Tulsa Student Frustrated Over 'College High School' Selection Process

Emory Bryan, News On 6

TULSA, Oklahoma -- It's only three weeks until Rogers High School closes down and reopens as what's called a "College High School."

3/30/2011 Related Story: TPS Proposal Would Make Rogers High School A College Magnet Program

The current students, overall, have low test scores, but even some of the best students here have to go somewhere else in the fall. Only a handful of current Rogers students got an invitation to come back and one good student who didn't get an invitation thinks Tulsa Public Schools isn't being fair.

Christian Janke is a 9th grader now at Rogers High School, the president of his class and he makes good grades. He and his mother believe he could make it at the new Rogers College High School.

"He wants to stay here and it's frustrating that he wasn't given the opportunity to do so," his mother said.

But the opportunity to attend the new Rogers High is going to a select group that does not include any of the current students.

The new student body will come from Cleveland and Wilson Middle Schools, with any slots leftover going into a lottery. Current Rogers students have their pick of high schools, as long as they don't pick Rogers.

Rogers students have all been notified that they're process for relocation is first preference for other high schools, they're given that," Assistant Superintendent Kevin Burr said.

Burr spoke to parents Thursday night and said because the new Rogers would have juniors taking college courses, the district had to set a standard for the 10th graders who would be allowed in.

The standard was a single test and Christian just missed the cut.

Christian Janke, student: "Because we didn't make a 17 or higher on the Explore test."

Jessica Young, Christian's mother: "And I just think that's, you can't base a child's whole education on one test. If a child is definitely trying and advancing, however they scored low on one particular test, you can't just set them aside and say sorry, you didn't do good enough."

The district said it will take several more days for the new student body to be settled, but Christian believes while he can get his second choice, he won't get the choice he really wants.

Wilson and Cleveland students have until Wednesday to decide if they want to attend Rogers High School in the fall. As for 10th graders, there are only 100 slots and those are going to the top performers on that one test.

5/12/2011 Related Story: Consolidation To Have No Effect On Most Tulsa Public Schools Transfers