Oklahoma
Oklahoma schools report persistent pandemic-era issues as national data shows lagging achievement • Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — As national data shows the academic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, Oklahoma districts report stubborn challenges that worsened during the global crisis.
Leaders of local districts say students’ poor attendance and behavior have thrown up barriers to reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels of academic achievement.
A national report shows the gap to pre-pandemic results widened during the 2023-24 school year, despite billions in public spending on recovery efforts.
Test scores from 7.7 million U.S. students in grades 3-8 show the average student would need the equivalent of 4.8 extra months of instruction to catch up in reading and 4.4 additional months in math, according to the report from NWEA, a testing company and research center.
NWEA administers standardized assessments called MAP to track students’ academic progress across the country, including in more than 100 Oklahoma school districts.
The fact that federal pandemic aid will soon end only exacerbates concerns, the NWEA report states. Oklahoma schools received more than $2 billion and must spend what’s left of it by Sept. 30.
“Instead of treating COVID recovery interventions as temporary crisis-mitigation tactics, we must make targeted academic supports, such as high-dosage tutoring and summer programming, a permanent part of our new normal,” the report’s authors, Karyn Lewis and Megan Kuhfeld, wrote.
The full results from Oklahoma state tests taken in the spring aren’t yet available. Last year, only 27% of Oklahoma students scored at a proficient level on state tests for reading, math and science.
In Lawton Public Schools, academic results haven’t recovered as quickly as the district wanted, Superintendent Kevin Hime said. The biggest barrier, he said, has been student absenteeism.
“We all know attendance is one of the things that’s lagged since the pandemic,” Hime said. “It’s been harder to get kids to come to school, believe it or not.”
Lawton has been working on “finding those hooks” that attract more students to school.
“Makerspace” days when elementary children get to do hands-on activities in science, technology, engineering and math show strong attendance numbers, he said. Administrators even looked at the correlation between attendance rates and which meals are served in the cafeteria.
The district also saw increased interest in its summer programs this year, Hime said. Instead of calling the program “summer school,” Lawton rebranded it as a “summer camp” and added more enrichment activities.
Hime said he hopes better attendance, more parent engagement and “making sure we put in as many minutes of reading and math as we can” next school year will help close the gap to pre-pandemic achievement.
Bartlesville Public Schools is working to shrink that gap, too, but the district realized it would have to address student behavior issues to do it, Superintendent Chuck McCauley said.
Students are acting less mature than they did before the pandemic, especially among younger grades, he said. That’s why Bartlesville hired three more elementary school counselors — to address behavioral problems and child trauma.
The district plans to keep the extra counselors it hired, even after federal stimulus funds run out. McCauley said a 300-student increase in Bartlesville’s enrollment made it financially viable to retain the additional staff.
In Tulsa Public Schools, district leaders report decreases in student suspensions and improvements in attendance. The district introduced extra tutoring sessions this year and registered 6,500 students for its summer programs as it tries to propel academic performance upward.
Superintendent Ebony Johnson said attendance is a “difficult metric” to improve but a necessary one. About 45% of Tulsa students were chronically absent in 2023-24, meaning those students missed 10% or more of the school year, district leaders said at a June 27 meeting with the Oklahoma State Board of Education.
Johnson said that’s an improvement of 2.6% from the year before.
“We have seen a decrease in chronic absenteeism, but we’re not celebrating yet because that’s way too many students that are missing too much school,” Johnson said during the state board meeting.
The Tulsa district has leaned heavily on MAP tests from NWEA to help track student learning. Tulsa students took MAP assessments three times this school year, along with the spring state tests.
The final spring MAP evaluation showed strong growth in reading among early elementary students, especially third graders, but results were more stagnant in upper elementary and middle school, district leaders have said.
However, students still improved throughout the school year, even if the upward trajectory wasn’t as steep in some grade levels as the district hoped, said Sean Berkstresser, Tulsa’s chief of strategy and innovation, during the state Board of Education meeting last month.
“Our students learned still, and we saw improvements,” Berkstresser said. “So, I want to make sure that’s known. You’ve seen what’s in front of us with a lot of these data points. There’s a lot more to do.”
