OKCPS Lays Out Goals For 2023-24 School Year Before Students Head Back To Class

Students in Oklahoma City are headed back to the classroom Thursday. Oklahoma City Public Schools laid out their goals for the year in a press conference Monday.

Related: WATCH: Leaders At Oklahoma City Public Schools Hold Press Conference

“We are extremely excited about this year,” OKCPS Superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel said.

The district currently has 30,000 students enrolled across 60 schools, marking their third year of enrollment growth.

McDaniel said they expect to have 35,000 students enrolled by the time school begins at the end of the week.

OKCPS also employs around 6,200 teachers. Currently, they have 70 vacant teaching positions open across the 60 schools in the district.

“Typically, what you'll see from us is in areas of special education, science, math, you'll notice some early childhood K-3,” McDaniel said.

OKCPS also requires uniforms for elementary school students and has a dress code for secondary students.

“We continue to create layers of safety and security for all of the OKCPS family,” McDaniel said. 

In an effort to keep students safe this year, OKCPS has added school resource officers at every secondary school and an additional team of SROs to work between elementary schools. Each school was also given the option to require or recommend mesh or clear backpacks. 

“We take care of kids in Oklahoma City Public Schools,” McDaniel said.

In an effort to get ahead of a dangerous school situation, OKCPS has expanded a digital security platform on all school-issued devices. The program used is called “Gaggle” and it will flag certain words used by students.

“They're typing in words that are concerning, maybe suicidal, that flags in the system that then alerts our security team,” OKCPS Assistant Superintendent Brad Herzer said.

The district can get in touch with school counselors, parents or even Oklahoma City Police, to diffuse the situation if any words or computers are flagged.

“It gets us heads up on situations that are potentially life threatening for a student,” Herzer said.

After years of learning from home during the pandemic, OKCPS is offering a new fully remote option for students. The program is called E3, and allows kids to learn from home, but still participate in school activities.

“We did not waste that crisis, and we came out of it, we believe much stronger,” McDaniel said.

Oklahoma City administrators are hoping this new learning avenue will help each student succeed in their unique environment. 

The first day of school for OKCPS is this Thursday, Aug. 10.

To learn more about back-to-school information for each OKCPS school, click here.