Public School Accreditation
The Oklahoma State Department of Education and State Superintendent Ryan Walters have passed new administrative rules. One rule in particular could change the accreditation process for all school districts in Oklahoma. Proposed Rule 210-35-3-210.
This proposed rule would tie a school district’s accreditation status directly to its student's test performance on either the English Language Arts or Mathematics state assessments. If the majority of the district’s students score below average, the school district’s accreditation can be penalized.
Eventually, their accreditation status could be downgraded, and they could be placed on probation - potentially triggering a state takeover. Based on the most recent test scores, the accreditation of 62 districts - urban and rural alike - would be threatened.
Accreditation is the recognition from an accrediting agency that a school district maintains a certain level of educational standards. When a school district loses its accreditation, it also loses its authorization to operate. A school district subsequently can not receive public funding, which is vital for the day-to-day functioning of most of Oklahoma’s public schools. Accreditation affects all students because if a school is not accredited, there is no way of knowing if the diploma from that school district is valid. This can cause problems applying for college or getting a job.
These rules overstep the statutory authority of the State Board of Education, which is allowed to accredit school sites, not districts. State statutes spell out a system of academic accountability (A-F) based on six metrics of school performance; the proposed rule will base accreditation on just one metric. We should not be basing school accreditation on students’ performance on single standardized high-stakes tests - especially when we know that districts serving large numbers of low-income students, English-language learners, and students with disabilities already face the greatest obstacles.
Oklahoma Appleseed has simplified the advocacy process for you. Please consider taking action on these changes! Send a pre-written email directly to the rules committee and let them know that this proposed rule should not be passed. They need to hear from you!
