Ryan Walters confirms new student test results are ‘very different’

Oklahoman, By Nuria Martinez-Keel, on 2024-08-23https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/08/23/ryan-walters-oklahoma-osde-student-test-score-changes/74917784007/ 

Proposed education rules' real purpose is to shut down Oklahoma schools, create chaos

Oklahoman, By Rep. Melissa Provenzano, on 2024-06-11

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/columns/2024/06/11/education-rules-could-harm-local-economies-should-not-be-approved/74052241007/


Oklahoma Board of Education approves slate of new, amended rules at February meeting

KOSU, By Https://www.kosu.org/people/beth Wallis, on February 23, 2024

https://www.kosu.org/education/2024-02-23/oklahoma-board-of-education-approves-slate-of-new-amended-rules-at-february-meeting

KOSU by Beth Wallis

https://sde.ok.gov/sites/default/files/Rule%20Text%20210.25-1-2.pdf

OSED rules section 210

Ryan Walters, the superintendent of schools in Oklahoma, has recently been at the center of controversy due to his manipulation of the state's educational curriculum and testing standards. Walters' administration has been accused of dishonestly presenting improved school performance by lowering the standards for state testing. This deceptive tactic aimed to inflate academic scores by 33%, a move that was subsequently exposed as misleading. Despite the claims of progress, the actual performance metrics revealed that the state’s education system is performing at its worst, ranking 49th in the nation, just above New Mexico and even below Alabama.

The lack of transparency in these changes has had significant repercussions on public trust in educational assessments and government agencies. Walters' approach to revising educational standards without public input or school district notification has contributed to a broader issue of undermining public education. This lack of openness and accountability has fostered skepticism among parents and educators, who are concerned about the long-term impact on students.

Moreover, Walters' policies are perceived as part of a larger agenda to weaken public education in favor of promoting religious and private schooling. The tying of school accreditation to standardized test scores, coupled with new rules backed by religious organizations, threatens to penalize schools that do not meet the new criteria. This strategy appears to be designed to force schools into failure, thereby pushing them toward private or religious alternatives. The impact of these policies could be severe, as it sets up local school districts to struggle and potentially fail, harming students and diminishing the quality of public education.

Educators have expressed concern that such policies not only misrepresent the effectiveness of educational reforms but also undermine the credibility and utility of educational assessments. The artificial inflation of performance metrics disregards the real needs and challenges of students and educators. This manipulation detracts from meaningful educational improvements and erodes the tools that educators use to evaluate and enhance their effectiveness. The overall effect is a potential rollback of educational progress and a deepening of the existing crisis in Oklahoma's public education system.

Critics also warn that these changes could have long-term consequences for students who may enter higher education unprepared, believing they are more competent than they actually are. This mismatch between perceived and actual academic ability can lead to feelings of inadequacy and undermine students' confidence. As Oklahoma continues to grapple with these issues, there are growing concerns about how such educational policies will affect the state's future workforce and economic standing.

The situation reflects a broader trend of political interference in education and raises questions about the motivations behind such policies. Critics argue that the ultimate goal may be to dismantle public education and replace it with a system that aligns more closely with conservative and religious ideologies. This shift could have far-reaching implications for educational equity and the quality of education provided to students in Oklahoma and potentially beyond.

The Non-Prophets, Episode 23.36.2 featuring Cynthia McDonald, Jonathan Roudabush,Scott Dickie and Cindy Plaza

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