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OSDE is pleased to announce an opportunity for high school students in grades 10-12 to participate in the ACT, SAT and/or PSAT/NMSQT this fall at no cost to the student or district.
Students may participate in the following assessment administrations:
| Test |
Primary Test Date |
Makeup Test Date |
| ACT |
October 5, 2021 |
October 19, 2021 |
| SAT |
October 13, 2021 |
October 28, 2021 |
| PSAT/NMSQT |
October 13, 2021 |
October 26, 2021 |
The administration of this optional assessment is not required for state or federal assessment requirements and will not impact your school’s accountability.
This test administration will be conducted solely on paper; no computer-based testing will be available for this administration.
Please watch for additional email communications from ACT and College Board concerning key dates for these optional administrations.
If you have questions, contact the Office of Assessments at assessments@sde.ok.gov.
OSDE invites first-year teachers to join a comprehensive professional learning cohort during the 2021-22 school year. The First Class Cohort 4 program is intended for teachers who have not yet completed a full academic year of teaching. The program will incorporate three levels of support:
- First-year teachers will participate in four afterschool workshops in August, September and October. The workshops will focus on classroom management, student engagement and formative assessment.
- Each first-year teacher will be matched with a virtual instructional coach who will provide coaching for a few hours each month from September 2021-April 2022. The virtual coaching sessions will occur outside the district contracted time.
- A building mentor will guide new teachers monthly in one-on-one or small group sessions on school culture and climate, policy and practices, and wellness.
Access the application to sign up your new teachers.
To learn more about this innovative approach to teacher induction, join an upcoming informational webinar on May 26 at 4 p.m. Register here.
If you have questions, contact Susan Pinson at susan.pinson@sde.ok.gov.
OSDE is looking for teacher leaders interested in working as Virtual Instructional Coaches to support new teachers participating in the First Class Teacher Induction Program during the 2021-22 school year.
Virtual Instructional Coaches will be matched with up to five new teachers to engage in collaborative exploration of classroom management, student engagement and formative assessment. Coaching work will take place virtually and will occur outside of district contracted time. Stipends are available to those coaches who successfully complete all aspects of the program.
Comprehensive training on instructional coaching will be provided. In addition to coaching new teachers, Virtual Instructional Coaches will participate in a Networked Improvement Community for approximately 50 additional hours of professional learning.
View more information and access the application here.
Learn more about this innovative teacher leadership opportunity by joining an informational webinar on May 26 at 4 p.m. Register here.
If you have questions, contact Susan Pinson at susan.pinson@sde.ok.gov.
Only 5.5% of Oklahoma schools have responded to date.
COVID-19 has cast a spotlight on the status of internet connectivity within our communities. There is an immediate need for our national leaders to hear directly about the internet requirements of schools and libraries and the efficacy of the E-rate funding program. This year it is even more important that applicants have a venue to share their feedback. A higher number of responses increases the statistical significance of the data.
An annual E-rate survey is being conducted, asking schools and libraries to contribute their opinions and experiences with the E-rate application process. The survey results will be tabulated and shared with Congress, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the public this summer. Please take a few minutes and complete the survey. Responses will remain anonymous.
Access the survey here.
If you have questions, contact Maura Shortt at maura.shortt@occ.ok.gov.
The state does not endorse any specific E-rate consulting firm. The survey link is being shared because it is a convenient means for you to offer your opinion, along with other applicants, in a format with which the FCC is familiar. This email is not a statement for or against any E-rate consulting firm.
The Graduation Part-Time Report for Q4 is now open for districts to complete in the Wave.
Districts must provide school calendar information such as the number of classes in a day and the number of days in a quarter on the report. Any 5th-, 6th- or 7th-year senior who did not graduate with his/her cohort due to lack of credits and is enrolled on a part-time basis to meet graduation requirements will need to be listed on the report along with the number of classes enrolled, number of membership days and the actual number of days in attendance.
The report is due June 8.
If you have questions, contact Petra Woodard at petra.woodard@sde.ok.gov.
The Districtwide Student Needs Assessment is now open in Single Sign-On.
This report collects information regarding GPA, attendance, promotion and suspension data for all students in grades 6-12. Note: This report should include information on ALL students, not just those in alternative education programs.
Information collected for this report should be used to determine at-risk student needs while also serving as a resource in the development of your district's Alternative Education Implementation Plan.
All districts are required to complete this report, which is due June 30.
If you have questions, contact Petra Woodard at petra.woodard@sde.ok.gov.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is a temporary program by the Federal Communications Commission to help families and households struggling to afford broadband internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides:
- Up to $50/month discount for broadband service;
- Up to $75/month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands; and
- A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.
Who is Eligible?
A household is eligible if a member of the household meets one of the criteria below:
- Has an income that is at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid or Lifeline;
- Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
- Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
- Experienced a substantial loss of income due to job loss or furlough since February 29, 2020; or
- Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating broadband provider’s existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
Learn more about the program and how to apply.
The College and Career Readiness webinar series explores best practices for career development, work-based learning, industry engagement, academic counseling and much more. School administrators, teachers, counselors, college and career advisors and work-based learning coordinators are encouraged to attend.
College and Career Readiness Webinars
Thursday, May 20, 10-11 a.m.
Topic: OKcollegestart – Updates and Reminders
Virtual Speaker: Theresa Shaklee, Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education
Register for the 10 a.m. webinar series
Thursday, May 20, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Topic: OKCareerGuide – ICAP Features and New Resources
Virtual Speaker: AJ Crowell, Oklahoma CareerTech
Register for the 11:30 a.m. webinar series
Thursday, May 20, 1-2 p.m.
