School closures proposal expected in 'at least a version', TCTA president says

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association president LeeAnne Jimenez told 2 News she expects "at least a version" of the district's school closure proposal to pass the Board of Education's vote on Oct. 19.

Jimenez attended the penultimate public info session Tulsa Public Schools officials hosted on Oct. 12 at Tulsa Central Library.

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“The work that Oklahoma City began started in 2019 with them sunsetting a significant number of their sites," TPS superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson told attendees in an opening statement. "And unfortunately, Tulsa Public Schools is having to follow that.”

Closures, the superintendent said, should save the vast majority of 12 extra million dollars needed each year. Another million and a half, she said, will come from administration salary cuts and employee attrition.

"We are not approaching this work simply as an exercise in cutting costs," Dr. Johnson said. "We are approaching it as an opportunity to ensure that our resources are aligned with what students need and what students deserve.”

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District officials also revealed parent survey results so far. The survey is still active through Oct. 16. The district's webpage for the overall proposal is found here.

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"A lot of this is uncertain, but we’re anticipating that this is not the end, and TPS will continue to address budget challenges in very proactive ways over the coming years,” Chief Strategy Officer Sean Berkstresser told the crowd.

• WATCH: TCTA president LeeAnne Jimenez on impending vote to close 17 Tulsa schools

Both Jimenez and TPS Board of Education vice president Calvin Moniz said adjustments to the proposal will likely be discussed in the Oct. 19 meeting, held at the Education Service Center at 6:30pm.

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"I don’t know if the board will take it as a whole package and vote on it accordingly," Jimenez said. "They may take portions of it and ask the district to go back and revise others. That’s what they’ve done in the past, this specific board. That’s what they’ve done in the past with some other controversial votes.”