Mitchell Talks: Reflecting On 20 Years Of Charter Schools In Oklahoma

<p>This year marks 20 years that Oklahoma has had charter schools, and they seem to be thriving. This week on Episode 53 of Mitchell Talks, the News 9 Sessions, we talk with the man responsible.</p>

Monday, October 21st 2019, 12:27 pm

By: Aaron Brilbeck

This year marks 20 years that Oklahoma has had charter schools, and they seem to be thriving. This week on Episode 53 of Mitchell Talks, the News 9 Sessions, we talk with the man responsible.

Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating signed the bill greenlighting charter schools. He said parents needed an alternative to traditional public schools. Keating said that at the time, he thought charter schools would be successful. But he never dreamed they’d be this successful.

"Did you think there would be 35,000 children in charter schools?” Scott Mitchell asked Keating.

“No, no,” Keating said. “But the problem, Scott, with that is it’s an indictment of public education as it exists. There are excellent public schools in Oklahoma. But many of them are terrible.”

The original legislation only allowed for charter schools in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

Today there are charter schools in every county in the state.

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This year marks 20 years that Oklahoma has had charter schools, and they seem to be thriving. This week on Episode 53 of Mitchell Talks, the News 9 Sessions, we talk with the man responsible.

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