Animo a Votar 'NO' el 8 de Noviembre

Animo a Votar 'NO' el 8 de Noviembre

 "El paquete de bonos actual es injusto y excluye a muchos estudiantes de escuelas públicas en el distrito e irá en gran medida a escuelas que históricamente han fallado a los estudiantes, ignorando la demanda vista de los padres de opciones nuevas y de mejor calidad". Dr. Raúl Font -CEO-Latino Community Development Agency

Oklahoma City.- Los votantes tendrán la oportunidad de aprobar o desaprobar una propuesta de bonos de casi $1,000 millones para las Escuelas Públicas de Oklahoma City.  Si se aprueba la propuesta de bonos, los funcionarios del distrito dijeron que planean usar el dinero para pagar una lista de proyectos, incluidas cinco nuevas escuelas, un nuevo estadio multideportivo y otras mejoras.

Por otro lado, algunos miembros de la comunidad han compartido preocupaciones sobre los planes del distrito para el bono, señalando el rendimiento académico, el rendimiento y el compromiso.

"Durante mucho tiempo he sido partidario de las escuelas públicas y quiero apoyar un bono para apoyar a las escuelas públicas en Oklahoma City.  Desafortunadamente, el paquete de bonos actual es injusto, y estoy con muchos otros instando a los votantes a votar 'NO' el 8 de noviembre. Los proyectos de bonos excluyen a muchos estudiantes de escuelas públicas en el distrito y en gran medida irán a escuelas que históricamente han fallado a los estudiantes, ignorando la demanda de los padres de opciones nuevas y de mejor calidad", dijo el Dr. Raúl Font, CEO de la Agencia de Desarrollo Comunitario Latino.

"En 2001, los votantes de OKCPS aprobaron MAPS for Kids, un esfuerzo de $ 700 millones destinado a mejorar las instalaciones en OKCPS. Cuando MAPS for Kids fue propuesto en 2001, la población total en Oklahoma City era de 512,224. En los 20 años transcurridos desde la aprobación de MAPS for Kids, la ciudad ha crecido considerablemente y en 2020, la población total fue de 681,054, un aumento de casi el 33%. 

Sorprendentemente, mientras la ciudad creció a este ritmo impresionante, la población estudiantil total en OKCPS disminuyó de 38,438 en 2001 a 32,086 al comienzo del año escolar 2022, lo que representa una caída de más del 16%. Esto plantea la pregunta de ¿a dónde fueron los estudiantes? De hecho, muchos de los estudiantes han ido a escuelas públicas chárter dentro de los límites del distrito de OKCPS. 

En 2001, las escuelas públicas chárter eran un concepto relativamente nuevo y sólo servían a 681 estudiantes. Hoy en día, las escuelas públicas chárter atienden a 9,696 estudiantes. Este crecimiento es bastante notable ya que las escuelas públicas chárter no tienen la capacidad de aprobar proyectos de bonos por su cuenta y deben depender del alquiler de una instalación del distrito escolar y / o deben encontrar formas de pagar sus propias instalaciones. 

Y mientras casi 10,000 estudiantes asisten a escuelas charter dentro del límite de OKCPS, muchos cientos más están atrapados en listas de espera charter porque estas escuelas públicas están a plena capacidad. Las escuelas charter representan algunas de las mejores escuelas de Oklahoma City: solo cinco de las 77 escuelas del distrito de OKCPS recibieron una A o B en la boleta de calificaciones estatal A-F más reciente (2019), y tres de esas cinco son escuelas solo de solicitud. Mientras tanto, 13 de las 22 escuelas públicas chárter en Oklahoma City recibieron una A o B en la boleta de calificaciones escolar. 

Subrayando aún más la demanda de los padres de alternativas a OKCPS son los datos recientes de transferencia de estudiantes publicados por el Departamento de Educación del Estado. Los tres mayores receptores de solicitudes de transferencia fueron Santa Fe South Charter School, Dove Charter Schools y Mid Del Charter schools. No es una coincidencia que estas tres opciones existan en OKC, donde los padres buscan opciones distintas a OKCPS para que sus hijos asistan. No entiendo por qué se les pide a los votantes que apoyen las opciones escolares de las que las familias están huyendo cuando los dólares de los bonos podrían usarse para apoyar a todas las escuelas públicas dentro de OKCPS, incluidas las escuelas charter públicas que los padres prefieren cada vez más. 

