[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6579969,"mediaKeyId","3184366-fa851704be00eba677ad435923074dc4","parentId",3184366,"title","Tulsa Public Schools reports big gain in students \"on track\" for college-and-career diploma; board accepts report","audioSeconds",2491,"startMs",3577000,"endMs",6068000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3184366-fa851704be00eba677ad435923074dc4&start=3577&end=6068","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3184366-fa851704be00eba677ad435923074dc4/thumbnail_3577000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579969/Oklahoma/Tulsa-Public-Schools-reports-big-gain-in-students-on-track-for-college-and-career-diploma-board-accepts-report","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579969-33f623256500a5f8860de2bb91e8ac5a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159115&Signature=NNxJSGmFbOpJsRQCLWqCA0HqtTctlm6svwjk8ZgLYhpUkK8CSS5Sl~JLZIwSobu0udWVmgx18gmtNA85sMaaWA-yzxclkFqOe31PZuJi0vOdMNJcbPKN~gH4X3yO0oBvHAR8nnkh6Z2eNyNUiuxHi2FFmHVK4MUDNVYLzdMZu~~GXdfTAVW-xHutwmzCLzklHOOvx-IX3B2XpeJDrrdy6v7ywvz1~dUZb9w3hFyUZF-krtexHcs6RS4w-on9EWHyx3p7XG-i6LDmMD~~1PSjhuabXVDraw16IFgtX-nS44mYnDiLokivfWxZGc4n2SSNoA8kloiNF5hM8TjoBGeeUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tulsa Public Schools","date","2025-04-21T00:00:00Z","article","Tulsa Public Schools reported Monday that the percentage of high school students on track to graduate with a college-and-career-ready diploma rose to 54.9%, exceeding the district's 2027 target of 49% and prompting the board to accept the interim progress report.

Superintendent Johnson and Crystal Hutchinson, the district's director of postsecondary readiness, told the board the increase represents a 7.9 percentage-point gain from December 2023 to December 2024. Hutchinson described the tools and practices the district credited for the rise: a graduation tracker, weekly progress reporting through PowerSchool, increased counselor graduation checks and programs such as Graduation Power Hour and expanded college and career advising.

The presentation outlined state graduation requirements and the district's decision to default students to the college-and-career-ready curriculum. Hutchinson reminded the board that students who graduate in Oklahoma must meet 23 academic credits and pass state testing (the ACT for high school students), among other requirements such as CPR training and the FAFSA or an opt-out.

Superintendent Johnson highlighted specific subgroup gains reported by the district: African American students increased from 43% to 51.2% on track; Native American students rose from 46.8% to 55.7%; and economically disadvantaged students rose from 43.8% to 51.3%. The district also reported strong on-track rates for freshmen (75.9%) and notable increases for tenth graders.

Attendance remained a major predictor of whether students stay on track. District figures presented at the meeting showed 71% of non-chronically absent students are on track, compared with 39.8% of chronically absent students.

Officials credited several operational changes for the improvement: increased counselor graduation checks (a 40% rise from earlier measurements), college-and-career advisor positions that supplement counselor workload, a coordinated graduation-tracker tool that cross-checks credits and enrollments districtwide, and stronger family outreach and weekly progress reports sent to parents.

The report also highlighted expanded opportunities for students: increased college visits (University of Tulsa, OU, OSU and others), internships and career-site visits, partnerships with the Chamber of Commerce to support internships and supplies for students, and targeted programs for multilingual learners and students with IEPs. Graduation outcomes director Dr. Nicolette Dennis described Graduation Power Hour as a weekly, school-based block that groups students by grade to complete ICAP tasks, check credits and address attendance and credit deficiencies.

Superintendent Johnson told the board the district's FAFSA completion rate improved dramatically over the school year: the presentation noted completion rose from about 17% after winter break to approximately 95% at the time of the meeting, a figure Johnson called \"a lot of work on behalf of our families and our schools.\" The board praised that increase; Hutchinson said counselors and college-and-career advisors worked directly with families and students to complete applications.

Board members asked about the tools used to track progress and how the district is ensuring consistency across schools. Officials said the graduation tracker and PowerSchool weekly reports reduce manual errors and give counselors uniform, real-time information about credits, attendance and state-testing progress. The district also said it will continue to scale supports where gains were largest and focus on schools or groups that still lag behind.

The board voted to accept receipt of the interim goal monitoring report (Interim Goal 3.1).

