Oklahoma Bill Would Allow Switch To Charter For Low Performing Schools

Parents of children in low performing Oklahoma public schools could petition to have them converted to charters school and, in some cases, have a principal and other administrators fired, under a bill approved by the Senate.

The Senate voted 30-12 on Wednesday, mostly along party lines, for the Parent Empowerment Act by Oklahoma City Republican Sen. David Holt.

Read The Senate Floor Version Of Senate Bill 1001

Holt described the bill as Oklahoma's version of a "parent trigger." If a school received a "D" or an "F" grade for two consecutive years, parents could petition to change the school to a charter school if 51 percent of the parents in the district agree.

In Oklahoma City and Tulsa school districts, parents could also petition to have all of the administrators replaced.

3/5/2013 Related Story: Oklahoma House Passes Bill To Tweak A Through F Grading