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MC3 Work in Oklahoma

The Mid-Continent Comprehensive Center (MC3) in conjunction with each state education agency (SEA) develops an annual state work plan. The MC3 work plan for the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) addresses the following capacity building goals.

• Build OSDE's capacity to support districts and schools most in need of improvement and close the achievement gaps among diverse student populations.
• Increase OSDE's ability to support districts' and schools' implementation of NCLB with clearly articulated policies and procedures.
• Increase OSDE's capacity to provide quality professional development to its school support teams on high quality instruction and closing the achievement gap in the area of numeracy.
• Improve the quality of instruction at all levels in schools and in supplemental educational services (SES) to close the achievement gap.
• Enhance OSDE's capacity to support districts and schools in their efforts to increase parent and family involvement.
• Enhance OSDE's capacity to support districts and schools in their efforts to address the instructional needs of diverse learners, in particular, American Indian students.
• Build OSDE's capacity to support districts and schools in addressing the findings from the Comprehensive Migrant Needs Assessment.

Read the full MC3 Oklahoma Work Plan.

Latest Work

Oklahoma RtI Stakeholders Meeting (January 15, 2010)

MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison Courtney Lockridge and MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator Sarah Hall participated in the Oklahoma Response to Intervention (RtI) Stakeholders meeting to provide support to the group as it designs and implements RtI statewide. The Oklahoma RtI Stakeholders Group includes participants from multiple divisions at the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), interested stakeholders in other organizations, and experts in the field.  The Stakeholders are leaders with OSDE in promoting the RtI framework for overall school improvement that focuses on increasing student achievement for all students.

The MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance Team supported the event through their participation in the work group that planned the meeting and through participation during the meeting.

Oklahoma Pacesetters Monthly Conference Call(4) (December 18, 2009)

 Summary:  The Oklahoma Pacesetters team conducted the fourth conference call with Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII) representative Nancy Protheroe on December 18, 2009.  During the call, MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator and facilitator Sarah Hall shared the progress on the action plan items and benchmarks and revisions agreed upon by the team.

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) leadership convened a team for a two-day meeting to work through the Statewide System of Support (SSOS) Self-Assessment Inventory.  CII Director Sam Redding provided an overview of the SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory process and facilitated completion of the inventory by the team.  The MC3 TA team will follow-up with interviews of local education agency (LEA) superintendents and administrators and will begin the draft synthesis of the result of the SSOS Self-Assessment.

Background: 

On July 19-24, 2009, representatives from nine states including the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and OSDE participated in the CII-sponsored Academy of Pacesetting States Academy in Princeton, New Jersey.  The MC3 Arkansas Technical Assistance (TA) Liaison and the MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator participated as supporting team members.

The purpose of the Academy was to assist states in the implementation of their SSOS.  During the Academy, states completed a rubric on implementation of SSOS and developed an action plan including benchmarks and responsible person(s) to be implemented prior to June 30, 2010.  Follow-up training will be provided summer 2010.

Each state will participate in an Academy of Pacesetting States monthly teleconference to monitor the progress on their action plan and discuss issues and concerns.  A CII representative will assist in facilitating the teleconferences.  Additionally, each state team will participate in a monthly conference call with an assigned CII representative.   The MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator will facilitate the monthly calls and document the proceedings on the CII Pacesetter website.  The conference call provides a forum for discussing how the state team is progressing and to target any support it requires from CII.

Oklahoma Title I Committee of Practitioners Meeting - SIG Application (December 15, 2009)

Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) leadership invited the MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance Coordinator and the MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance Liaison to serve on the Oklahoma Title I Committee of Practitioners.

Assistant State Superintendent Cindy Koss welcomed participants to the December 2009 Oklahoma Title I Committee of Practitioners conference call meeting and identified the goals for the meeting:  

• Consultation with the Title I Committee of Practitioners regarding the rules and policies of Section 1003(g) School Improvement Grants (SIG) Application of the Elementary and Secondary Act under Section 1903(b).
• Discussion of criteria for the local education agency's (LEA's) application for a School Improvement Grant.

Agenda items included an overview and discussion of the SIG application including criteria for evaluation of the LEA application and LEA assurances.  Committee members had an opportunity for discussion and clarification on the state education agency (SEA) SIG application, and input on the LEA application criteria.  Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 schools are defined in the application; the SEA will define "secondary schools." 