Ending: District leaders said they will continue to expand the interventions and tracking tools credited for the gains and will return updated metrics to the board in future monitoring reports.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tulsa Public Schools Board Of Education 4-21-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The district reported an increase in students on track for a college-and-career-ready high school diploma, rising to 54.9% and surpassing the district's five-year goal. Officials said improved tracking tools, counseling checks and attendance efforts contributed; the board accepted the report.","taxTitle","TULSA, School Districts, Oklahoma","taxId",38478,"location","Oklahoma","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6579973,"Tulsa board hears presentation, public comment on aspiring-educators policy; vote moved to next meeting",1659,2741000,4400000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3184366-fa851704be00eba677ad435923074dc4&start=2741&end=4400","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3184366-fa851704be00eba677ad435923074dc4/thumbnail_2741000.jpg","/articles/6579973/Oklahoma/Tulsa-board-hears-presentation-public-comment-on-aspiring-educators-policy-vote-moved-to-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579973-6eabec52fdcce79303a524cf5fe3d17f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159115&Signature=joC6hysR0c5t1SGR4Y12M2SxEHH06gE3jruoo~d-PeRgFCoRyOAtQiBavta5ZYiwTA8N6jdoqXcCFBV~tpLydPbratDNEdAo5naN2HVEqkvv3FjRWMZSpb4wGsBLsapH8xHP248yb7Eh6BsuHGJR8zh323SrmdXAxX0FIxULdQZz~Holyht4Kbe1GjT6gWspd8FyuOOBdeDbBNzeouMaD38~E79RdvbBuBbkf6CR9CBnyLcKJ4imsOezaDm6Dyl7lLS91r8k9PGmjxue9glX2iHXiNQEDKUnK5rix5MSlvaMSEpdg6ANnttL3fltRXRIF1cQXHGbgAAfDxdmsyhM0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education heard a presentation and public comment Monday about renewing Policy 42.11, the district's rules for adjunct and aspiring educators, and agreed to place final action on the item at its next regular meeting.

The policy renewal was introduced as agenda item G1; Superintendent Johnson and Chief Talent Officer Dr. Kim Dice led a briefing on the district's aspiring-educators program, which the board approved last year. The presentation described the program as a pipeline for individuals working toward certification who are placed in classrooms under district supervision and receive coaching, mentoring and coursework to finish degrees and credentials.

Board members were told the program has expanded and shown early progress: the district reported that about 40% of aspiring educators have since earned bachelor's degrees and 16% have already transitioned to full certification. The presentation said the district hires aspiring educators who are at least 21 and have either an associate degree or are within 36 credit hours of a bachelor's degree; aspiring educators must earn certification within five years.

Aspiring educator Blair Blay, introduced during the presentation as a Disney Elementary staff member, told the board, \"This program has been totally life changing for me,\" describing weekly mentor visits, Tulsa Way Saturday professional development and school-based support that she said helped her grow in the classroom.

Shauna Motwright, president of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, urged the board to continue investing in teachers broadly while expressing concerns about equity and placement. \"Please give us back our plan time,\" Motwright said, and she criticized situations she described where traditionally certified teachers were uncertain whether positions would be held open while the district determined whether an aspiring educator would return. Motwright also asked for data on aspiring educators' student outcomes and on whether aspiring educators were displacing certified staff.

Board members and talent staff spent substantial discussion clarifying job categories the district uses for near-certification hires: the presentation and staff answers distinguished \"aspiring educators\" (adjunct status under state rules, often with associate degrees or working toward a bachelor's), \"apprentices\" (described in the meeting as degreed individuals working toward certification), and \"adjuncts/adjunct certified\" (certified teachers teaching briefly outside their endorsement area). Chief Talent Officer Dr. Dice and other staff explained the district's classification and pay practices, noting the district brings aspiring and apprentice educators on at a $40,000 starting salary (as stated in the meeting) and that many apprentices move to the teacher salary scale retroactively once emergency or other certification is issued.

The board's discussion recognized the program's role in addressing teacher shortages while board members and union leaders pressed the district for clearer, consistent procedures on transfers, hiring preference for certified staff, mentoring coverage and how pay relates to certification status. Vice President Calvin Moniz and other board members praised the program's early graduation and certification rates while also asking for further clarification on apprenticeship versus aspiring educator pathways and long-term retention plans.

No action was taken on Policy 42.11 at the meeting. Board President Lampkin stated, \"This item will be voted on at the next regular meeting of the board.\" The item therefore remains on the agenda for a future meeting, and the board will consider the policy after hearing the additional information requested during Monday's discussion.

The presentation also noted supports intended to retain teachers across the district, including the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Program, Tulsa Teacher Corps pathways, mentor teacher assignments and scholarships for aspiring educators to complete bachelor's degrees at local institutions.

Board and talent staff said the district would continue collecting outcome data for the program and work with principals on hiring and placement protocols. The board accepted public comment during the action item; speakers included a civic commenter who invoked the importance of faith and community support and a union leader representing district teachers.

Looking ahead, the district staff said they will provide the board with additional clarifications on classification, pay scales, certification timelines, mentor assignments and any data on student performance tied to aspiring educators prior to the policy vote at the next meeting.

Ending: The board recessed its discussion on Policy 42.11 without taking a vote; the policy renewal and related documents will return to the board at the next regular meeting for action and final vote as the district provides the additional clarifications requested by board members and teacher representatives.","The Tulsa Public Schools board received a detailed presentation on the district's aspiring-educators program and discussed proposed renewal of Policy 42.11 governing adjunct/aspiring educators. The board did not vote on the policy; the item was scheduled for the next regular meeting. Teachers'union leaders raised equity and placement concerns.","actionData","errors"]

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Tulsa Public Schools reports big gain in students "on track" for college-and-career diploma; board accepts report

Tulsa board hears presentation, public comment on aspiring-educators policy; vote moved to next meeting