We can all agree that we want nice things for our education system in the state of Oklahoma … right? It can be hard to tell in our modern, polarized climate, but I truly hope that is a shared position, no matter your perspective.
Still, things are constantly changing in the education realm, and even something seemingly straightforward — like teaching math — can become a source of drama. For instance, are you familiar with the “new math” concepts being taught in some schools? Depending on your generation, terms like 10-frame, number bond and number line might be pretty confusing.
Speaking of confusing, when Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters revealed his Fiscal Year 2025 budget request for the State Department of Education last week, more than a few people were puzzled by the numbers. In bold at the bottom of a slide, Walters emphasized a $47.1 million “net decrease” figure. Some journalists quickly ran with the figure, even asking Gov. Kevin Stitt if he supported Walters’ “proposal to cut $47 million from education.”
In reality, however, Walters had used some funny math of his own to obfuscate the fact that he is really asking the Oklahoma Legislature for $113 million in new spending on a series of education programs, including $11 million for math tutors and math teacher bonuses. NonDoc’s Bennett Brinkman broke down the details about a one-time $160 million appropriation from last year that is coming off the books, and it sort of helped someone like me would be less confused. Still, the whole thing still feels a lot like political theater.
We as citizens request a great many things from our elected officials, but whether they are acted upon is an entirely different matter. The same goes for state agencies when they propose their budgets to the state Legislature every year. I simply hope they can get on the same page about the facts and figures.
Past Sundaze comics
Endless consumption: Pac-Man popular in Oklahoma
Cheers to 8 years of (sometimes political) cartoons
What to do when there’s no room at the Edmond inn?
Behold, OU students: Lindsey Street tailgating returns
PAC 12 implosion continues conference realignment
The Earth must be quite a pothole for UFOs
American Heartland Theme Park raises some eyebrows
Sick of Stitt hammering the machine, Drummond seeks a spin
Introducing a Razr-thin margin of plausible deniability
Bright future: OKC Thunder rookies ready to get to work
Blockbuster: Oklahoma weather presents DVD-size hail
Uncommon ground in Edmond: No art of compromise?
Stitt knows how to get, how to get to Override Street
Former Justice Steven Taylor broke open a tie ballgame
Welcome to the whirlwind of graduation season
All aboard? Coordinating an Edmond, Norman, OKC commuter rail vote
Dunkin’ on each other for ‘Donuts with the Governor’
Oklahoma’s turnpike expansion plan faces road blocks
Easter Sundaze: Trying to save a dime in the egg aisle
Preserving Hafer Park memories: Welcome to paradise
Oklahoma’s Broadband Office and the mystery of missing meeting minutes
March Madness 2023: So your bracket is in shambles
Will the Oklahoma House lock in Daylight Saving Time?
SQ 820: We’ve got another election on our hands
Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol
Valentine voting: For the love of democracy
Last week on This Old Attorney General’s Office
Budget hearing previews the last ride of Mark McBride
Plenty of cooks in the Oklahoma education kitchen
Here’s looking at you, me: The two jobs of Ryan Walters
Compared to recent years, 2022 seemed tolerable
‘This is a BFD’: The romance of nuclear fusion heats up
Weird local rules mean extra Edmond elections
2022 World Cup draws cause cultural comparisons
Straight party voting throws quite a rager in Oklahoma
An ‘I voted’ sticker is the prize for enduring all these ads
Halloween can be a tough time to mind your diet
Answer the question? The art of political dodgeball
How hideous can the Ugly Season get before it’s over?
Down goes Dumpty: OKC Egg Church has a great fall
Many options for brand synergy in the OKC film industry
This season includes new adventures in OU tailgating