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Moccasin Bend Ranch, a residential treatment program in Wyandotte, has reopened after a remodel, expanding access to specialized mental health services for children ages 5 to 12. Leaders say the program fills a critical gap in Oklahoma, where options for young children needing higher levels of care remain limited.
A unique approach for younger children
Moccasin Bend Ranch is a 28 bed psychiatric residential treatment facility set on 12 wooded acres. The unlocked campus is designed to give children access to outdoor play and nature, something leaders say is essential for younger patients.
“This setting allows our kids to act like kids,” said Christina Holum, interim chief executive officer at Willow Crest Hospital and Moccasin Bend Ranch. “Watching them play gives us a renewed sense of purpose. We are confident this change will lead to better outcomes and happier, healthier children.”
The ranch focuses exclusively on children, a distinction that sets it apart from many other programs across the state.
Why early treatment matters
Mental health leaders say many children referred to Moccasin Bend Ranch have already tried outpatient therapy and medication management without success. By the time families seek residential care, behaviors are often increasing in both frequency and intensity.
“If outpatient services are not working, families need somewhere to turn,” said Grant Linihan, vice president of business development for Vizion Health, which owns the facility. “If our program was not available, these, kids, where are they going to go to get treated?”
Linihan and Holum say early intervention can help children develop coping skills and emotional regulation before problems follow them into adolescence and adulthood.
Inside the treatment program
Children at Moccasin Bend Ranch receive a full schedule of therapeutic services, including individual therapy, family therapy and group sessions. The program also emphasizes recreational and expressive therapies to help children process trauma and build skills in a developmentally appropriate way.
Staff members work with families to plan for discharge, aiming to ensure continuity of care once a child returns home.
Making the holidays feel normal
For some children, the holiday season can be especially difficult. Leaders say the ranch makes a point to celebrate milestones and traditions, even while children are in treatment.
The facility hosts holiday meals, seasonal activities and visits from community volunteers, including a volunteer Santa. Children are also taken to see nearby holiday light displays.
“We try to get them to reshape their minds,” Linihan said. “Even though you’re with us, this is still going to be a joyous time for you.”
A broader mental health need in Oklahoma
Mental health providers say the need for pediatric services is tied to broader challenges across the state, including limited funding and access to care. They note that untreated mental health issues in childhood can contribute to long term struggles later in life.
“There will always be a need for this type of service for a certain group of children,” Holum said. “If they cannot get help early, their prognosis becomes much worse.”
How families can get help
Families who are concerned about a child’s mental health can contact Willow Crest Hospital or Moccasin Bend Ranch for a free phone intake. Staff members can help parents determine whether residential treatment is appropriate or if outpatient care may still be an option.
Willow Crest Hospital, also operated by Vizion Health, is a 50 bed acute inpatient psychiatric facility in Miami serving adolescents ages 9 to 17. Together, the programs serve families from across Oklahoma, including hundreds of children from Tulsa County each year.
For more information, families can call (918) 542-1836 to speak with an intake specialist. You can also find their website here.
Bob Stoops’ coaching career appears to be over. For real, this time.
The former Oklahoma football coach, who led the Sooners to a national championship in 2000, said Monday he would be retiring from coaching. Stoops had spent the previous three years as coach of the the United Football League’s Arlington Renegades.
“After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the decision to retire from coaching and step away from the game of football,” Stoops said in a statement released by the UFL. “Coaching has been one of the greatest honors of my life, and closing this chapter comes with lots of gratitude. …Thank you for allowing me to be part of this incredible game for so many years.”
Stoops’ first and only head-coaching job at the Division I level came at Oklahoma. He took over ahead of the 1999 season and stayed through 2016. OU went 190-48 overall while only suffering three-or-more defeats in Big 12 play four times. The Sooners’ 2001 Orange Bowl win capped 13-0 season and gave Oklahoma its first national title since 1985.
A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Stoops took over coaching Oklahoma after serving three years as Florida’s defensive coordinator. He retired from job at OU in June 2017, but lasted less than two calendar years as he was drawn to coaching the Dallas Renegades in the XFL.
