Education and Training

From pre-kindergarten to college, Oklahoma’s students are offered the best chance at success through an integrated, partnering network of public school districts, private and parochial schools, the Oklahoma Career and Technology system and our nationally recognized institutions of higher learning.

• EducationThe National Institute for Early Education Research this year ranked Oklahoma as the top state for student participation in pre-kindergarten programs. Nearly 60 percent of Oklahoma’s 4-year-olds attend a publicly funded pre-kindergarten program, compared to 15 percent nationally. Georgetown University says Oklahoma is a national model of pre-kindergarten success.
• Oklahoma ranked no. 1 in the US on implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act.
• According to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Oklahoma has 858 National Board Certified Teachers, the top credential that teachers can earn., placing Oklahoma eighth in the nation in the number of board certified teachers. Education Week’s ninth annual report card placed Oklahoma amoung the top 10 states for state education systems.
• Oklahoma has received praise from educators across the country for its effort to improve classroom instruction. The Princeton Review in 2003 ranked Oklahoma eighth in the nation for quality of student testing and the accountability features that support the state’s testing system for students in grades 3 through 8.
• In 2003, more than 75 percent of high school seniors in Oklahoma received their diplomas, ranking the state 13th in the nation in the percentage of students who graduated from accredited high schools.
• This year, Oklahoma’s average ACT college-entrance exam score increased, with more than 70 percent of 2004 graduates in Oklahoma taking the voluntary test, compared to 40 percent of graduates nationally.
• For the SAT college-entrance exam, Oklahoma’s students achieved the highest average score in the 14-state southern region that includes Texas, and ranked 11th nationally.
• Fewer than 4 percent of Oklahoma’s students choose to drop out of school, and student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom is estimated at 17-to-1. More than 57 percent of students choose to continue their education in colleges or universities.
• Oklahoma’s students also have a chance to find their calling through the unique CareerTech program with programs and services in 29 technology center districts operating on 54 campuses and in 400 comprehensive school districts.
• In 2003, more than 475,000 Oklahomans were enrolled in CareerTech programs throughout the state. And, by partnering with the state’s colleges and universities, Oklahoma’s CareerTech programs allow students to earn college credit and degrees for their work.
• Oklahoma’s CareerTech system has programs and services in place to help companies that are considering locating in Oklahoma. By taking advantage of Oklahoma’s Training for Industry Program, new and expanding companies can rely on having a productive workforce on day one of operation, at no cost to the company. This program provides training for Oklahomans hired to fill new jobs.
• For those students who desire to attend college, the opportunities are abundant. Twenty-five colleges and universities comprise the Oklahoma higher education system, and tuition at these institutions is considerably lower than average tuition at similar schools in other states.
• The National Institute for Early Education Research says Oklahoma is No. 1 and is a national model for pre-kindergarten programs.
• Techonolgy Counts said Oklahoma ranks 2nd in the nation in internet connectivity in public school classrooms.

Oklahoma Southeast is home to a strong educational system that helps produce a high quality workforce. Oklahoma’s colleges and CareerTech system help companies train employees with the skill sets required for maximum productivity. Oklahoma boards more Truman Scholars per capita than any other state, and Oklahoma State University has been named a Truman Honor Institution. Almost nine percent of the 58 students scoring a perfect ACT score in 2002 were from Oklahoma. Overall, Oklahoma ranks 11th nationally for SAT college entrance exam scores. For information on individual school systems, click here.

Average Oklahoma SAT Score: 1135
Average Oklahoma ACT Score: 20.6 (72% tested)

Regional Education Level