Todos los estudiantes que viven dentro de los límites del distrito de OKCPS, independientemente del tipo de escuela pública a la que asistan, merecen beneficiarse de un aumento de impuestos de $ 1 mil millones para todos los residentes de OKCPS; Desafortunadamente, OKCPS no está de acuerdo, por lo que le animo a votar 'NO' en el bono el 8 de noviembre". Dr. Raúl Font- CEO de LCDA 

La solicitud de emisión de bonos es sorprendente considerando que los ingresos escolares del estado de Oklahoma de todas las fuentes para 2021 son de $ 10,576,503,569.21 (10.5 mil millones) para 703,650 estudiantes de K-12 en todo el estado, lo que proporciona aprox. $ 15,000 por alumno.

Fuente: https://sdeweb01.sde.ok.gov/OCAS_Reporting/docs/

Urging Voters to Vote ‘NO’ on Nov. 8

“The current bond package is unfair and exclude many public-school students in the district and will largely go to schools that have historically failed students, ignoring the demand seen from parents for new, better-quality options.”

Oklahoma City.- Voters will have a chance to approve or disapprove a nearly $1 billion bond proposal for Oklahoma City Public Schools. If the bond proposal passes, district officials said they plan to use the money to pay for a list of projects, including five new schools, a new multisport stadium and other upgrades.

Some community members have shared concerns about the district’s plans for the bond, pointing to academic, performance and engagement,

“ I have long been a supporter of public schools and want to be supportive of a bond to support public schools in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, the current bond package is unfair, and I stand with many others urging voters to vote ‘NO’ on Nov. 8. Dr. Raul Font-CEO Latino Community Development Agency says “The bond projects exclude many public-school students in the district and will largely go to schools that have historically failed students, ignoring the demand seen from parents for new, better-quality options.” 

“In 2001, OKCPS voters approved MAPS for Kids, a $700 million effort aimed at improving facilities in OKCPS. When MAPS for Kids was proposed in 2001, the total population in Oklahoma City was 512,224. In the 20 years since the passage of MAPS for Kids, the city has grown considerably and in 2020, the total population was 681,054, a nearly 33% increase. 

Remarkably, while the city grew at this impressive pace, the total student population in OKCPS decreased from 38,438 in 2001 to 32,086 at the start of the 2022 school year, representing a drop of more than 16%. This begs the question of where did the students go? In fact, many of the students have gone to public charter schools within the OKCPS district boundary. 

In 2001, public charter schools were a relatively new concept and only served 681 students. Today, public charter schools serve 9,696 students. This growth is quite remarkable as public charter schools do not have the ability to pass bond projects on their own and must rely on renting a facility from the school district and/or they must find ways to pay for their own facilities. 

And while almost 10,000 students attend charter schools within the OKCPS boundary, many hundreds more are stuck on charter wait lists because these charter schools are at full capacity. Charter schools represent some of the best schools in Oklahoma City - only five (5) of 77 OKCPS schools received an A or B on the most recent (2019) state report card (6% on the A Thru F grading of schools ), and three of those five are special application-only schools. Meanwhile, 13 of 22 public charter schools in Oklahoma City received an A or B on the school report card. 

Further underscoring the demand from parents for alternatives to OKCPS is recent student transfer data released by the State Department of Education. The of the three largest recipients of transfer requests were Santa Fe South Charter School, Dove Charter Schools, and Mid Del Charter schools. It is not a coincidence that these three options all exist in OKC where parents are looking for options other than OKCPS for their children to attend. I don’t understand why voters are being asked to support school options that families are fleeing when the bond dollars could be used to support all public schools within OKCPS, including the public charters that parents increasingly prefer. 

