Oklahoma residents have until Friday, Aug. 8, to weigh in on proposed changes to how public schools are evaluated under the state’s A-F report card system-and two state legislators are urging citizens to speak out before the window closes.

Sen. Mark Mann and Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, both Oklahoma City Democrats, are raising concerns over changes proposed by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) that would revise the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Consolidated State Plan. The proposed revisions would remove “chronic absenteeism” as an indicator of school quality-something law- makers already eliminated with the passage of Senate Bill 711-and replace it with new measures tied to teacher certification, experience and evaluation outcomes.

The two lawmakers say the changes are misguided and would punish schools for factors outside of their control, such as the ongoing teacher shortage.

“It’s not right to punish schools who are forced to use alternative or emergency certified teachers because there aren’t enough credentialed or highly qualified educators. We’re still in a teacher shortage crisis in Oklahoma, and Superintendent Ryan Walters has done nothing to address it – in fact he’s a large part of the problem,” said Sen. Mann.

“As to the third change, evaluations are an important tool to help classroom teachers reach their full potential as professional educators, but if those evaluation outcomes are used in a school’s report card, then principals could feel pressured to hand out high reviews to everyone. That is not how we achieve excellence in education.”

The proposed changes include the following indicators for measuring “teacher effectiveness:”

• The percentage of teachers who are certified

• The percentage of teachers who are “highly qualified,” meaning they’ve taught three years or more

• The percentage of teachers who receive a good evaluation from their principals Sen. Mann, who co-authored SB 711, said using evaluations as a grading measure undermines their purpose and could lead to inflated ratings. He also noted that using certification metrics during a teacher shortage unfairly penalizes schools that are doing their best under difficult staffing conditions.

Rep. Pogemiller criticized the changes as lacking meaningful solutions to real problems.

“Walters’ ESSA criteria highlights a problem he has no intention of solving. Every school in our state wants certified, experienced teachers – penalizing them for shortages without offering real solutions is political theater, not leadership,” Pogemiller said.

“It’s important that Oklahomans heed this opportunity to provide public comment. ESSA plans have always been shaped with the support and insight of professional educators and administrators. This is a unilateral move, not a collaborative one.”

Oklahomans can review the proposed amendment to the ESSA Consolidated State Plan and submit their comments online at oklahoma.gov/education/ essa-amendment.html.

Public input will close Friday, Aug. 8.

Sen. Mann and Rep. Pogemiller argue that these proposed changes could distort how school performance is evaluated by tying it too closely to workforce metrics that reflect statewide staffing challenges-not local school quality.

They also warn that using performance evaluations to influence school grades could create a conflict of interest, incentivizing inflated reviews rather than honest assessments aimed at professional development. Under ESSA guidelines, states must submit a federally approved plan to measure school performance and improvement. The OSDE’s plan amendment, prompted in part by SB 711, is currently in the public comment phase.

A summary of the proposed changes is available on the OSDE website, along with a submission form for public feedback.

Community members-including parents, educators, administrators, and advocates-are encouraged to read the plan and share their views before the deadline.

Public feedback plays a vital role in shaping education policy, and both Mann and Pogemiller say now is the time for Oklahomans to make their voices heard.