Consideration should also be given to the following: • Data integration and accessibility: the system must be able to integrate data from PK-12, CareerTech, Higher Education, workforce development and early learning systems and the data must be accessible to stakeholders to use while maintaining privacy and security standards. • Timeliness and Quality of Data: The system must ensure real-time or near-real-time data collection and analysis to respond quickly to emerging needs, such as labor market shifts or academic performance trends. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability serves as the independent oversight and accountability agency for the Oklahoma State Department of Education and reports its findings to the Oklahoma State Legislature. The OSDE must provide data to OEQA within the maximum of ten days of a data request so that valuable educational decisions can be made. • Collaboration between groups: Cooperation between education, workforce and economic development sectors is critical. The system should facilitate collaboration between various state agencies, educational institutions and employers to create a comprehensive system that serves the broader goals of economic competitiveness and workforce alignment. • Sustainability and Funding: Sustainable funding is necessary to ensure the long-term operation, maintenance and upgrading of the system. • Workforce Alignment and Career Pathways: the system must be able to tie educational attainment to workforce outcomes, helping to align educational programming with the evolving needs of industry sectors. The ICAP must be prioritized as a tool administrators use with students. The proper time and effort must be given to help students understand the valuable data derived in this report. This will ensure students are prepared for high-demand careers and the state remains competitive in attracting businesses with a skilled workforce. INCREASING STUDENT LEARNING CAPACITY The Chamber supports providing additional and enhanced learning opportunities that utilize recognized best practices and extended learning opportunities to address student data from Pre-K to Higher Ed student learning loss. It is important to help students catch up by having more time on tasks, including longer school days and additional instructional days. In addition, we are supportive of extended summer learning opportunities and after school programs. A focus on research-based literacy and numeracy programs that work to enable students at all grade levels to improve reading proficiency and comprehension skills through training and additional funding is supported.
MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS Oklahoma students at all levels face a high level of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). We support initiatives to address the mental and behavioral health of students and all school personnel. The Chamber supports the current law that ensures schools benefit fully from the Oklahoma Prevention Needs Assessment. It is a robust tool for providing direction to schools, districts and communities to effectively improve the lives of students across a variety of issues. The OPNA is the basis for millions of dollars in federal and state funds that benefit multiple districts across the region. PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS The Chamber supports charter schools and education choices. Charter schools are public schools and are required to adhere to Oklahoma statutes and performance standards. We support creating high-quality charter schools and enabling successful charter schools to grow. This includes online charter schools, schools designed to meet the needs of targeted under resourced populations or schools that provide specific curriculum. We support ensuring that all public schools are funded equitably and that charter schools have access to funding for infrastructure and facilities including buildings that are on par with public schools. • Establish a statewide framework for identifying, tracking, and intervening with chronically absent students, requiring districts to use data dashboards and implement evidence- based strategies. • Establish a detailed plan for 3rd grade retention initiatives that provide supports for students, teachers, and families. • Enact legislation requiring all K-12 Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) to adopt high-quality, evidence-based curriculum materials in core subjects (ELA, Mathematics, Science) from a state-approved list. • Amend statutes to explicitly require all K-8 public schools to implement core reading programs and instructional practices aligned with the “Science of Reading”. • Establish a statewide program to fund and support high- impact tutoring initiatives, particularly for students in grades 3-8 struggling with reading and math, to address learning loss. • Enact legislation that grants K-12 schools and districts broad flexibility to waive compliance with certain state statutes or administrative rules, provided that the waivers are tied to specific, measurable goals for improving student outcomes and are subject to periodic review and accountability.
13
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online