OSDE refused access to crucial testing information

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) has come under fire for not granting U.S. News and World Report access to schools’ AP testing data, leading to skewed rankings for Oklahoma schools. This omission has caused larger, suburban high schools to drop in the rankings while boosting smaller, rural schools in the past two years.

Superintendents from various districts in Oklahoma have expressed concerns about the impact of this data omission on their communities. Families and businesses often rely on U.S. News rankings to gauge the quality of schools in a particular district when deciding where to move.

The rankings for ‘Best High Schools in Oklahoma’ saw significant changes in 2023 and 2024, with many schools experiencing drops in their rankings. The lack of access to AP data has affected the ‘college readiness’ scores, which play a crucial role in determining a school’s overall ranking.

OSDE claims they sent the data to College Board but it may have been lost in the mail. However, U.S. News stated that OSDE did not grant them permission to use the AP data for the rankings in both 2023 and 2024. This decision has raised questions about the transparency and accuracy of the rankings.

School leaders are calling for accountability and transparency from OSDE to ensure that the rankings accurately reflect the achievements of students and schools in Oklahoma. The impact of this data omission goes beyond just school rankings and could potentially affect students’ college admissions and scholarship opportunities.