Tulsa Students Return To School, District Highlights Goals For New Academic Year

As students in Oklahoma's largest school district return to the classroom, Tulsa Public Schools is working to maximize the time students spend learning.

Tulsa Public Schools said it has some specific goals they want to address for the new year, including reducing absenteeism and limiting student cellphone usage.

Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson said her plan to reduce the district's high rate of chronic absenteeism, where students miss more than two days per month, is to minimize distractions and help students thrive academically.

To achieve this, Johnson said the district is prohibiting cellphones, smartwatches, and wireless headphones in the classroom.

Elementary students are not allowed to bring any electronic devices to school, but middle school students are required to keep their devices stored at all times.

High school students are permitted to use devices for academic purposes only, or with the permission of their principal.

TPS said it is strongly encouraging families to get their student to school on time for the first day.

For information on when school starts for each location in Tulsa Public Schools, click here.