OKC Public Schools proposed $955 million bond vote

[Bill Robertson]

Capitol Hill should not be torn down. It either needs to be renovated or repurposed. A child's educational opportunities and facilities should NOT be based on which side of the river you reside.

How would building a new HS be detrimental to any student's educational opportunities?

[chssooner]

Capitol Hill should not be torn down. It either needs to be renovated or repurposed. A child's educational opportunities and facilities should NOT be based on which side of the river you reside.

Ah yes, asbestos and creaky floors and walls do a brain good.

I don't even get your logic here. When is a newer school EVER bad for a kids growth and development?

[Edmond Hausfrau]

There should certainly be pushback on taft and capitol hill the best option is to renovate them. If the schools are too old then isn't Classen on Villa too old as well? Why isn't classen sas middle school on the list of schools to be demolished? If all these old schools are in such bad shape then lets add classen to the list of schools that need to be torn down. The biggest question is why do kids at classen get a building with character and great facilites while kids at Captiol Hill and possibly taft do not get the same?

As for the new high school I'm pretty sure we all know it'll be built downtown and will most likely be similar to John Rex in the restrictions on the students who get first dibs. Downtown comes first and everyone else who is near downtown comes second. Although I have no idea exactly where in downtown it'll be built though truly a mystery to me.

What is Classen on Villa?
The old Classen High School sat vacant in the late 80s and a bunch of old graduates from the 50s (go Comets!) helped create an application only school.
See also, Heritage Hills and the Wilson Arts Elementary.

[corwin1968]

How would building a new HS be detrimental to any student's educational opportunities?

Yeah, I don't quite get the meaning of that post.

I've spent two decades working in old and new school buildings, including old ones that have been completely renovated, and there is no comparison. Every child should be able to attend a MODERN, comfortable and attractive school.

If Capital Hill could be repurposed and a new one built, that's a win-win, but who would buy and repurpose CHHS and where would a new one be built?

[TheTravellers]

Capitol Hill should not be torn down. It either needs to be renovated or repurposed. A child's educational opportunities and facilities should NOT be based on which side of the river you reside.

Taft is also apparently under consideration for demolition too, and it's on the north side of the river. Equal opportunity for something bad to happen to each of them.

[Bill Robertson]

Yeah, I don't quite get the meaning of that post.

I've spent two decades working in old and new school buildings, including old ones that have been completely renovated, and there is no comparison. Every child should be able to attend a MODERN, comfortable and attractive school.

If Capital Hill could be repurposed and a new one built, that's a win-win, but who would buy and repurpose CHHS and where would a new one be built?

I bet it would be very hard to find someone that would want to spend the fortune that it would cost to repurpose the CHHS building. I'd be all for it but I don't see it happening.

[josefromtulsa]

I was somewhat against Capitol Hill being torn down but after hearing from students who graduated in recent years it would be really unfair to force a majority Hispanic population into old dilapidated buildings just because we like how they look. These kids deserve brand new facilities just as much as kids in the burbs do. I wish TPS would do some bonds. I went to Nathan Hale in Tulsa and for a 50 year old building it was in bad shape. I couldn’t imagine a 100 year old building

[corwin1968]

I bet it would be very hard to find someone that would want to spend the fortune that it would cost to repurpose the CHHS building. I'd be all for it but I don't see it happening.

I feel even more strongly about 900 N. Klein. No old school building was in as bad a shape as that building was, even while it was fully operational, much less, now.

[corwin1968]

I was somewhat against Capitol Hill being torn down but after hearing from students who graduated in recent years it would be really unfair to force a majority Hispanic population into old dilapidated buildings just because we like how they look. These kids deserve brand new facilities just as much as kids in the burbs do. I wish TPS would do some bonds. I went to Nathan Hale in Tulsa and for a 50 year old building it was in bad shape. I couldn’t imagine a 100 year old building

The old U.S. Grant was around 50 years old when they demolished it and it was a relatively modern design. The energy, excitement and enthusiasm of both students and staff when the new building opened was incredible.

Our surroundings have a huge impact on us and if any type of building deserves the best, it's schools.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update from OKC Free Press: https://freepressokc.com/okcps-moves...ter-bond-vote/

[josefromtulsa]

I hope they build it with extra capacity beyond what's needed.

