32nd Annual Student Research Conference
Historical Ties to Education Quality in Oklahoma: An Analysis of Policy Processes and de Facto Discrimination
Courtney R. Bakken
Dr. Jeff Lingwall and Dr. Bridget Thomas, Faculty Mentors
The quality of K-12 education in Oklahoma, along with many other southwardly-positioned states, has consistently been ranked deficient by various national comparatives. Educational inequality is unacceptable to American values, thus it has become a pressurizing force for policy makers and public administrators to implement change. Although major work has been done to suffice educational disparities, it is critical to examine the historical implications on education in order to properly address current issues. This study will examine over 130 years of educational history and policy across the United States, using Oklahoma as a key midwestern state that illustrates the transition between southern and western policy processes. Data analysis and extensive literature review reveal the effects antiquated policy processes have on the quality of education across the United States. Factors identified to have significant causality in the study include but are not limited to educational gerrymandering, inhibitory funding policy, and administrative disorganization.
Keywords: Educational Inequality, Oklahoma Key Mid-Western State, Policy Processes, Historical Implications
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary Studies
Political Science
Education
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 203-3
Location: BH 212
Time: 10:45