State Superintendent Ryan Walters said he is proud of the work Tulsa Public Schools has done to turn the district around.
TPS Superintendent Ebony Johnson gave her monthly presentation to the state board.
Walters said Tulsa Public Schools is a great example of embracing challenges.
Johnson said the district is focusing on more intensive individualized instruction for smaller groups of students to improve their reading scores.
Twenty-eight schools in the district offer this type of tutoring, serving approximately 470 fourth- and fifth-grade students.
The district has also seen improvements in the number of students who are regularly absent.
In the district, the percentage of students missing 10% or more of school decreased from 47% to 44%.
She says there's no reason to celebrate yet, but she's proud of the low numbers.
She says this is not just a district effort, but a community-wide effort.
“By continually presenting that data in front of school leaders, putting it on billboards, and making sure that families understand that 85% attendance is not enough, we can actually help our students. can be in the 90th percentile,” she said.
Johnson said the district wants to finish the school year on a strong note while planning for the future.
Walters says she's excited about what District H has planned for the summer and fall.
“Thanks to the district’s hard work and the superintendent’s strategic plan, I have incredible confidence that Tulsa will make significant academic gains this year,” Walters said.
