Welcome to MetroFamily’s newest series, highlighting prominent community leaders across various sectors in Oklahoma City. Focused on topics pertinent to parents and families, each installment will provide insights and perspectives from those shaping our community.
Meet our first Community Leader, Superintendent Dr. Jamie C. Polk of the Oklahoma City Public School District. Polk was appointed superintendent in July 2024, bringing three decades of educational leadership to the highest office in the district. In her previous role as assistant superintendent of prekindergarten through 4th grade at OKCPS, Polk’s meticulous analysis of data trends led to significant improvements in the district’s A-F State Report Card. She previously served as a teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in Lawton Public Schools.
Polk is a mom of three and she is actively involved in Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma and Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
Polk shares priorities for the district and the challenges and dreams ahead for public education in Oklahoma City.
What are the biggest wins for OKCPS in this first semester of the school year?
We are laser-focused on what the right work is. We have six Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which are how we are measured locally and nationally: academic achievement, graduation rate, post secondary preparation, academic growth, English Language Proficiency Assessment and chronic absenteeism.
Before, we had been focused on too many things, doing too much, and many of our stakeholders didn’t know how we were measuring success. Focusing on our KPIs is allowing others in the community to see where they can jump in to support the district.
None of this is new; this has been our strategic plan since Dec. 7, 2020, when the board adopted it. The roadmap has been laid for us; we’re just allowing the plan to guide us.
What I’ve layered in is student outcomes. We need to know the numbers. When I know where I am in the game, then I know where I need to go.
For example, when it comes to chronic absenteeism, we get weekly reports from schools instead of waiting until the end of the month or the year. From those weekly reports, we can see students who are heading on the pathway to chronic absenteeism. We have family and attendance advocates in place to check on them and see how they can help. This isn’t one-size-fits-all; we have to build relationships with our students.
How are you focused on addressing chronic absenteeism?
One of our biggest wins has been launching the chronic absenteeism task force.
This is a problem, but once we put light on it and ask what we can do, we can make a difference. We’re producing graduates who are the next workforce; if they’re not coming to school now, those are habits we must disrupt in order for them to be productive citizens.
My first day on the job, we went to the office of Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna because she knew chronic absenteeism is a problem and wanted to know how she could help. We placed her office’s symbol on our fliers about addressing absenteeism. Then we started meeting with others and sharing the data in regard to where we stand nationally; and 16 days later, we had a room of 48 people from organizations who wanted their logo on the flier, like LiveFree OKC, OG&E and OU Health.
We’re having conversations with employers about how they can help, too. This isn’t a student problem; it’s a family problem. Employers are realizing if they can just adjust work schedules 15 minutes, their employees can get their kids to school.
We recently invited 60 high school students to our admin offices to ask them what the barriers are. We’ve learned we have to ask our students; we need their voices to guide our work to take care of them.
What’s the most important thing for parents/caregivers to know about public education right now?
We do it better when we do it together. I don’t know what your fears are and you don’t know mine, but if I stop and hear your voice, then we can move along. Take time to communicate with those around you.
And there are so many opportunities for families to tap in. So many parents/caregivers are working, so you might not be able to be part of the PTA or on an advisory committee, but ensure you attend parent-teacher conferences. Make that commitment. And ask your child how they are doing. Set time aside for them to study and practice the skills they are learning.
How is the district addressing student learning loss following the pandemic?
How do I lose something I didn’t have? This is our new normal. The world has shifted and we have to shift too. Student outcomes won’t change until adult behaviors change. And, as we each say in OKCPS, that starts with me.
We must have individualized learning plans, and that’s the professional development we’re doing with all our teachers. We’re assessing students to find out where they are, and then the planning starts. Teachers have thought partners at their same grade level, not only here in Oklahoma but across the country. We know others have this same problem, but if we’re going to compete in a global world, we have to know who we’re playing against and the other levels of talent.
What we can do is focus on literacy, numeracy and critical thinking. That’s how we adjust.
What’s the biggest challenge in public education in Oklahoma?
We have just scratched the surface in regards to our graduation rate. This is not because our students aren’t capable. They are also working, taking care of siblings and they are tired. We are working hard to see how we can help students get on-the-job training and get paid for it. OCCC, UCO, Rose State and Langston are all at the table to figure out how students can get concurrent enrollment and also get paid. That’s going to make the biggest difference.
In order for us to produce graduates who can be productive citizens, we have to prepare our students for when they walk across that stage, that they are either: enrolled in post-secondary, enlisted or ready to be employed. We want them to have their diploma in one hand and their plan in the other. And that starts way before graduation. We are preparing them in critical thinking so we can produce students who are ready for this ever-changing world.
What are you most hopeful about regarding public education in Oklahoma City?
I get excited about our name — Oklahoma City Public Schools — because we are the flagship district for this city.
And I am hopeful that through partnerships we are going to get things right. On this 129th day of work, I have met so many different community members, from the Mayor to every council member to the labor commissioner … and every time I’m trying to figure out how that individual fits into one of our six key progress indicators. We have the unique opportunity to show how public education can and will be done. But we can’t do it without our community.
By focusing on our six key progress indicators, we are all rowing together. By setting high standards and working collaboratively, we can model to others. We’re empowering others. I look forward to showing the research and writing articles so other districts will know how we’re doing it.
