OBEC's success relies on research, focus and relationship building.

• Without data, you are just another person with an opinion.
• Without focus, your cause is fractured.
• Without partnerships, you row in a circle.

OBEC's partnerships with the State Department of Education, Oklahoma's state legislators, Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education, and other groups are building the infrastructure necessary to improve Oklahoma's education system.

Initiative Overview

OBEC's Vision: Oklahoma will become nationally and globally competitive by strengthening our public schools through influencing state policy.
Raise standards (ACE)
Increase rigor of curriculum (ACE, ADP)
Benchmark standards against the best national and international (2001-02)
Improve testing (ACE, EARA)
Develop valid and reliable tests that measure greater depth of knowledge
Set performance standards higher (ACE, ADP, EARA)
Set cut scores to reflect what students should know to be ready for the next grade or to be successful in the next level of education or work
Graduate all students from high school ready for college and work
Increase rigor of requirements to receive a diploma (ACE, ADP, EARA)
Require all students to complete course work in core academics
Document all mastery of knowledge in core academic courses
Develop interventions and support systems to insure success
Decrease dropouts/increase graduates
Attract, prepare, and retain high quality teachers
Adopt rigorous but flexible alternative credentialing programs
Insure standards of teacher preparation are competitive and aligned with professional requirements
Improve rigor of tests for teacher licensure (Elem. Math Teach. Prep Study, 2004)
Develop compensation plans to reflect performance in the classroom and ability to improve student learning
Improve transparency and accountability for results (EARA)
Implement a P-20 state longitudinal data system
Track progress toward improvement of academic achievement and educational attainment
Evaluate effectiveness of state education policies
Monitor implementation of state accountability policies and practices
Make accountability results avaliable to the public
Have a fair school funding system
Encourage innovation and require accountability
Distribute funding so every child has an equitable chance to learn and access to high quality teachers and curriculum
References to Abbreviations EARA - Education Accountability Reform Act, 2009, created oversight for the state's student record and educational accountability systems ACE - Achieving Classroom Excellence, landmark education reform legislation, 2006, created higher standards ADP - American Diploma Project, 2005-present, 30+ state coalition aligning K-12 curriculum, standards, etc., with demands of college and work
Passing a law is the easiest part. Monitoring implementation, analyzing effectiveness of policy, and making necessary adjustments are continuous and far more challenging. We're accomplishing the vision step by step through collaboration, research, partnership-building, and advocacy.

Chronologically

• A Forum for Discussion, 2000-2006

  From its founding in August 2000, OBEC has established and maintained a nonpartisan forum through its Education Policy Board, open to the public, for education and business to research and analyze education policy, establish the OBEC education agenda, and begin executing that agenda.

• Baldrige in Education Conference, 2001

  To introduce the Baldrige principles to Oklahoma, OBEC co-sponsored a Baldrige in Education Conference with CCOSA.

• Benchmarking/Education Policy Review, 2001-2002

  OBEC instigated and partnered with OSRHE and SDE to bring Achieve, Inc., to Oklahoma to review standards and accountability, to assess alignment of tests to standards, and to analyze state education policy. Then in 2001, it organized and hosted Achieve's interviews with stakeholders, review of standards, educational policy, etc. In 2002, the partnership released the results of the study to the public. In addition, OBEC paid consultants to review changes made by the State Department of Education to assure quality. Work will continue to insure that Achieve's recommendations are implemented.

• Legislators and Legislation, 2001-2003

  In January 2002, OBEC presented and discussed its education improvement agenda with members of the senate and house leadership from both parties. Since its creation in 2000, OBEC has monitored, supported, opposed, and/or initiated legislation in keeping with its priorities to improve education in Oklahoma. Examples include opposing HB 1661 (2001) and HB 2886 (2002), both of which weakened educational standards. OBEC initiated and worked for passage of HB 1414 (2003), which reformed the state's testing program.

• Revision of State Testing, 2002-2003

  OBEC, the State Department of Education, and the OEA began negotiations to revise state testing. These negotiations culminated in the passage of HB 1414 in May 2003, a significant but not final step for improving state testing.

• Feasibility Study for the Statewide Student Information System, 2003-2004

  In order for data to drive decision-making, a statewide student data system had to be established. OBEC formed a financial and collaborative partnership with the State Department of Education to do a feasibility study for the data system. Representatives from business, vocational education, the legislature, public schools, and SDE formed the steering committee while other representatives, especially IT personnel, from those groups composed the work team. Austin's Evaluation Software Publishing, Inc., was hired to guide and research the work along with delivering the final specifications for this four-year program. The state system should connect to higher education to make a seamless K-16 longitudinal data system.

• Oklahoma Scholars Initiative, 2003-Current

  This pilot project, one of six in the nation in 2003, recruits high school students into more rigorous courses by having business leaders, trained in the Scholars' program, show eighth grade students a budget and demonstrate the importance of what a rigorous education can meanpositive versus limited options. Ninth grade decisions about courses can impact the rest of a student's life; after a respected business leader's pitch, students are asked to enroll in the Oklahoma Scholars' program, whereby they are encouraged to remain in the program and are distinguished from their non-Scholar peers.
  
