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.

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 system.

Oklahoma Scholars Initiative, 2003-

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 mean positive 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. This voluntary, low-cost initiative, in which business offers incentives to continue and senior recognition at the end, has produced dramatic data in states in which it has been established, e.g., Texas, where the Scholars' curriculum is now the default one.

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 are 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. Since the pilot's seed money has run out, as initially planned, the program is now seeking business funding for sustainability.

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

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. For more information, consult http://www.achieve.org.

Previewing TBEC's Fiscal and Performance Responsibility Initiatives, 2004

TBEC's Executive Director John Stevens and TEA's Director of School Financial Audits Tom Canby presented to SDE their successful programs FEISTIER (Financial Excellence Indicator System for Texas-Information about Educational Resources) and PIPE (Performance Information for Public Education). Information about these programs is available at http://www.tbec.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 Best Practices' Section of Just for the Kids, 2004-

OBEC is sponsoring 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. The middle school project, begun in 2006, is now complete, and high schools will be targeted. Best Practices are not only posted on the Just for the Kids website, but professional development and teacher training modules are developed and disseminated statewide.

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 will be diagnostic and preventive. Criteria include:

• Web-delivered online testing via site computer labs
• Alignment with standards item by item
• Immediate feedback
• 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.

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, 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-

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. In one aspect of the consortium, each of the participating states requests from businesses examples of actual workplace tasks and skills, analyzes them, compares them with the state's current standards, and advocates filling the gaps.

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.

Participation on the ACE Steering Committee, 2006-

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