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Hofmeister: 'Real Work Begins Now' After Lawmakers Approve New Academic Standards

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister testifies Wednesday before the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.
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State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister testifies February 10 before the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education.

Oklahoma’s new academic standards passed through the legislature Monday, and are now officially in effect.

It’s been a long road for the new math and English curriculum.

Lawmakers repealed the Common Core version in 2014, and mandated the Oklahoma State Department of Education write new ones.

Over the past few weeks there’s been a lot of debate about whether they’re rigorous enough, too vague, and need more work. But in the end legislators chose not to meddle with them, and let them pass. But House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, says that’s a mistake, and the standards should’ve been revised before they hit teachers’ desks.

“Our hope is the State Board of education will make those final finishing touches, and send them back for review so they don’t find themselves in a legal challenge by sending standards to the school standards that are different than what they sent this legislature for consideration," Hickman said.

But the State Department of Education says the standards are excellent and don’t need any more vetting or revision. State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister says the next step is helping schools implement the new standards in their classrooms.

“Our teachers, and our schools, and our districts, have been waiting. And the real work begins now,” Hofmeister said.

Schools will start utilizing the new standards this coming school year.         

In graduate school at the University of Montana, Emily Wendler focused on Environmental Science and Natural Resource reporting with an emphasis on agriculture. About halfway through her Master’s program a professor introduced her to radio and she fell in love. She has since reported for KBGA, the University of Montana’s college radio station and Montana’s PBS Newsbrief. She was a finalist in a national in-depth radio reporting competition for an investigatory piece she produced on campus rape. She also produced in-depth reports on wind energy and local food for Montana Public Radio. She is very excited to be working in Oklahoma City, and you can hear her work on all things from education to agriculture right here on KOSU.
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