  In 2003 the first action strategy committee met to implement the program statewide. As a result, EPB defined the core course of study, which aligns with OHLAP and meets the requirements of the State Department of Education. The four pilot sites were Tulsa (the largest school district in the state), Sand Springs, Durant, and Ardmore. Over 200 volunteers solicited 4,000 eighth grade students, encouraging them to take this course of study. The program has also been implemented in Norman, McAlester, Sperry, Perry, Elmore City, Bixby, and Ponca City. Development of Cherokee Scholars through the Cherokee Nation is underway.

• MAP (Achieve's Mathematics Achievement Project), 2003-Current

  In another successful partnership, OBEC and the State Department of Education are funding Oklahoma's participation within Achieve's consortium of states to use international math standards along with group-developed tests, materials, and professional development to allow students in grades 3-8 to compete with students from other countries with higher achievement in math. Currently "backmapping" standards is underway. For more information, consult http://www.achieve.org.

• Launching and Communicating Just for the Kids Statewide, 2004

  OBEC hired a Tulsa public relations firm Schnake Turnbo Frank, Inc., to orchestrate the public launch of Oklahoma's data, http://www.just4kids.org, accomplished June 2, 2004. STF will coordinate future strategies essentially by carrying the OBEC message that higher learning equals higher earnings. By speaking not only at education conferences but also at the community level via chambers of commerce, civic groups, and other meetings, a grassroots campaign will inform the public how to access and use the data, what the data means, and how to impact local education policy.

• Developing the Oklahoma Best Practices, 2004-2007

  OBEC sponsored the research and development of the Oklahoma Best Practices. In 2005, the research team investigated fifteen high performing and average performing elementary schools, chosen by NCEA. With funding from the Kirkpatrick Foundation, both the middle school and high school projects have been completed.

• Algebra I "Testlets," 2004-2005

  In response to extremely low end of instruction test scores in Algebra I, OBEC's Education Policy Board Assessment Team is developing a project to improve classroom instruction. Currently results from the SDE are an autopsy; this project, still available, is diagnostic and preventive. Criteria include web-delivered online testing via site computer labs, alignment with standards item by item, immediate feedback, and disaggregated report to inform instruction.

• Feasibility Study on High School Exit Testing, 2004

  In another partnership between OBEC and the State Department of Education, Achieve, Inc., is conducting a two- or three-phase feasibility study about end of instruction tests and a high school graduation test. Using a modified ACT for EOI tests is a possibility.

• Alignment of Standards, 2005-Current

  Promotion of the alignment of K-16 standards and assessments remains a high priority.

• U.S. Congressional Testimony at a Hearing on High School Reform, 2005

  Phyllis Hudecki testified before a subcommittee on high school reform in the committee on Education and Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives.

• Collaboration on SB 982, 2005

  OBEC's Stan Lybarger and Phyllis Hudecki offered input to Governor Brad Henry, who was developing education reform legislation. Hudecki attended the 2005 National Education Summit, sponsored by the NGA and Achieve, Inc., which highlighted the need to transform high school. SB 982, Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE), the most significant education legislation during OBEC's history, reflects some of the high school reform proposed by summit sponsors.

• Participation on the ACE Task Force, 2005

  Representing business, OBEC Chairman Stan Lybarger is co-chair of the governor's legislated initiative to study educational improvements including state testing. Recommendations were sent to the governor in early 2006.

• Oklahoma's Participation in the American Diploma Project II, 2005-Current

  The American Diploma Project (ADP) Network is a coalition of 22 states dedicated to aligning K-12 curriculum, standards, assessments, and accountability policies with the demands of college and work. The aim is to restore value to the high school diploma by raising the rigor of the high school standards, assessments, and curriculum and better aligning these expectations with the demands of postsecondary education and work.

• Support for the Passage of SB 1792, 2006

  Fifty-six business and education leaders approved their signatures for OBEC's letter in favor of SB 1792, ACE (Achieving Classroom Excellence) legislation, which passed. The law increases the rigor of a high school diploma.

• Participation on the ACE Steering Committee, 2006-December 2009

  As a representative of business, OBEC Executive Director Phyllis Hudecki helps to decide the most effective ways to implement the ACE legislation.

• Data Quality Campaign, 2006-Current

  OBEC sponsored a presentation to the Senate and House education committees by a representative from the National Education Data Quality Campaign. OBEC continues to urge the state to make additional improvements in data quality.

• Teacher Quality, 2007-Current

  OBEC sponsored a presentation to the Senate and House education committees by a representative from the National Education Data Quality Campaign. OBEC continues to urge the state to make additional improvements in data quality.

• Transparency and Objectivity of Data and Accountability, 2008-Current

  OBEC promoted improving the transparency and objectivity of state education data and accountability by retaining consultants to analyze data and accountability systems and governances. The report advocated recommended changes during the 2009 legislative session; however, OBEC continues to support those recommendations not made into law.

• Support for Passage of SB 1111 Led to the Education Accountability Reform Act (EARA), 2009

  Fifty-four business and education leaders approved their signatures for OBEC's letter in favor of SB 1111, which passed both houses but was vetoed by Governor Brad Henry. The bill proposed nonpartisan, transparent, objective educational data and accountability. Governor Henry and Senator Clark Jolley negotiated a compromise, SB 222, which became the EARA, creating oversight for the stateÕs student record and educational accountability systems.