Recent rankings have drawn attention in Oklahoma, as the state was placed near the bottom in national education standings. A WalletHub study ranked Oklahoma 50th in education when including Washington D.C., placing the state second to last. In response, State Superintendent Ryan Walters addressed the findings, expressing skepticism about such evaluations. “They love to take into account how much money we put into education. That's never been an evaluation of mine of what makes a good education system — it's outcomes,” Walters stated, as reported by KOCO 5.
While Walters downplays funding as a key factor in evaluating education, some teachers and parents report differing experiences. Parents such as Je Morrison and Kody Wilson shared their concerns with News 9, with Morrison considering homeschooling or relocating out of state due to uncertainty about his two-year-old’s educational prospects. Educators point to a range of external factors that affect student performance and emphasize the need for increased political involvement to support those working in schools.
The WalletHub findings highlight significant concerns, with Oklahoma ranking in the bottom ten—and in some cases, bottom three—across several categories, including reading and math scores. The state received a comparatively higher ranking of 34th in terms of school safety. As per report by FOX23 and discussed during a recent Oklahoma Board of Education meeting, the data reflects a notable decline from Oklahoma’s previous ranking of 17th in both 2010 and 2011.
The recent analysis has highlighted ongoing challenges in Oklahoma’s education system, including issues with teacher recruitment and retention. Representatives John Waldron and Dick Lowe, both former educators and members of the House Education Committee, stressed the importance of addressing the needs for greater teacher support and improved test scores. “It’s very hard to be a teacher these days." He continued, "The pay does not keep up with the private sector, the demands put on the system are harder and harder,” Waldron told FOX23. Both lawmakers also expressed agreement with Board of Education member Becky Carson's concerns regarding the dependence on emergency teaching certificates and the lack of fully certified teachers.
