Oklahoma School Districts Prepare For State Test Results

Results from the statewide reading test scores for Oklahoma third graders are expected to be released Friday. If the children do not pass there is a chance they will be held back from moving onto fourth grade.

So, what are districts doing to prepare for the chance that a number of students could need summer schooling, depending on the results of these tests?

Parents are asking how they will be notified and whether teachers are in place for the summer school programs.

With Friday fast approaching, a number of districts filled me in on their plans.

"Our plan is to make a personal phone call and have a parent conference with every single one of them," said Sand Springs Superintendent, Sherry Durkee.

Durkee said the district expects less than 20 of its third graders will need some sort of remediation, but larger area districts could see hundreds.

"They are real people, real people. Those are difficult conversations to say the least," Durkee said.

Tulsa Public Schools tells us about 800 third graders are projected to score "unsatisfactory" and are subject to being held back next year, unless they meet one of six "good cause exemptions."

With those projections, they have 20 summer classes for third grade students ready to go.

Broken Arrow and Union Public Schools both tell News on 6 they are still fine tuning their plans, but once test scores are posted their intent is to communicate with parents as quickly as possible.

In Sand Springs, a summer reading academy is ready to go, in order to get the third graders who didn't pass, proficient enough for a follow up test.

"Dates are set and teachers are in place, that have the training they need in order to do that," said Durkee.

If children do not pass the test, there are exemptions in place. For example, teachers have put together portfolios in order to demonstrate student readiness.

"We have been diligent in regard to keeping portfolios on all of our third grade students. So, if we get an outlier of a kiddo that performs really well, then we have that covered, because we'll have evidence that they've mastered at level skills, so that's good," Durkee said.

In Sand Springs, four teachers and one administrator are ready to go for the summer school program.

Parents have that option or the option to hire their own tutor to help ready their children for that second test.