Superintendent Ryan Walters announces 13 Tulsa schools exiting CSI designation

Thirteen Tulsa Public Schools campuses are no longer classified under the state’s Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) designation, a status assigned to schools with low academic performance. State Superintendent Ryan Walters and TPS Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson joined News On 6 to discuss the achievement and its significance.

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Q: Superintendent Walters, what is the importance of moving off the CSI list?

Walters: "Well, what we've seen here is, under Superintendent Johnson's leadership, a real focus on academic achievement. Here, these are schools that have struggled dramatically in education, and we've seen a real concerted effort to make sure that kids are caught back up. Kids are reading on grade level. The focus areas on parental involvement and really driving test scores with great teachers involved with these kids. And frankly, what we're going to see later today is a school site that said, 'Hey, we're not even going to do this after the fact. We're going to do it as prevention. We're going to do small reading groups. We're going to have tutors engaged and involved.' It's a tremendous work, and it's something to really be applauded, 13 schools coming off this list, and that's big time."

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Q: Dr. Johnson, how did the district achieve this milestone?

Johnson: "Absolutely, just a laser-like focus on moving the needle. So just making sure we're looking at data, having small group meetings with our teachers, making sure that they understand how to take the data, teach, re teach, using the state standards and objectives as a guide to make sure that that is the curriculum and the information that we're shooting for, so that there's no misunderstanding on what the students should be mastering, and know working on chronic absenteeism and attendance, and just really looking at each group of our students to move the needle where we needed to move that. So, just a lot of collaboration leaders taking the lead as instructional leaders, and just a lot of support around that."

Q: What kind of long-term impact does this improvement have?

Walters: "Well, what we see is, if you can get these districts turned around, moving in the right direction, it has a tremendous impact that continues to build. And so that's what I think has been so impressive about the work Tulsa is doing. It's not just to try to get a short-term goal. It is to part of a larger goal. So when we're seeing these schools move up, what we're seeing is, under superintendent Johnson's leadership, is they are embedding a new process. They are embedding a new culture in these school sites to say, this isn't just a one year thing. This is to change trajectory. And so we continue to see dramatic progress from these school sites that we believe are going to carry on year after year after year."

Q: Let’s talk about FAFSA. What’s going on with FAFSA applications in TPS?

Johnson: "Yeah, I'll just say that. You know, as Superintendent Walters stated, there's been a lot of collaboration with the state on just understanding all expectations. And so one of the expectations for our students to graduate this year is that they complete the FAFSA application or complete an opt-out form. So we have been very communicative with our families, making sure that our families understand the seriousness of this matter. We want every single student walking across the stage who deserve to walk across that stage. They've worked really, really hard, so we put out information to our families, we've made sure our counselors are working very closely with our students to actually get the application complete with families. And so we actually put out, you know, all points bulletin, no FAFSA, no fun, and so then you can't attend prom. You're not able to attend those really awesome things that you love to attend if you do not finish all of your graduation requirements by a certain date, and that date set right after we got back from spring break. So we're sitting at about 95% FAFSA completion in Tulsa Public Schools, whether it's the application or the opt-out form."

🔗>>> Deadline approaches for Tulsa Public Schools FAFSA requirement

Q: Superintendent Walters, 95% FAFSA completion in a district this size—how significant is that?

Walters: "That's tremendous. I don't know of any district at that number right now. And so for our largest district to be able to hit that mark it's incredibly impressive. It really shows the concerted effort of everyone at TPS teachers, support staff, everyone included, to say, hey, we want to make sure that kids understand the FAFSA parents understand it and that they're signing up. So I think it's great."

🔗>>> Navigating FAFSA and beyond for Oklahoma high school seniors

Q: What would you say to students who don’t plan to attend college and think they don’t need to complete the FAFSA?

Walters: "Well, my response is, you know, hey, this is a benefit that you have, so I would make sure you take advantage of it because you never know. I mean, I think I changed my major a few times. Like, everybody's probably changed the direction there of kind of where they want to go. So, hey, this is being offered to you. That's why we have it in law to say, Listen, we want to make sure that you know that this is an opportunity you have, and if you want to take advantage of it, we want you to be able to do that."

🔗>>> Here's how the Tulsa higher education consortium helps students complete their FAFSA

Q: Dr. Johnson, your response to students who don’t think FAFSA applies to them?

Johnson: "Yeah, I would say that right now. You may not know, but you will know soon. You'll have to have those things in place in order to have those post-secondary opportunities. And we talk a lot about life after high school and what you can actually step into once you graduate. But many times, if our students do not have these finances and these means to do it, it prohibits them from actually reaching a lot of their goals. And so we would strongly encourage every single student to complete the application. So. Not only is it for college, but then also technology school is requiring FAFSA completion as well, and we don't want our students to miss out on any of the dollars that they deserve. And so, you know, we know that they deserve those dollars they worked really, really hard. So we're grateful and appreciative of our families, our teams, for making this happen."

Q: Lastly, Reading Partners is no longer working with TPS. How will you fill that gap?

Johnson: "Yeah, let me just start off by saying, Dave, this is a really, really tough decision on the part of Tulsa public schools. One thing we do not take pride in is sun setting any of our programs where we know that there was a direct support for our students. However, we do have to be very mindful of our budget. We have to be very mindful of return on investment. And we would just say to our partners out there, thank you for your volunteerism. We still need you. There's various ways that you can come in and support our students. We have programs before school, after school. We also have, you know, testing season is here. We'd love to get volunteers to come in and be testing monitors. And so there's all kinds of ways that you can come in and share your gifts and talents and support our young people."

🔗>>> TPS to end partnership with Reading Partners after 12 years of support

🔗>>>Here's why TPS had to cancel its partnership with Reading Partners

More on the CSI Exit Announcement

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, 13 TPS schools have exited the CSI designation status based on current data, including Spring 2024 OSTP results. This brings the total number of upgraded TPS campuses to 19 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The 13 campuses removed from CSI designation include:

1. Hamilton Elementary
2. Edison Preparatory Middle School
3. Tulsa Met High School
4. Eugene Field Elementary
5. Bell Elementary
6. Dolores Huerta Elementary
7. Patrick Henry Elementary
8. Key Elementary
9. Lewis and Clark Elementary
10. MacArthur Elementary
11. Owen Elementary
12. Robertson Elementary
13. Unity Learning Academy (elementary)

Schools are placed on the CSI list based on low academic performance or subgroup deficiencies, as identified through state school report cards.

To exit, schools must meet state-set academic targets as part of a continuous improvement plan while receiving additional funding, oversight, and support from OSDE.