State Board of Education OKs Accreditations

Five districts and one private school draw warnings.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The state Board of Education on Thursday approved accreditation for five school districts and one private school that drew warnings for various deficiencies.

Some 484 public and CareerTech districts and private schools were accredited with no deficiencies; 68 had one deficiency, and 43 had more than one.

No districts drew probation, and none failed to be accredited for the coming school year.

Tulsa Public Schools was accredited with only two deficiencies regarding teacher credentials, one at Jackson Elementary School and the other at Edison Preparatory School’s middle school.

Districts that were accredited with warnings were Kildare, Lone Wolf, Prague, Ryal and Asher. Wesleyan Christian School in Washington County also drew warnings.

As explained by Sharon Lease, assistant superintendent with the Accreditation and Standards Division, accreditation with a warning means that a school site does not meet one or more standards, seriously distracting from the quality of the school’s educational program.

In 2004-05, 489 districts and private schools were accredited with no deficiencies. In 2003-04, 530 were.

Last year, seven districts drew warnings; only one did so in 2003- 04.

One district was accredited with probation in 2004-05. In 2003- 04, no districts drew probation.

Also Thursday, Glen Henry, director of arts education, reported on the results of the state’s new assessment program for visual and music arts.

Henry said the previous assessment, a criterion-referenced test, was discontinued after the 2002-03 school year.

He said about half of the students performed satisfactorily on the old test.

Henry said the new assessment might include testing but also would involve a portfolio or performance assessment.

In grades three through five, where art and music education is required, about 89 percent of students met the new assessment standards, scoring higher on expressive assessments, such as a musical performance.

Henry said scores dropped to an average of about 80 percent in middle school, where art and music are usually elective subjects.

Henry said 524 school districts reported results for the new assessment program.

Marie Price (405) 528-2465

marie.price@tulsaworld.com