Statement from Senator Clark Jolley on State’s Rising Education Standards

Following the State Board of Education’s approval of stronger test standards for grades three through eight, Senator Clark Jolley - principal author of the Education Accountability Reform Act - made the following statement:

“Oklahoma students desperately need to know that when they achieve high scores on state tests that they are also likely to do so on nationally based tests. The State Board of Education's decision yesterday to raise the bar a little higher for next year is the right step towards accomplishing the goals stated in Senate Bill 222. Our students will compete against their peers not only on a regional and national basis, but on the international stage as well.

“These increased standards will provide teachers with better tools to evaluate student progress and set higher goals for student achievement.

“I'm glad to see the State Board of Education moving towards the goals we raised in Senate Bill 222, which is to work together to shine more light on our testing and hold us more accountable on student achievement scores. By raising testing standards, we are moving in the right direction. But let's be clear - we still have more work to do.”