Tulsa School Board Mulls Uniform Proposal, OK's Property Sale During Meeting

Tulsa Public Schools sold a school, moved a school, and added another. But those weren't even the hottest topics at Tuesday night's school board meeting.

Tulsa high schoolers could start next school year without their fashion sense. The school board is considering a proposal requiring uniforms for all Tulsa high schools.

The idea came from the safe schools taskforce, which was formed after the district consolidated schools.

The group of teachers, parents, and students recommended district-wide uniforms would decrease discipline problems and boost student performance.

East Central, McLain, and Rogers Early College High already wear uniforms. The board is set to vote on the issue in two weeks.

The board also decided to sell one of its properties to a private school for $1.5 million.

TPS put Fulton Learning Academy up for sale last year. That's where the district was housing its professional development programs for teachers and administrators.

Private school Town and Country offered $1.5 million for the property. 

Another school shuffle will mean more seats in a popular language immersion program. The school board voted Tuesday night to move Eisenhower from its 30th and New Haven building to the old Nimitz Middle School, near 51st and Harvard.

School officials say too many students are being turned away from Eisenhower International School. The program offers language immersion in Spanish and French.

And a new North Tulsa charter school will start enrolling students next month. The school board voted to approve the North Tulsa Lighthouse Charter.

01/16/2012 Related Story: North Tulsa Charter School Could Get Board Approval Tuesday

It's an arts-infused, college prep program, enrolling 280 pre-K through 4th graders. The program promises 125 percent growth in student test scores every year.

North Tulsa Lighthouse is supposed to move into Greeley's building, that school has already been slated to close once before in the last year. But it was saved from consolidation at the last minute.

04/12/2011 Related Story: Tulsa Public School Superintendent: Part Of Consolidation Proposals Off The Table

Now it looks like it will close again and Lighthouse will reopen in that building.

TPS is hosting a community forum Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at Gilcrease elementary to discuss all of the changes.