Oklahoma City Public Schools Work to Get Off Probation

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Students of the metro's largest school district headed back to class Thursday at a time when the district's on the state's probation list for accreditation, and school officials are already working to improve.

The Oklahoma City Public School District was put on probation after 14 of its schools had low tests scores, which landed them on the school improvement list.

That's why Superintendent Karl Springer spent the first day of school literally in school.

"We need to have a sense of urgency about improving and that needs to be for everybody in our school district," Springer said.

Springer spent the first day of school looking in on a classrooms at Northwest Classen High School , a place he said he considers a model for the rest of the district. The school was on the "needs to improve" list for years until the faculty changed things up. Now, the school's been off the list for three years.

"I get amazed everyday. It gives me goosebumps," said Tamie Sanders, Northwest Classen High School principal.

Springer said the rest of the district can achieve as well. He said he believes a new program is the key to success.

"This isn't a difficult thing. This can happen if we get everybody all the resources and energy focused," Springer said.

The program's called America's Choice ACT. It creates special courses for students who are not at grade level and adds more rigor to the curriculum for all students making them better prepared for college and the ACT exam.

"Every child who graduates from one of our high schools needs to be ready to go to college because the same requirements for going to college are the same requirements we have for going to work," Springer said.

Springer said he is so confident in the program that he believes the district will see progress in this first year.

"Every parent has the right to be able to send their child to school and have a quality education," Springer said.

Superintendent Springer is dedicating himself to improving the schools, which includes the graduation rate of 56 percent. A percentage he called unacceptable.

The Tulsa Public School district, which is also on probation, is launching the America's Choice ACT program this year as well.

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Oklahoma City, Tulsa Schools on Probation