| Oklahoma City Schools have ridden a | | | | initiative" created in 2001 that has |
| roller coaster of ups and downs for the | | | | earmarked $512 million for new or |
| past decade. The district was labeled as | | | | renovated school buildings for all |
| "in need of improvement" under the No | | | | Oklahoma City Schools. Other funds in |
| Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). | | | | the initiative include $52 million for |
| That federal mandate led to major | | | | computer and technological resources for |
| overhauls which included a district | | | | Oklahoma City Schools. The plan draws on |
| improvement plan, a comprehensive local | | | | sales tax increases over the coming |
| education plan (CLEP) and numerous | | | | years, as well as bond funds to feed the |
| initiatives by then superintendent Bob | | | | aggressive changes. Board members and |
| Moore. The changes have seen marked | | | | administrators in the Oklahoma City |
| improvements. | | | | Schools believe that Porter, coming from |
| Following Moore's resignation, interim | | | | a district that manages an operating |
| superintendent Linda S. Brown and the | | | | budget of $1.85 billion fairly |
| Oklahoma City Schools' Board instituted | | | | successfully, will be able to use |
| four major tools to help meet Adequate | | | | district funding to institute the needed |
| Yearly Progress (AYP) as required by the | | | | AYP improvements. |
| NCLB act. These tools are: district | | | | The nearly year long search for the new |
| restructuring, the Instructional | | | | Oklahoma City Schools Superintendent |
| Facilitator Program, the Organizational | | | | seems to have board members breathing a |
| Health Inventory, and the High | | | | sigh of relief. Oklahoma City Schools |
| Performance Model. The major concern of | | | | have gone over 10 months without a |
| Oklahoma City Schools during the | | | | permanent leader in the superintendent's |
| previous academic year was finding | | | | position. Chairman of the Oklahoma City |
| someone capable of continuing the upward | | | | Schools Board, Cliff Hudson said, "While |
| progress of these initiatives. | | | | it has taken us some time to find a new |
| That search came to an end in April when | | | | leader, I can say it was worth the wait |
| Oklahoma City Schools announced the | | | | because we have found an exceptional |
| selection of John Q. Porter as the next | | | | person to lead the Oklahoma City Public |
| Superintendent of Schools. Porter is | | | | Schools District." |
| currently Deputy Superintendent of the | | | | While politics dictate that this sunny |
| highly ranked Montgomery County Public | | | | outlook will face challenges during the |
| Schools (MCPS) in Rockville, Maryland. | | | | actual interactions over the next school |
| Porter is nationally recognized for his | | | | year, the fact that Porter is positively |
| work in improving both accountability | | | | embraced by most of the Oklahoma City |
| and academics in the MCPS. He also has | | | | Schools administrators is encouraging. |
| had success in integrating technology | | | | Hudson implied that the community |
| with student learning. This is one of | | | | investment made by MAPS for kids was |
| the reasons that Oklahoma City Schools | | | | partly responsible for the high quality |
| think he might be the right man for the | | | | of applicants who applied for the |
| job. | | | | superintendent's position. Porter will |
| Oklahoma City Schools have received | | | | officially assume the title of Oklahoma |
| acclaim for its MAPS (Metropolitan Area | | | | City Schools newest superintendent on |
| Public Schools) for kids program. MAPS | | | | July 1st. |
| for kids is an "historic bond | | | | |