The Title I School Improvement Grants will provide states and districts money to leverage change and turn around schools. The funding provides an opportunity for states and districts to implement significant reforms to transform chronically low-performing schools. These funds will be awarded by formula to states, which will then make competitive grants to LEAs. State applications are due to the U.S. Department of Education by February 8, 2010. Each state must give priority in awarding SIG funds to LEAs with persistently lowest-achieving schools (which states will identify in their applications for State Fiscal Stabilization Fund Phase II funding). In addition to identifying the state's Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III schools, the state must establish criteria to evaluate the overall quality of LEA applications and LEA capacity to implement fully and effectively the required interventions.

Background:  The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires that each SEA create a committee of practitioners to review and advise the SEA in carrying out its duties under NCLB [Public Law 107-110, Section 1903(b)]: 

Section 1903.  State Administration

(b) COMMITTEE OF PRACTITIONERS-

(1) IN GENERAL- Each State educational agency that receives funds under this title shall create a State committee of practitioners to advise the State in carrying out its responsibilities under this title.

(2) MEMBERSHIP- Each such committee shall include -

(A) as a majority of its members, representatives from local educational agencies;

(B) administrators, including the administrators of programs described in other parts of this title;

(C) teachers, including vocational educators;

(D) parents;

(E) members of local school boards;

(F) representatives of private school children; and

(G) pupil services personnel.

(3) DUTIES- The duties of such committee shall include a review, before publication, of any proposed or final State rule or regulation pursuant to this title. In an emergency situation where such rule or regulation must be issued within a very limited time to assist local educational agencies with the operation of the program under this title, the State educational agency may issue a regulation without prior consultation, but shall immediately thereafter convene the State committee of practitioners to review the emergency regulation before issuance in final form. 

 

 

Oklahoma Statewide System of Support Leadership Team Meeting(1) (December 13, 2009)

The MC3 Oklahoma Technical Assistance (TA) Team and Center on Innovation and Improvement (CII) Director Sam Redding met with Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) leadership to begin the Statewide System of Support (SSOS) Self-Assessment and Planning process.  Strengthening the Statewide System of Support is a process that enables a state education agency (SEA) to self-assess its system of support and plan for improvement with TA from a comprehensive center team.  The SSOS does not replace the traditional functions of the SEA; it expands the SEA's functions and is structured to fit into, to be compatible with, and to integrate within the broader functions of the SEA.  The SSOS process includes the following central elements:

• SSOS Self-Assessment Inventory
• SSOS Self-Assessment Interview Form
• SSOS Self-Assessment Report
• Plan to Strengthen the Statewide System of Support

Additional information on the SSOS Self-Assessment and Planning process can be obtained on the CII website at www.centerii.org.

The two-day meeting began with an orientation to the CII Framework for an Effective Statewide System of Support and to the SSOS Assessment and Planning Process.  OSDE leadership had assembled several documents prior to the meeting for reference as they completed the inventory.  The team reviewed the functions of the SEA and the functions of an SSOS, then determined the integration of SSOS within SEA functions.  The SSOS operates most effectively when well integrated within the functions of the SEA.

Background:  The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires states to provide an SSOS to assist Title I districts and schools in need of improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. The SSOS extends beyond the SEA, including organizational partners, distinguished educators, support teams, and other consultants to assist districts and schools with expertise appropriate to the needs of the district or school. SEAs have long monitored districts and schools to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. Now, to manage school and district improvement, they also partner with other state agencies, regional entities, organizations, and consultants to build local capacity. 

MC3 Technical Assistance (TA) Team

MC3 Oklahoma TA Liaison Courtney Lockridge
MC3 Oklahoma TA Coordinator Sarah Hall

Oklahoma State Coordinating Council

• Ms. Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent
• Dr. Gloria Bayouth, Math and Science Partnerships Director
• Ms. Malissa Cook, Special Education Services Coordinator
• Ms. Sarah Hall, Oklahoma Technical Assistance Coordinator
• Mr. Larry Hartzell, Response to Intervention Specialist (Former)
• Ms. Misty Kimbrough, Special Education Assistant State Superintendent
• Dr. Cindy Koss, Standards and Curriculum Assistant State Superintendent
• Mrs. Courtney Lockridge, Oklahoma Technical Assistance Liaison
• Mr. Melissa McGavock, Tittle III / Bilingual Director
• Dr. Ramona Paul, Professional Standards Assistant State Superintendent
• Ms. Mary Pearson, School Support Title 1 Executive Director
• Mr. Gail Priddy, Special Education Services Compliant Project Coordinator (Former)
• Dr. Jennifer Stegman, Office of Accountability & Assessment Assistant Superintendent
• Dr. Jennifer Watson, Curriculum and Effective Schools Team Leader
• Ms. Andrea Wheeler, Executive Director-Titles I, II, VI
• Ms. Kerri White, Executive Director of High School Reform