Learning with Leaming

Story by Adam Leaming, Ponca City Public Schools/Contributing Writer

I was tasked with explaining what’s happening at the Capitol in regard to public education. That’s a tall order when writing a monthly column when things at the Capitol can pivot and shift each day. However, I’ll give my best and I appreciate the editor (Kelsey) being gracious with giving me as much time as possible to summarize what we’ve seen thus far.

The biggest hot topic issue facing education at the Capitol is authored by our Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, and championed by our Governor. Senate Bill 1647 aims to give a portion of the funds that go to public education directly to the parents to choose how to use for their children’s education.

This past month SB 1647 has had a tough uphill battle, but it has passed both the Senate Education and the Senate Appropriations committees with slim margins. It’s now set for Senate floor consideration.

This bill has many political heavy hitters supporting it and has shown a rift is forming in the Republican Party. The Speaker of the House, Charles McCall has gone on public record to say if this bill passes the Senate, it will not be heard in the house. Why is that?

Rural Oklahoma parents and children will see little to no benefit from this bill. I’d argue rural Oklahoma would be the most negatively impacted from this potential legislation. In the metros you can’t turn around without seeing advertising in support of this bill. I feel it’s due to how many private schools are present in our Metro areas and how many of those families would be set to gain from this.

I have always been a public-school proponent. Growing up in rural Oklahoma was a blessing in my eyes. I loved my time in a small school and I give a ton of credit to the educators who were put in front of me for helping shape the person I am today. When I jumped into education as a profession, I fell in love with exploring how to make Math a subject to be enjoyed instead of despised for 1000s of middle schoolers. Today, that appreciation for public education has shaped my professional journey and has provided a rewarding career path still trying to positively impact our youth. Can education continue to improve? You bet, that’s why we get up and go in each day. However, with the potential approval of Senate Bill 1647 the foundational roots of my rural education will be rattled. This bill will have a real and profound impact on rural communities like mine and yours.

Passage of this bill will send a greater proportion of tax dollars to the metros where the abundance of private schools is present and leaving less funds for the same amount of students in our rural communities.

At article submission time, Senate bill 1647 had not been heard on the floor but is scheduled to go to the floor in the coming week. If it does pass the Senate, I would encourage you to carefully consider its impact in your community. As for me, I’m public school loud and proud. I believe in what we’re doing and know the countless professionals I work with each day are doing an outstanding job in the face of mounting difficulties. I can go into more details about 1647s potential impact in North Central Oklahoma, but for the sake of brevity I’ll leave it here.