If you have a child at a public school in the metro area, you’re probably familiar with the rating system the Oklahoma State Department of Education uses to assess school performance. Their Report Card method gives A-F grades to campuses based on specific criteria: student performance based on assessment scores and student growth comparing current scores to the prior year.
Of Oklahoma City’s district campuses, 10 schools received an A score, 10 got a B, 15 got a C, 17 got a D and 42 received an F. The scores are disappointing to say the least. But most parents know that just as a child is more than a test score, a campus is more than a report card rating.
The Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, a non-profit member organization that assists public schools with development and curriculum, has partnered with GreatSchools to gather information about local schools to better equip parents when making decisions about education. The result of their efforts can be found at www.greatschoolsoklahomacity.org. The website takes a comprehensive look at the success and shortfalls of Oklahoma schools in addition to providing the basic information on test scores.
On the site, users can click on a school in the state and instantly see not only the Oklahoma State Department of Education rating, but an assortment of other information like a GreatSchools Rating, the number of students enrolled and even whether or not before and after care is provided.
The GreatSchools Rating is on a 1-10 scale based on test scores in addition to other data like academic growth and college readiness. The site also provides a detailed snapshot of test scores broken out by subject, grade and the percentage of students proficient in a subject compared to the rest of the state. Community reviews even feature feedback from local parents in the district. Even if you find your child’s school is less than stellar, the site has tips for parents to help advocate for education and worksheets to help fill in the gaps.