All students living within the OKCPS district boundary - regardless of the type of public school they attend - deserve to benefit from a $1 billion tax increase on all OKCPS residents;  Unfortunately, OKCPS does not agree, so I urge you to vote ‘NO’ on the bond Nov. 8” Dr. Raul Font- LCDA’s CEO

The bond issue request is amazing considering the state of Oklahoma school revenue from all sources for 2021 is $10,576,503,569.21(10.5 billion) for 703,650 K-12 students statewide which provides approx. $15,000 per pupil.

Source: https://sdeweb01.sde.ok.gov/OCAS_Reporting/docs/RevenueReportFromOcasStatewide2021.pdf

RevenueReportFromOcasStatewide2021.pdf

Urging Voters to Vote ‘NO’ on Nov. 8

“The current bond package is unfair and exclude many public-school students in the district and will largely go to schools that have historically failed students, ignoring the demand seen from parents for new, better-quality options.”

Oklahoma City.- Voters will have a chance to approve or disapprove a nearly $1 billion bond proposal for Oklahoma City Public Schools. If the bond proposal passes, district officials said they plan to use the money to pay for a list of projects, including five new schools, a new multisport stadium and other upgrades.

Some community members have shared concerns about the district’s plans for the bond, pointing to academic, performance and engagement,

“ I have long been a supporter of public schools and want to be supportive of a bond to support public schools in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, the current bond package is unfair, and I stand with many others urging voters to vote ‘NO’ on Nov. 8. Dr. Raul Font-CEO Latino Community Development Agency says “The bond projects exclude many public-school students in the district and will largely go to schools that have historically failed students, ignoring the demand seen from parents for new, better-quality options.” 

“In 2001, OKCPS voters approved MAPS for Kids, a $700 million effort aimed at improving facilities in OKCPS. When MAPS for Kids was proposed in 2001, the total population in Oklahoma City was 512,224. In the 20 years since the passage of MAPS for Kids, the city has grown considerably and in 2020, the total population was 681,054, a nearly 33% increase. 

Remarkably, while the city grew at this impressive pace, the total student population in OKCPS decreased from 38,438 in 2001 to 32,086 at the start of the 2022 school year, representing a drop of more than 16%. This begs the question of where did the students go? In fact, many of the students have gone to public charter schools within the OKCPS district boundary. 

In 2001, public charter schools were a relatively new concept and only served 681 students. Today, public charter schools serve 9,696 students. This growth is quite remarkable as public charter schools do not have the ability to pass bond projects on their own and must rely on renting a facility from the school district and/or they must find ways to pay for their own facilities. 

And while almost 10,000 students attend charter schools within the OKCPS boundary, many hundreds more are stuck on charter wait lists because these charter schools are at full capacity. Charter schools represent some of the best schools in Oklahoma City - only five (5) of 77 OKCPS schools received an A or B on the most recent (2019) state report card (6% on the A Thru F grading of schools ), and three of those five are special application-only schools. Meanwhile, 13 of 22 public charter schools in Oklahoma City received an A or B on the school report card. 

Further underscoring the demand from parents for alternatives to OKCPS is recent student transfer data released by the State Department of Education. The of the three largest recipients of transfer requests were Santa Fe South Charter School, Dove Charter Schools, and Mid Del Charter schools. It is not a coincidence that these three options all exist in OKC where parents are looking for options other than OKCPS for their children to attend. I don’t understand why voters are being asked to support school options that families are fleeing when the bond dollars could be used to support all public schools within OKCPS, including the public charters that parents increasingly prefer. 

All students living within the OKCPS district boundary - regardless of the type of public school they attend - deserve to benefit from a $1 billion tax increase on all OKCPS residents;  Unfortunately, OKCPS does not agree, so I urge you to vote ‘NO’ on the bond Nov. 8” Dr. Raul Font- LCDA’s CEO

The bond issue request is amazing considering the state of Oklahoma school revenue from all sources for 2021 is $10,576,503,569.21(10.5 billion) for 703,650 K-12 students statewide which provides approx. $15,000 per pupil.

Source: https://sdeweb01.sde.ok.gov/OCAS_Reporting/docs/RevenueReportFromOcasStatewide2021.pdf

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