The league folded in part because of the COVID pandemic before OU called on him again to serve as interim coach for the 2021 Alamo Bowl after Lincoln Riley left to coach Southern California. After that, he rejoind the Renegades, now rebranded as the Arlington Renegades in the UFL.
Ex-OU quarterback Jalen Hurts made up for his turnover-heavy showing in Week 14 with a stellar Week 15 performance.
Hurts, who spent the 2019 season at Oklahoma, led the Philadelphia Eagles to a 31-0 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
The quarterback completed 12 of his 15 pass attempts for 175 yards and three touchdowns, and he also rushed seven times for 39 yards. Hurts averaged 11.7 yards per pass attempt, his second highest mark of the year in that category.
The week before, Hurts had his worst showing of the season. Against the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football, Hurts accounted for four turnovers. The final one of those was an interception that he threw into the hands of fellow former Sooner Tony Jefferson in overtime to seal the Chargers’ 22-19 win.
With Sunday’s win, the Eagles improved to 9-5. Philadelphia is in firm control in the NFC East race and will win the division with one more win or one more loss from the Dallas Cowboys, who are 6-7-1.
In 14 games in 2025, Hurts has completed 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,929 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. The quarterback has also rushed for 376 yards and eight touchdowns.
Hurts has spent his entire professional career with the Eagles after the franchise selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice, and he won his first Super Bowl earlier this year, as Philadelphia defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 55-23 in Super Bowl LIX.
Before becoming an NFL star, Hurts played three seasons of college football at Alabama and won the national title with the Crimson Tide in 2017. He transferred to Oklahoma for his final year of eligibility — 2019 — and led the Sooners to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Mayfield, Buccaneers Continue Skid
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost a heartbreaker on Thursday.
After holding a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers allowed the Atlanta Falcons to score 15 unanswered points and win 29-28.
Mayfield, who spent three years as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback, finished the game 277 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 19-of-34 passing. His lone pick came in crunch time, though, as he underthrew wide receiver Mike Evans in the fourth quarter, and Atlanta’s Damien Alford intercepted the pass. The Falcons scored a touchdown on their ensuing drive.
The Buccaneers have lost six of their last eight games after beginning the 2025 season 5-1. Individually, Mayfield has thrown 10 touchdowns and six interceptions in the last eight games after logging 12 touchdowns and only one pick in the first six contests.
Mayfield has completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,999 yards, 22 touchdowns and seven touchdowns in 14 games.
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The Buccaneers, once in firm control of the NFC South race, are tied with the Carolina Panthers for first place in the division. The silver lining for the Bucs is that the division is weak, and the Panthers dropped what should have been an easy opportunity for them to take sole possession of first place on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Mayfield is playing in his eighth NFL season and third with the Buccaneers. He spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Cleveland Browns and split the 2022 season between the Panthers and the Los Angeles Rams before signing with Tampa Bay in 2023.
At OU, Mayfield boasted a 33-6 record as the Sooners’ starting quarterback. He finished his three seasons in Norman with 12,292 passing yards, 137 total touchdowns and 21 interceptions, and Mayfield won the Heisman Trophy in 2017.
Lamb Shines Again in Cowboys’ Loss
Even though the Cowboys fell 34-26 to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football, veteran wideout and former Sooner CeeDee Lamb had another big game.
Lamb finished Sunday’s loss with a game-high six catches for 111 yards. His flashy performance marked Lamb’s third game in a row eclipsing 100 receiving yards.
Dallas, though, dropped to 6-7-1 with the loss. For the Cowboys to win the NFC East, they must win out, and the Eagles must lose out.
Lamb has caught 63 passes for 976 yards and three touchdowns in 2025. He has played with the Cowboys since 2020, when the franchise selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Lamb has made the Pro Bowl four times, and he was a First Team All-Pro selection in 2023.
At OU, Lamb was a consensus All-American in 2019, his final year in Norman. Over the course of his three collegiate seasons, Lamb recorded 3,292 yards and 32 touchdowns on 173 catches.
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