[warreng88]

I live a few blocks away from Taft and most of the area is pretty filled in, so I am not sure where a new Taft middle school would go. I talked to a friend of mine about this and if they are going to build a brand new on and tear down the old school, it would be interesting if they built it right up to the street on NW 23rd and May with the old school behind it. Then, when it is complete, tear down the old building. Wouldn't really disrupt the school year and would make it a lot more urban. Just my two cents...

[mugofbeer]

Taft is also apparently under consideration for demolition too, and it's on the north side of the river. Equal opportunity for something bad to happen to each of them.

Taft was always a prison to me. While l appreciate older buildings, that school only holds bad memories for me.

[Cocaine]

In all honesty with Taft and capitol hill I'm pretty sure the city will build a new school at another site. Then sell the older school buildings to developers who will redevelop them. Its a good way for multiple people to make money.

I just wish the state would do the same for the Bizzel Memorial Library and the Edmon Low Library. They are honestly too old and we should be ashamed college students have to study there. They should come down too.

[Plutonic Panda]

Update from FPOKC: https://freepressokc.com/okcps-moves...bond-projects/

[SouthSide]

Based on that list, it seems once again the school district is not prioritizing the resolving the overcrowding in south side schools. Where is the new Capitol Hill High School? Where are the additional classrooms for U.S. Grant since students are being bused northside due to overcrowding?

[Dob Hooligan]

Based on that list, it seems once again the school district is not prioritizing the resolving the overcrowding in south side schools. Where is the new Capitol Hill High School? Where are the additional classrooms for U.S. Grant since students are being bused northside due to overcrowding?

Maybe they are a different issue than what was decided last night? Can’t image one board meeting deals with every property issue in the district.

[josefromtulsa]

Based on that list, it seems once again the school district is not prioritizing the resolving the overcrowding in south side schools. Where is the new Capitol Hill High School? Where are the additional classrooms for U.S. Grant since students are being bused northside due to overcrowding?

I still don't understand why they are building Belle Isle. The vast majority of growth in OKCPS is from the Southside. Probably gonna have to bus kids all the way up to i-235 and Wilshire later on.

[Midtowner]

I still don't understand why they are building Belle Isle. The vast majority of growth in OKCPS is from the Southside. Probably gonna have to bus kids all the way up to i-235 and Wilshire later on.

OKCPS is still trying to figure out how to get the kids from the Quail Creek area to attend public schools. John Marshal was supposed to be the answer.

[corwin1968]

OKCPS is still trying to figure out how to get the kids from the Quail Creek area to attend public schools. John Marshal was supposed to be the answer.

And no one wants to send their kids to John Marshal.

[bombermwc]

And it seems no one wants to work there either. It's consistently the most problem school in terms of discipline. Just the interactions between the students and staff that make the news are frequent enough, can you imagine how it's like the other 99.9% of the time? A new building or a new coat of paint doesn't change the students that are inside the building. Yes, they deserve a safe space, a clean space, a space that promotes education. But the people inside are the heart of the school. No matter what the shell is, that's going to define what "school" looks like inside.

[fortpatches]

Discipline and school facility quality are correlated though.

Studies have found that the better facilities, the better student performance. For example, " a difference of between 5-17 percentile points difference between achievement of students in poor buildings and those students in standard buildings, when the socioeconomic status of students is controlled" School Facility Conditions and Student Academic Achievement

Total Learning Environment Assessment (TLEA) sections did portray statistically significant predictors of student behavior, or discipline. When an ANOVA was calculated on a regression model using the seven subsections of the TLEA, the significance level was 0.009, which fell well within the acceptable level. This is similar to findings from previous studies that identified factors of school facilities that may impact student discipline. These factors included temperature, lighting, adequate space and aesthetic features (Earthman & Lemasters, 1996; Lackney, 1994, O’Neill, 2000). THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL FACILITIES ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, COMPLETION RATE AND TEACHER TURNOVER RATE IN SELECTED TEXAS HIGH SCHOOLS [PDF]

Some other studies to consider:
Earthman, G. (2004). "Prioritization of 31 Criteria for School Building Adequacy." This report sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union examined the effects of school building conditions on student performance, and it was found that a poor physical environment can impact student behavior negatively.


Uline, C., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (2008). "The walls speak: the interplay of quality facilities, school climate, and student achievement." Journal of Educational Administration, 46(1), 55-73. This study showed how the quality of facilities could impact school climate, indirectly affecting student behavior.


