Oklahoma
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History
In 1993, when Oklahoma wrote its first Serve America grant, there were already many community service efforts in 500+ school districts. The challenge has been to advance schools from community service activities to the initiation of strong service-learning programs. Through its coordinated approach, the Department of Education has provided grants and technical assistance to approximately 400 Oklahoma school and community sites.
In 1993-94 Ponca City High School social studies students wrote and won passage of a bill (SB680) allowing schools to offer elective credit for service-learning. As a result of SB680, a number of schools have developed elective service-learning courses. Some of the service-learning courses focus on leadership and youth development in preparation for serving on service-learning Youth Action Councils; others are literacy-based. Elective credit can also be earned by students who effectively document their individual service.
During 2003-2004, Oklahoma Learn and Serve provided funding for a Master Teacher Cadre. Nine teachers participated in a year of extensive training prior to submitting a service-learning grant request. The quality of the proposals, as well as program implementation, reflects the benefits of the Master Teacher program. Following a 3-day 4-MAT training, Master Teacher participants utilized these skills as they participated in a curriculum project that links service-learning to the state mandated Priority Academic Student Skills (PASS). The curriculum project is available on CD-ROM and has been distributed statewide.
Networks of Support
Oklahoma Learn and Serve has established key working realtionships with several partners. It collaborated with Oklahoma Lions Clubs to write a Core 4 grant to the Lions International for $100,000. Through this grant, 275 educators were trained in Lions Quest curriculum with emphasis on the service-learning component. A "Student of the Month" initiative has been set up through local Lions Clubs.
Working with the Oklahoma 21st Century Learning Centers program service-learning criteria have been written into the 21st CCLC application. Some programs have included service-learning.
Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve subgrantees have participated in the Cherokee Nation Youth Leadership Conference which was hosted by Inola Youth Council, an Oklahoma Learn and Serve subgrantee. An administrative leadership exchange has also taken place. The Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve is currently planning a new project for 2009 and beyond.
Oklahoma Learn and Serve annually hosts two network meetings for Learn and Serve subgrantees to come together and share information and ideas. These meetings also feature professional development. Bi-monthly newsletters that feature different subgrantees are published.
There is an informal service-learning adviser program in the state. Four teachers completed a one-year Service-Learning Teacher Academy through Learn and Serve in 2003, and have excelled as service-learning practitioners. Since then, these teachers have conducted various training workshops in schools across the state and have served as consultants/advisers to other Learn and Serve program directors.
Collaboration with other OSDE state and federal programs is reflected in a strong service-learning component in a youth Vietnamese immigrant summer program hosted by the OSDE Bilingual Education staff; the inclusion of service-learning as a priority in the 21st Century Community Learning Center program; service-learning integrated into the criteria for Community Education funding; and Title I financial support to train a cadre of 20 AmeriCorps*VISTA members assigned to the OSDE to serve as coordinators of local service-learning programs.
With support from the Pew Charitable Trusts and its “Project 540,” in 2001-2003 the OSDE engaged 16,000 high school students in dialogues about the issues that matter to them. With assistance from staff at Oklahoma State University, students were provided guidelines for turning concerns into tangible service-learning projects
Convening and Celebrating
Oklahoma Learn and Serve staff participates in the National Service-Learning Conference yearly and encourages subgrantees to participate. The Oklahoma Learn and Serve staff also has the opportunity to offer service-learning workshops at various state conferences, i.e., Superintendents Summer Conference, Alternative Education Conference, Counselors Conference, etc.
The annual Oklahoma Higher Education Teaching and Learning Conference sponsored by Northeastern State University includes sessions on service-learning.
Evaluating Progress
Learn and Serve Oklahoma has conducted minimal evaluations that primarily assessed student achievement in civic knowledge and attitudes. In 2008, the office requested the use of state funds to conduct an extensive onsite and interview program assessment.
Though the state formula grants have decreased in amount over the past few years, the number of service-learning grants have increased and expanded. Learn and Serve Oklahoma has chosen to award smaller grants so that a greater number of schools could be included. The last round of grants were awarded for three years and during the third year of the grant, subgrantees were expected to involve new teachers and students in service-learning to broaden the service-learning programs.
Policy Support
Senate Bill 680, adopted in 1992, grants elective credit for service. House Bill 3256, requiring all secondary students to participate in service-learning is currently in committee.
Each year, state funds for service-learning are requested but none have been received to date.
Ada High School recently adopted a service-learning requirement for graduation. A number of subgrantees have initiated school board commitment to service-learning.
Learn and Serve
In 2008, Oklahoma received both two school-based Learn and Serve grants totaling $569,487 and a community-based grant. The Oklahoma Community Service Commission manages the community-based grant and the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah manage the school-based grants. The three grants involve a combined 43,238 participants across 41 subgrantees.
Since 1997, the Oklahoma Commission has contracted the services of the OSDE to administer the community-based Learn and Serve America program. Quarterly network meetings with both school- and community-based sub-grantees have proven beneficial to both groups. The 2005 Community-based grant supported five regional service-learning centers. The centers are established with community organizations, including YMCA of Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, Inc., Camp Fire USA, Great Plains Youth and Family Services, and Ardmore Communities in Schools. Each center provides technical assistance to school and community service-learning activities in a 10-county region. The directors of each center also provide support and training to local and regional Youth Action Councils Regional staff have participated in extensive training to understand how service-learning impacts K-12 education. OSDE staff meet monthly with regional staff, and continue to support regional trainings with quality trainers and content. In 2005, the RSLCs, in partnership with all CNCS programs in Oklahoma, coordinated a state-wide approach to National Youth Service Day.
Each sub-grant is required to address the state-mandated PASS and must include strategies to support health and nutrition issues. Pre- and post-tests will be administered to measure growth in the understanding of health concepts in the student population. For the 2004-2005 program year, 25 sub-grantees received funding.
Youth Contributions
There are several local youth councils. The state has recently entered into a youth expansion program with the Cherokee Nation Learn and Serve. Regional hubs will be identified and established youth councils will convene youth leadership development workshops for other schools in the region engaging a greater number of students in service-learning activities.
Examples of Quality Service-Learning
References
- Cairn, Rich, Henning, Anna, and Neal, Marybeth. 2005. "State Profiles" in Growing to Greatness 2005. St. Paul: National Youth Leadership Council.
External Links
- Learn and Serve America in Oklahoma
- National Service in Oklahoma (Corporation for National and Community Service)
- Oklahoma Community Service Commission
- Oklahoma Campus Compact
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