OKLAHOMA CITY — House Democrats announced multiple education initiatives this week in their Oklahoma Focused Agenda for the 58th Legislature.

Each initiative was designed with feedback from education policy experts, educators, and constituents.

“There are needs to reform education policy in Oklahoma,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. “The education portion of the Oklahoma Focused Agenda is about building better schools that attract and retain quality teachers.”

The five initiatives are:

1. Ensure safe and healthy environments for our schools.
2. Keep public dollars in public schools.
3. Make testing meaningful.
4. Recruit and retain great teachers for every classroom.
5. Increase charter school oversight.

Each initiative is backed by legislation, 11 bills total, that ranges in focus from curriculum changes like the expansion of ‘play-based learning’ to ensuring students have access to mental health professionals.

“We have the ability to build a great public education system,” said Rep. Trish Ranson, D-Stillwater. “However, to get there, we need a vision of education policy that goes beyond whatever current issue is dominating the discussion.

“Our agenda isn’t about the politics of the day. The Oklahoma Focused Agenda is about what kind of public education system we want to leave our children.”

To learn more about the Oklahoma Focused Agenda, please visit www.oklahomafocused.com.