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OKCPS Releases Three P2G Paths

Team OKCPS,

 

For the last year, OKCPS has been moving forward on our "Pathway to Greatness" as we follow through on our commitment to reinvent our District. Our highest priority must be serving our students equitably and ensuring access to more educational opportunities and support services -- regardless of their zip code. We believe this work will enable our students to achieve the OKCPS vision of every student graduating ready to fulfill their unique purpose in a healthy, vibrant community.

 

Tonight was a big milestone. I shared the 3 options for our Pathway To Greatness (P2G) with our Board of Education, the public and you.

 

In July, our Board outlined a very detailed, data-informed process that our team is using to reimagine our District, and as part of that work a number of different criteria have been evaluated and considered. However, it is important to note that there is no predetermined formula that drove the three pathway options that were designed by ADG. Demographic projections, utilization, academic performance and facility condition are all critical factors, but they are not the only ones that ADG used to determine which facilities are the best to continue operating as we work to ensure that all students have access to quality learning environments and other resources they need to be successful in the classroom and in life.

 

The outcome of our Pathway to Greatness project will impact every student, staff member and family in OKCPS. Proposed changes include: new school boundaries, school consolidations or closures, changes to grade bands or the way grades are structured for Elementary, Middle and High School, as well as school buildings being repurposed to meet other needs in the community. These are big shifts, but it is time for OKCPS to do education differently.

 

Tomorrow, we begin hosting community meetings where I will share the three options and continue to gather input from our families, staff and the community. On February 19, I will will make my final recommendation on a path forward for OKCPS to the Board, and the Board will take action at their business meeting on March 4.

 

I strongly encourage you to stay connected and engaged. If you were unable to join us tonight, you can watch the archived livestream from the board work session on the district's YouTube channel.

 

You can also attend one or more of the 5 community meetings being held around the District.

  • January 23 | US Grant High School | 6 pm
  • January 24 | US Grant High School | 6 pm *Presented in Spanish
  • January 28 | Star Spencer High School | 6 pm
  • January 29 | Douglass High School | 6 pm
  • January 30 | NW Classen High School | 6 pm

 

Most importantly, we want to hear from you. You can provide us with you feedback by attending a community meeting, reaching out to one of our board members, emailing me directly (superintendent@okcps.org) or by providing a comment online. Staff are also invited to join me in the morning at 6:30 on Homeroom as I walk you through the presentation shared tonight and answer any questions you may have.

 

Change is hard, but we know that the status quo is not giving all students what they need right now. Through the trade-ups associated with the Pathway To Greatness, our children will have access to more learning opportunities and to added social supports like counselors. Our teachers will be better supported too with trade-ups like smaller class sizes in grades K to 6th. We will be working to match community partners to use our repurposed buildings for community health centers, early childhood centers, and other kinds of positive assets to our neighborhoods.

 

Regardless of out the outcome of Pathway to Greatness work, I hope you will rest assured that OKCPS will continue to serve every child. New school boundaries will simply mean neighbors coming together in new ways to support their schools, and I hope that our communities will embrace the opportunities and possibilities that the Pathway to Greatness offers. We must continue to have open-minded, engaged families and community members with us at every step in this process in order to create the best possible future for all OKCPS students. I encourage our staff and our families to come together to build strong schools, whether that is in your current building or in a new one.

 

Although the next few months will be challenging and change is certain, the Board and I are confident that this work is necessary to improve the health of the entire OKCPS system and to provide equity and opportunity for our students. Now more than ever, we must all come together and focus on the future. Our students deserve it and our city's long-term success depends on it.

 

I hope you will join us in the days ahead as I share our three plans for increased access to learning opportunities, more social supports and better support for teachers. I'm excited to be part of this journey with you as Oklahoma City Public Schools moves forward on our Pathway to Greatness.

 

- Dr. Sean McDaniel, Superintendent of Schools

 

 

Additional Information from tonight's presentation.