percent) parents – support open transfer, a type of education choice policy that allows a student to transfer to the public school of his or her choice, rather than attend a school based on where they live.
A parent may want their child to attend a different public school for many reasons: more Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment, better performing arts programs, or more serious reasons like bullying or safety concerns.
Senator Adam Pugh filed Senate Bill 783, which expands educational opportunity for Oklahoma families by improving the state’s open transfer policy. Currently, eligible Oklahoma parents can cross district boundaries to enroll their children in any public school with the approval of their local school board. Too often, however, those requests are denied, and parents have a limited ability to appeal that decision. This legislation increases transparency for the transfer process by requiring the state to assess a school district’s enrollment capacity and by requiring districts to publish their transfer policies. Clear data and accessible information will empower parents to advocate for their children.
To help districts manage the school budgeting challenges a more fluid and empowered student population might create, Senator Zack Taylor has filed Senate Bill 823, which establishes budgeting mechanisms to allow dollars to follow and support students at the school of their choice.
Together, these bills will put options and power in the hands of Oklahoma parents as they work to keep their students connected and learning.
