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Education

Public education is the backbone of our society and democracy. We need to ensure that our educators are well paid and their classrooms sufficiently funded. When our educators and public schools suffer, our children suffer. I have strived for proper funding, and I will continue to fight for the future generation of students and teachers in House District 34 and all of Oklahoma! 

 

Since 2022, legislation that has been passed makes it harder for students to get a proper public education, and we can see the consequences for our students already.

 

In July 2025, a new survey report from WalletHub ranks Oklahoma as the 50th worst state for its school systems. WalletHub’s rankings are unique in that they take a comprehensive approach to analyzing a state’s performance, accounting for performance, funding, safety, class size and instructor credentials. To determine the top-performing school systems in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 32 key metrics.

Oklahoma Schools Rank 50th in National Education Quality

Wix Issues (14).png

Wix Issues (14).png

The WalletHub survey continuously places Oklahoma in the bottom ranks of the categories it evaluates, including:

  • Median ACT Score (49) 

  • Reading Test Scores (48) 

  • Dropout Rate (46) 

  • Median SAT Score (45) 

  • Math Test Scores (44) 

  • Pupil-Teacher Ratio (39)

 

This is unacceptable. Oklahoma is failing its students and leaving them unable to engage critically in civic discussions about our democracy, and unprepared for higher education, trade school, military readiness or any future career they choose. 

Oklahoma is Not Preparing Students for Higher Education

Higher education equips students with the skills that will enhance their career prospects, fostering critical thinking, problem solving and adaptability skills that will last them a lifetime. Oklahoma’s workforce improves when its students go to college.

 

In 2024, the average ACT score of nearly 50,000 Oklahoma high school graduates who took the test was 17.6, lower than the national average of 19.4. 

 

Across each section, the average scores were as follows:

  • English: 16.8 

  • Math: 17 

  • Reading: 18.2 

  • Science: 17.9 

All of these averages are below the benchmark. The percentage of Oklahoma students taking the ACT meeting college-readiness benchmarks: 

  • Meeting English benchmark of 18: 40% 

  • Meeting Reading benchmark of 22: 29% 

  • Meeting Math benchmark of 22: 15% 

  • Meeting Science benchmark of 23: 17%

Oklahoma's Education is Trending Downward

Oklahoma ranked 17th among all states in the nation in 2011 in education, according to a report by EdWeek. Since then, Oklahoma’s education ranks have been sharply declining. According to the National Education Association (NEA), Oklahoma now ranks 49th in education. 84% of eighth graders are not proficient in math (+10% from 2022). 19% of high schoolers do not graduate on time. (+4% from 2022). 

 

Continuing to impact our students is the fact that:

  • Oklahoma ranks 25th in average public school daily attendance

  • Oklahoma ranks 26th in teachers in public schools

  • Oklahoma ranks 35th in average salary of public school teachers

 

Many of these statistics are projected to continue trending down throughout 2025. 

What is Happening to Education in Oklahoma

School vouchers in Oklahoma, pushed by Gov. Kevin Stitt and Superintendent Ryan Walters, allow parents to use state education funds for private or home schooling. Meanwhile, Oklahoma is 35th in average teacher pay and 50th in current expenditures per student in average daily attendance. Adding tax credits for private students will worsen educational disparities and further strain resources in struggling public schools.

Ranson's Connection to Education

Before running for office in 2018, I was a teacher in the Stillwater Public School District for 15 years. Since then, I have made it my mission to increase funding for public education, foster positive classroom environments, and protect the quality of education for students across Oklahoma. Here’s How: 

  • Member of the Higher Education and Career Tech Committee

  • Member of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee

  • Passed SB 1238 - Open Transfer for Virtual Schools

  • Co-authored HB1569 - Play to Learn Act

  • Called for Clean Teacher Pay on SB 482

    • Proposed an amendment that would have doubled the teacher pay raise of 2023 without being tied to private school voucher schemes.

  • Sponsored HB 1423

    • Creates an Education Employee Assistance Program within the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

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©2024 by Friends of Trish Ranson 2024.

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