Tulsa public schools on improvement list double

TULSA - Several schools in the Tulsa metro area are falling behind, according to the state's school improvement list.

The number of Tulsa Public Schools on the list have more than doubled from 11 to 24. Meanwhile the suburbs have mixed scores.

This is the sixth year Nathan Hale High School has been on the list. Principal Caleb Starr says they're focusing on improving reading scores and the graduation rate.

"We know we need to get better. And I think we have to admit that and we have to be aware of that. Going forward we have a game plan," Starr said.

Last school year only half of all seniors graduated. The goal this year is to increase graduation by 10 percent.

"When a kid does fall behind, we don't want to wait until their senior year and have them find out, 'Oh I've gotta go back and make something up.' We want to find that, catch that and help them get up to speed as quick as possible," Starr said.

A $3.5 million grant from the federal goverment could help. It helped hire transformational coach Steve Butcher. Butcher is working with teachers to make sure their lesson plans sink in.

"The one thing that is going to improve student achievement is the teacher. The teacher is the most important resource we have," he said. "We have to set reasonable goals. Because if we don't do that, then we don't reach the unrealistic goal, some may become discouraged. So we want to set goals we have to work hard for, but that we can reach."

In Broken Arrow, Haskell Middle School is on the list for the second consecutive year.

"It's something that I think collectively all of the staff is concerned about," said Principal Pam Bradley. She says reading is their biggest concern. "We're trying to make learning fun. Our bottom line is learning, we've taught it, and they've learned it, so that's what our teachers are looking at, how to can I reach them, how can I teach them."

This year schools faced more rigorous standards than in the past. A school must meet standards for two years in a row before it can get off the list.