State education dept. reviewing schools for 'state partnership'

OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma Department of Education is preparing to review the 10 lowest-performing schools in the state.

Officials say the control on up to 10 low-performing schools could be transferred to a "state partnership."

Officials say these schools are on the priority list, which includes the bottom 5 percent of low-performing schools across the state.  Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City are likely to appear at least once on the list.

The goal is to transform these schools, called C3 schools, into institutions that produce students who are "college, career and citizen ready."

The C3 list will undergo "intensive partnership" between the Department of Education and local school districts.

Spanning 40 school districts, a total of 77 schools are on the overall "priority schools" list. The C3 list includes the 10 schools most in need of improvement, as judged by the state.

In addition, the department will review the A through F school grading system in an effort to set new rules for grading.

The Oklahoma legislature will then decide whether the new rules follow existing state law.

The board will meet at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.  At that time, the list of schools will be released.