OKC Schools Superintendent Challenges Business Leaders To Step Up

Oklahoma City's Public Schools Superintendent asked business leaders to step up and support students. He laid out exactly how businesses can get involved to make a difference.

The big message to business leaders was that education is the bedrock of any great city and for Oklahoma City to continue improving, the community has to step up and help reform the public schools here. And that starts with business leaders getting involved inside the schools.

“Schools can't do it alone and we know this,” said OKCPS superintendent, Rob Neu.

OKC's superintendent has been on the job for 37 days, pushing forward with his plan to improve the city's public school system. Neu wants business leaders involved in student development, serving as mentors, volunteers and resources.

“We've got to put technology devices in our kids' hands. We need 25 million dollars. We have to raise this money to make sure that our kids have access to the internet, they have access to learning outside those walls,” said Neu.

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce hosted its State of the Schools today, where Neu spoke candidly about the need to improve schools. And business leaders were listening.

“It's the last critical step for our city to be the best place for us to live and for our children to stay, to hire as business. So for businesses to be successful, we really and truly need businesses to step up and support our education reform now,” said Teresa Rose with the OKC Chamber of Commerce.

This is one of the schools in Oklahoma City that already has a partnership with a local business. The district hopes to expand similar relationships throughout the district by having every school adopted by a local company, church or non-profit.