Maxwell, L. E. (2000). "A Safe and Welcoming School: What Students, Teachers, and Parents Think." Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 17(4), 271-282. This study demonstrated that students, teachers, and parents view the physical environment as a significant component of a safe and welcoming school.


Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y., & Barrett, L. (2015). "The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis." Building and Environment, 89, 118-133. This UK study demonstrated a significant impact of classroom design on academic performance, which can translate to behavior as well.

[Midtowner]

And it seems no one wants to work there either. It's consistently the most problem school in terms of discipline. Just the interactions between the students and staff that make the news are frequent enough, can you imagine how it's like the other 99.9% of the time? A new building or a new coat of paint doesn't change the students that are inside the building. Yes, they deserve a safe space, a clean space, a space that promotes education. But the people inside are the heart of the school. No matter what the shell is, that's going to define what "school" looks like inside.

OKCPS has had, from an equity standpoint, a problematic approach to this, but in recent years, when they had attempted an equitable solution for all communities, they were left with failing schools and higher performing students going elsewhere.

OKCPS has bifurcated its system basically into a collection of magnet and entrprise schools like Classsen, Southeast, Independence and Belle Isle, to cooperation and coexistence with select charters like the Hardings and Santa Fe South (there are other charters which have nothing to do with OKCPS whatsoever) and then schools for everyone else.

The sad thing is that when they obtained federal grants and spent money on the school and faculty, they've had real success as with U.S. Grant a few years back. They illustrated that yes, funding is the exact problem they're dealing with and with a little funding they could be successful in any community.

But I guess this is where we are. Belle Isle HS will likely be successful, and I think a lot of that will have to do with it being inacccesible to most communities because of its physical location and because it won't be providing transportation, i.e., only families who are willing and able to provide transportation will be able to access this otherwise "free" resource.

And that's not really a complaint, that's just what it is.

[Mountaingoat]

Discipline and school facility quality are correlated though.

Studies have found that the better facilities, the better student performance. For example, " a difference of between 5-17 percentile points difference between achievement of students in poor buildings and those students in standard buildings, when the socioeconomic status of students is controlled" School Facility Conditions and Student Academic Achievement

Total Learning Environment Assessment (TLEA) sections did portray statistically significant predictors of student behavior, or discipline. When an ANOVA was calculated on a regression model using the seven subsections of the TLEA, the significance level was 0.009, which fell well within the acceptable level. This is similar to findings from previous studies that identified factors of school facilities that may impact student discipline. These factors included temperature, lighting, adequate space and aesthetic features (Earthman & Lemasters, 1996; Lackney, 1994, O’Neill, 2000). THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL FACILITIES ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, ATTENDANCE, BEHAVIOR, COMPLETION RATE AND TEACHER TURNOVER RATE IN SELECTED TEXAS HIGH SCHOOLS [PDF]

Some other studies to consider:
Earthman, G. (2004). "Prioritization of 31 Criteria for School Building Adequacy." This report sponsored by the American Civil Liberties Union examined the effects of school building conditions on student performance, and it was found that a poor physical environment can impact student behavior negatively.


Uline, C., & Tschannen-Moran, M. (2008). "The walls speak: the interplay of quality facilities, school climate, and student achievement." Journal of Educational Administration, 46(1), 55-73. This study showed how the quality of facilities could impact school climate, indirectly affecting student behavior.


Maxwell, L. E. (2000). "A Safe and Welcoming School: What Students, Teachers, and Parents Think." Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, 17(4), 271-282. This study demonstrated that students, teachers, and parents view the physical environment as a significant component of a safe and welcoming school.


Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y., & Barrett, L. (2015). "The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis." Building and Environment, 89, 118-133. This UK study demonstrated a significant impact of classroom design on academic performance, which can translate to behavior as well.

With no hidden meanings intended, with John Marshall being, l think, the newest, are students there performing better than others? I thought they were having a lot of discipline issues?

[Laramie]

Discipline begins at home, and hopefully a child brings those behaviors with him to the school setting.

Reading: Needs to be emphasized to allow students to progress on their own. If it involves having a Reading
Specialist to help students in this area, districts should place more emphasis on the basics.

True, we have many parents who didn't get to advance their formal education beyond high school, yet
they learned enough to get them thru their particular trades. College and University education isn't for everyone.

Getting the per pupiil-teacher ratio down where a teacher can spend more time with more slower students
since we know children don't all learn at the same pace.

More individualized Learning Activity Packets should be developed to teach students were appropriate. There
are teacher in-service training to help teach develop their own LAPs.