Back to school: a look at what’s coming

By Makalyn Kowalik
Op. Ed.

At the end of this previous school year, Oklahoma’s largest school district, Oklahoma City Public School District, learned it would be facing $30 million total in budget cuts. As it was announced, it felt very reminiscent of and parallel to Kansas’ own $54 million in budget reductions.  

Now, as the upcoming school year is quickly approaching, many students are wondering what is to be expected when they walk into their classrooms this school year – or, more specifically, what will be missing that was there before.

The quickest answer is: a lot. A lot will be gone this coming school year. Of course most of the buzz started in conversation early last year was with the teachers, when budget cuts were only a possibility. Many teachers who were proudly working last fall will no longer be occupying their classrooms. The halls will seem emptier and the class sizes will feel tighter. Due to these cuts in teachers, class consolidations are a definite and strong possibility.

While most OKC public schools are not used to receiving new textbooks, the process of getting even revised ones will be pushed back even further. Back in May when the announcement of the $23 million in cuts was first given, delaying new textbook purchases was on the list. This leaves students continuing to use outdated sources and books falling apart at the spine.

Another item on the list of the money-saving agenda was altering the bus route schedule, which in turn will change the bell times for some schools. There is now a three tier bell time set up.

Tier 1: 7:35 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.
Tier 2: 8:20 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
Tier 3: 9:10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This effort to make the bus routes more efficient is changing the start and end time for a total of seven of schools within the district, putting them in the tier three category.

These Okla. schools include: Capitol Hill Elementary, Cleveland Elementary, Horace Mann Elementary, Kaiser Elementary, Mark Twain Elementary, Westwood Elementary and Classen SAS (School of Advanced Studies) HS/MS.

This system for bell times is not singular to Oklahoma City schools, though; Kansas City Public Schools has also switched to the same tier bell time set up due to their own extreme budget cuts and has its own list of schools put into tier three as well. 

Some of these schools include: African Centered Prep Elementary, Banneker Elementary, Hale Cook Elementary, Faxon Elementary, Foreign Language Academy, Rogers Elementary, Melcher Elementary, Phillis Wheatley Elementary, Success Academy at Knotts and Wendell Phillips Elementary.

Since these schools will now be switching to a 9:10 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. school day, it will without a doubt affect not only the students’ daily lives but their parents’ and caretakers’ as well. For parents who may have scheduling issues with the new start and end times, these schools are said to be working on before-school activities for students.

Mark Myers, public information officer for Oklahoma City Public Schools, said these specific schools were moved to this time schedule because of their central location within the district. The district said this will eliminate the daily need for up to 18 additional bus routes.

“Whether it is tires, oil changes or the salaries of these bus drivers, it’s going to save us $700,000 dollars that we estimated,” Myers said.

All schools in the district will still be affected by the upcoming 25 percent cut in the arts and sports budgets. This will delay any purchases needed for any additional art supplies classrooms, which schools are already lacking; as well as any sports equipment and uniforms, which are already in desperate need of an update.

Nearly all adjunct coaching positons are being revoked from the schools. This means that when you go back to school this fall, there is a strong possibility your favorite adjunct-coach will not be there to give you a pat on the back into the new school year.

All of these things are especially hard to hear, as a student going into her senior year in the OKC public school district who is not only involved in sports but also in the arts. I find it hard to be excited for my last year of high school education when I know that not only my school but the ones around me are severely struggling to keep their heads above water.

Once graduated, though, what is to be expected for college life? It has to be better than this, right? Unfortunately, no. Other states such as Arkansas, Texas and Missouri fortunately have not had as bad of a hit due to the economic downfall in the region when it comes to school budget cuts; however, they were not completely untouched. More than their public high and elementary schools are being affected – it’s their public and community colleges that are taking the blow.

So what can we look forward to? A lot of changes, hardship and neglect. Class, welcome to Fall 2016.

The Gayly – August 5, 2016 @11:45 a.m.