McAlester school gets A on state report card

Apr. 29—Jamie Price said she's happy for students and staff to be recognized for their efforts after a McAlester school received high marks on a state report.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education Office of Accountability publicly released the 2021-22 school report cards — with McAlester's Parker Intermediate Center one of just two area schools to receive an overall A grade.

"It's nice to be recognized for our teachers and students," the Parker Intermediate Center principal said. "With the changes we've been making to the culture of the school and change in academics, the teachers worked very, very hard. And so it's nice to be recognized for that —especially after the pandemic."

This is the first release of Oklahoma School Report Cards since the U.S. Department of Education granted a two-year waiver during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each school report is available online at oklaschools.com.

Price, who's in her fourth year at Parker, said the COVID-19 global pandemic brought new challenges across the district.

Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows 87% of public schools reported the pandemic negatively impacted student socio-emotional development in the 2021-2022 academic year. The report states 84% of public schools agreed or strongly agreed the pandemic negatively impacted students' behavioral development.

School leaders also reported uptick in absenteeism during that span, the report states — with 75% of elementary schools, 71% of rural schools, and 73% of schools with lower student poverty rates reporting higher absenteeism.

Price said a combination of challenges led to students falling behind academically, but Parker's students, parents and staff worked together to address any issues.

"Teachers do whatever they can whether it's pulling a kid in, pull them in after school or call a parent if they didn't get the work turned in," Price said. "But the parents have done a really good job, too. If the kid has to miss, they make sure that they're doing their work at home."

Price credited Parker Intermediate teachers for preparing students before the pandemic and then adjusting to new technologies and strategies to better serve students during the pandemic.

She said teacher morale improved, students worked to meet goals in a bevy of aspects, and much more to help the campus reach an A overall grade.

"I want to make a school where I would be proud to send my own children to and that's kind of the bottom line," Price said. "I can't tell parents to send their kids here if I wouldn't want to bring them here. So for me, it's important that I feel like it's good enough for my own child, and I want it to be great enough for everybody."

Oklahoma schools received a C in academic achievement on the state report card, a B in academic growth, a B in English language proficiency progress, a D in chronic absenteeism, a C in postsecondary opportunities, and a D in graduation.

Frink-Chambers Public School also received an overall A on the report card, with an A in academic achievement, an A in academic growth, and a B in chronic absenteeism.

No schools in the News-Capital's coverage area received an F overall grade on the report card, but four did not receive a grade — including McAlester's William Gay Early Childhood Center and Jefferson Early Childhood Center, Carlton Landing Academy, and Pittsburg High School.

A majority of the nearly 40 schools in the News-Capital coverage area received a B or C overall grade on the state report cards.

Seven school received a D — including Canadian High School, Haileyville High School, Hartshorne High School, Pittsburg Elementary School, Quinton Elementary School, Quinton High School, and Wilburton Elementary School.

Price said last year's students set a high bar that she hopes sets an example for future classes.

"We told them 'you are a legacy, you are a product of this school and with the expectations of this school, they all look at you differently," Price said.