As of today, there are over 200 school systems (Superintendant’s) listed in the Tulsa World stating the system is flawed and asking the SDE for answers. That number will grow. The fact that the SDE, and our Governor, are refusing to delay the issuance of the grades to address the issues shows a total disregard for public education, and a total disregard to parents in these school districts.

Teachers and administrators in the public schools of Oklahoma should issue an A-F report card on the State Superintendent of Schools and the Governor. One can only imagine what the outcome would be.

Our math and science students are doomed until the USA converts to the metric system. They wasting time in school trying to learn two systems.

I have a couple of questions. Are students no longer responsible for their grades? Are parents no longer responsible for their children’s growth? I do believe schools need to be monitored, but isn’t that the principal’s job? Isn’t that the local superintendent’s job and not the state’s? What about the local school board? Are we throwing away the system we had so the state can decide the outcome of a local school rather than the people we elected as a local school board? Isn’t that a form of socialism by our current state superintendent? I fear instead of making things better we are creating a situation that will only get worse in the future. No one will want to become a teacher in a draconian education system that Oklahoma is becoming.

ROPE agrees with Scott. Instead of conforming to the federal government’s version of what LOCAL schools should be (which A-F does as the centerpiece of the No Child Left Behind waiver), local education officials and parents should provide this service to their community. Altus will never be Guymon will never be Oklahoma City. One size can not and will not ever fit all.

The A-F Scale seems to be another way government and committees are trying to govern, but improve, the school system. I believe they are doing their best to help our school system improve here in Oklahoma. However, in our world, we are after the best results of today asking for them yesterday. Our multitasking lifestyles and ‘rushed for time’ attitudes have rendered us to look for improving results too quickly. The expectations are too much for too little time on both sides of this A-F Scale. The result of this new grading scale will create administrations of schools, districts, etc. jumping through hoops rather than aiming for the students’ needs, intellectual growth, and rendering a positive learning environment for ‘all’ schools. The schools who are anything but an A will have an additional pressure added to the already burdened morale of the teachers, staff and faculty, and principals. Moreover, schools with an A will, at the least, sense they have little to improve upon and other schools will look at that A graded school and model exactly what they are doing. It’s always easier to copy, but is not always the correct answer. In the end just as each student, teacher, staff member, school, community, and district are unique, there is no uniform way to tackle this due to the individual needs and strengths of each school.

This is a very disappointing system. Anyone with any sense knows all children are individuals and will achieve at different degrees of success. It doesn’t say much for believing that local school districts can do what is best for its students. This system is not supporting the efforts put forth by the dedicated teachers and administrators. I believe the state superintendent and governor have their heads in the sand.