Tulsa Area School Districts Not Scrambling After Oklahoma Repeals Common Core

The Oklahoma Supreme Court has spoken. Tuesday, it ruled the state legislature did not violate the constitution when it repealed Common Core education standards for English and Math.

Some think the ruling puts schools back at square one, but one district said students likely won't notice any difference in the classroom this school year.

Common Core is officially no more in Oklahoma, but not everyone applauds the decision.

7/15/2014 Related Story: Oklahoma Supreme Court Upholds Repeal Of Common Core Standards

Shan Glandon is Head of Curriculum for Jenks Public Schools. She said the district is not scrambling to build a new set of standards for the upcoming school year.

“It held us to a level that we haven't seen before and challenged us to grow in some areas that we hadn't been addressing,” she said.

Instead, Glandon said they're sticking to what has worked for them over the past few years, the Jenks Public Schools Continuum of Standards.

“They're based on national research and national standards and the Oklahoma standards,” Glandon said.

Representative Jason Nelson, who authored the repeal of Common Core, said he designed a plan to develop new academic standards for Oklahoma. His proposal is a two-year process that includes parent and teacher input from across the state.

“Because of the outcry of parents and educators around the state, is proof that the process is correct here, where the legislature does need to be involved in determining what the standards are, but we should never be involved in determining what is happening in a specific classroom,” Nelson said.

Glandon said the issue for the state is less about rebuilding standards, and more about finding a plan that works and sticking to it.

“I think the uncertainty of it all, and the constant change we've been experiencing, is not good for education in Oklahoma,” she said.

Some educators said there could be unintended consequences from the decision, like putting federal funding into question.

Glandon also added there are a number of misconceptions that have given the Common Core a bad wrap, like high-stakes testing. She said that has nothing to do with the standards.

“High stakes testing is part of the current climate no matter what your standards are,” she said.

The State Department of Education is looking for people to head up committees that will decide the new Oklahoma education standards. Anyone interested can apply here.