Topic: College and Career Readiness with Pioneer Library System
Virtual Speaker: Ashley Welke and Heather Thompson, Pioneer Library System
Register for the 1 p.m. webinar series
Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email and have access to all sessions in the chosen time slot.
Final sessions in the College and Career Readiness series are scheduled for June 17. The complete series will be recorded and archived on okedge.com.
If you have questions, contact Chelsea Hunt at chelsea.hunt@sde.ok.gov.
The Office of School Safety & Security will host "Cyber Security: What School Officials Need to Know to Keep Their Districts Safe" on Thursday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. This webinar will teach participants best practices in preparing for and responding to costly and damaging cyber security threats.
Register here
Presenters will include Laquetta Russell, Cyber Security Advisor for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Brian Burkhart, Senior Director of Network Systems with OneNet.
If you have questions, contact Michelann Ooten at michelann.ooten@sde.ok.gov.
The Office of Federal Programs is hosting a webinar on Monday, May 24 at 10 a.m. on the GMS application for the American Rescue Plan (ARP-ESSER III).
Register here
If you have questions, contact Nancy Hughes at nancy.hughes@sde.ok.gov.
A number of new education laws are now in effect or will become effective at a later date. View bill language and effective dates below.
HB 1569: Creates the Oklahoma Play to Learn Act, allowing early childhood educators to employ play-based learning techniques and school districts to provide related professional development. School districts may not prohibit a teacher from using play-based learning in early childhood education. The State Board of Education is tasked with developing guidelines for the professional development programs. Now in effect.
HB 1775: Prohibits any employee of a school district, including a charter school, from requiring or incorporating certain course material related to inherent superiority or inferiority on the basis of race or sex. Clarifies that this prohibition does not apply to concepts aligned to the Oklahoma Academic Standards. Additionally, the bill prohibits any institution of higher education from requiring any employee or student to engage in any form of mandatory sexual diversity training or counseling, provided voluntary counseling be allowable. Lastly, the State Board of Education and the State Regents for Higher Education must develop rules to implement these provisions subject to Legislative approval. Effective July 1, 2021.
HB 1801: Expands the requirements for "Riley’s Rule," requiring local school boards to coordinate with local emergency medical service providers in developing an Emergency Action Plan for each athletic practice, event or activity held at school district facilities. The plan must include contact, directory and map information for emergency medical services and provide a designated medical administrator to all school athletics and events staff. The plan must also specify evaluation and debriefing procedures following an emergency and be updated and rehearsed annually. Lastly, the plan must be provided to visiting athletic teams or otherwise made available on the school district website. Effective November 1, 2021.
HB 1875: Prohibits an educational agency or institution that is not the primary custodian of student directory information of attending students from releasing or selling any student directory information unless otherwise allowed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or state statute. Now in effect.
HB 1882: Creates the "Out-of-Schooltime Task Force" and directs it to identify ways to increase and improve the number of quality, affordable out-of-school programs in the state and report findings to the Oklahoma Legislature and Governor by December 1, 2022. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has a seat on the task force, two appointments and is required to call the task force’s first meeting by February 1, 2022, at which a chair and vice-chair will be selected. Effective November 1, 2021.
SB 683: Retroactively removes the requirement that full-time, non-classified optional personnel be regularly employed for more than one year to participate in the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System (OTRS) from August 2, 1969 through the bill’s effective date. Upon the effective date, current personnel who are regularly employed for at least 20 hours per week will have 30 days to opt out of the system or be enrolled automatically. The option for membership and the ensuing 30-day opt out window will also apply to all eligible new hires. Effective July 1, 2021.
SB 809: Adds campus police officers, including school resource officers, to the list of officers entitled to receive the continued custody and possession of their sidearm and badge upon retirement due to length of service, beginning November 1, 2021. Now in effect.
OSDE was pleased to join the Oklahoma Alliance for Arts Education and the Masonic Fraternity of Oklahoma for the 31st Annual State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence. The 2021 virtual ceremony premiered on YouTube this past Sunday, May 16, at 7 p.m. The ceremony video is available for on-demand viewing now.
The ceremony includes a keynote address from State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister and student performances from Madison Walters, Muldrow High School; Mason Leidner, Norman North High School; and Elizabeth Crawford, Latta High School.
During the ceremony, students who have excelled in dance, drama/theatre, instrumental music, piano, visual art and vocal music were recognized. View a list of 2021 student honorees here.
Outstanding school administrators and fine arts educators were also recognized for their leadership and support of quality arts education and academic excellence in Oklahoma schools. The 2021 administrator honorees include Dr. Stacey Butterfield, Superintendent at Jenks Public Schools, and Kira Kelsey, Principal of the Owasso Sixth Grade Center, Owasso Public Schools. The 2021 State Superintendent’s Awards for Arts Excellence teacher honorees include Juan Iglesias, dance educator at Santa Fe South Charter Schools, and Kristy Patterson, visual art educator at Guymon Public Schools. Congratulations!
Supporting Students Through the Pandemic & Beyond
 "Ready Together Oklahoma: An Action Plan for Supporting Students Through the Pandemic & Beyond" includes initiatives to bolster accelerated learning, strengthen instruction and address social-emotional issues due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
View resources and strategies at https://readytogether.sde.ok.gov/.
 OSDE’s annual summer education conference, EngageOK on the Road, has once again been transformed into EngageOK in the Cloud.
Mark your calendars for June 21-23 and join us for free online professional development. This three-day conference will feature a variety of breakout sessions via Zoom.
Register today to secure your spot. Registering will allow you to access conference details and receive event-specific communication before, during and after the event.
View the conference agenda and other details at http://engage.ok.gov/in-the-cloud/.
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