How are school districts determined?

[Larry OKC]

The subject of school districts was brought up in another thread, rather than further derail the thread....

How are school districts even determined? One would think (incorrectly) that if you lived in the OKC city limits, you are in the OKC school district, Edmond/Edmond, etc. That isn't the case. I am well within the OKC city limits but am in the Putnam City school district. Thought at one time there may have actually been a "Putnam City" and thought it had been incorporated into OKC at some point (but the school district untouched), but can't find anything to indicate that there ever was a "Putnam City", so where did the school district come from?

School districts need to be the same boundaries as the City. There should only be one school district within the OKC city limits. (Correct me on this, but I think I read that there is something like 30* some school districts that are at least partially within OKC city limits?) And why is there a separation between the City and the school district? MAPS for Kids non-withstanding, there is no official connection between the City of Oklahoma City and the school district.

on edit, from the City's website:

"OCMAPS also provides funding to the 23 other public school districts that serve Oklahoma City resident students."

[Thunder]

Isn't the Mid-Del within the OKC city limit? That school district combines both cities that is surrounded by OKC.

[Larry OKC]

While some of it may be within the OKC city limits, my guess is that most of the Mid-Del school district would be within the Midwest City and Del City limits (surrounded by OKC, but not necessarily in OKC)

[USG '60]

Pitman City is essentially Bethany's schools.

[Kerry]

Larry - Putnam was the name of the developer that developed the area. It was never a legal entity. I am not sure how a school district gets created in Oklahoma but at one time Oklahoma had over 500 school distircts, most consisting of one or two elementaty schools, one middle school, and one high school. This probably happend because of transportation issues and parental involvement at the time and later as other states adopted county school system Oklahoma just kept the local districts.

District History

Early History
On a spring day in 1914, a group of parents west of Oklahoma City gathered to discuss how their children could best be educated. The solution they chose was the consolidation of four one-room country schools. Consolidated District No. 1 at Putnam City was born.

Is There a City of Putnam City?
"Putnam City" was the name given to 2,000 acres of land owned by Israel Mercer Putnam, an early-day Oklahoma real estate developer and legislator. Putnam introduced a bill in 1908 to move the capitol from Guthrie to Oklahoma City. He encouraged his colleagues to choose land that he owned as the site for the capitol. The legislature chose an area at 23rd and Lincoln instead, freeing "Putnam City" for other uses.

[Larry OKC]

Kerry, Thanks for the info on Putnam City, where did you find that? I was surprised by the really high number of school districts that the state used to have (saw it recently somewhere, probably in the Oklahoman and school consolidation).

[crimsoncrazy]

A lot of Moore Schools are in far south OKC.

[Kerry]

Kerry, Thanks for the info on Putnam City, where did you find that? I was surprised by the really high number of school districts that the state used to have (saw it recently somewhere, probably in the Oklahoman and school consolidation).

I got the info from the Putnam City Schools web site but I saw it somewhere else recently as well. I am actually in favor of lots of schools districts. There is some overhead involved but it keeps local parents more in control of their children's education.

[soonerfangirl]

I was surprised by the really high number of school districts that the state used to have

As of this school year Oklahoma has 531 public school districts and 152 nonpublic school sites.

[bombermwc]

As mentioned earlier, when the districts were formed, it made more sense for the lines to be drawn differently than the city. For example, in Midwest City, you could go to Mid-Del, Choctaw, or OKC schools. But in far SE OKC, you are either Norman, Moore, or Mid-Del.

Now, think about someone near 74th and Hiwassee. There aren't any schools out there...but they go to Carl Albert in Mid-Del. Southeast or Star Spencer are the closest OCPS locations. And when Mid-Del drew those lines, there wasn't squat out there so it wouldn't have seemed beneficial to OCPS to have to provide services out there if a more "local" provider wanted to.

You have to go waaay back to look at what parts of town were "out in the country" back when lines were drawn. Putnam City schools weren't exactlly urban when they were formed. Mid-Del was nothing but farm land until the 40's. There are several buildings in OCPS that are older than even Midwest City...muchless Mid-Del Schools.

It is frustrating to a lot of people why the lines are the way they are. I don't really agree with the way they are drawn, but it is what it is. I'd personally rather see a county schools systems myself, but then I'd rather see county services than municipal too.

[flintysooner]

My dad attended a small, rural school in the early 1920's. He and all the other students either walked or, infrequently, rode a horse or mule. My dad walked about 1.5 miles. Within 3 or 4 miles of his school was another. This was repeated many times depending upon how many people, if any, lived in an area and if the people could acquire the land, build the structure, and then find a teacher who would work for whatever the people could pay.

My dad's school was also used as the local church on Sundays and for Friday evening social events and about any other kind of gathering.

The nearest town was Marlow and it is only about 10 miles away from where my dad lived. In the early 1920's and before it took a long time to get to town if it could even be done. The roads were dirt trails and the bridges were whatever the locals could erect and frequently both were washed out. So trips to town were reserved for Saturdays and maybe once a month.

Even during my own childhood in the 1950's it was often difficult for us to get to the farm near Marlow. It has only been in recent years that the roads and bridges have been sufficiently improved to provide all weather access. And that's largely because of the oil and gas business.

Hard for us who live in our cities and drive our modern cars on amazingly fast streets to retain much sense of what it was like in the past.

[Mikemarsh51]

It wasnt that long ago that the small Schwartz school was annexed by Mid-Del. It is at 104th and Anderson. It was small district and needed help with finances.

[Wambo36]

As mentioned earlier, when the districts were formed, it made more sense for the lines to be drawn differently than the city. For example, in Midwest City, you could go to Mid-Del, Choctaw, or OKC schools. But in far SE OKC, you are either Norman, Moore, or Mid-Del.

It's actually a little more diverse than that. Far SE OKC includes the three you mentioned but also Harrah, Little Axe and McLoud. It's pretty confusing.

[bluedogok]

Putnam tried to get Warr to rename town of Warr Acres to Putnam City, needless to say it never happened. There are distinct difference between "old Bethany" and "new Bethany", the Bethany school district pretty much only covers "old" Bethany whereas most of new Bethany is in the PC district.

Most of the area in OKC or new Bethany that is in the Putnam City district was unincorporated land at the time it was absorbed into the PC district. My parents neighborhood (Hilldale, built in the mid-50's) was the far west edge of OKC until the early 60's when the Council Grove area was split up between OKC and new Bethany (NW 16th is the dividing line in that area). Everything west of the railroad tracks (that are gone) behind my parents house was unincorporated all the way out to Lake Overholser.

[ewoodard]

Bombermwc, why would you want county schools and services and not local control? I understand lower overhead and administration costs, but why would you wnat some one in OKC telling you how your schools in your town will be ran and hope that the money will be spent as it should in you area of the district. Why would you want MWC services switched to county when the FD is the only class 1 rated department in the state which caused our insurance rates to be lower than surrounding areas.