State Superintendent Candidate Jena Nelson Outlines Plan For How To Improve Student Progress If Elected

Jena Nelson, the Democratic candidate for state superintendent, said getting real-time data on student progress can help reverse the trend of declining student test scores in Oklahoma.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress said in its latest report that most states saw a drop in math and reading scores for fourth and eighth-grade students between 2019 and 2022.

In fact, the NAEP said the national average math score declines for fourth and eighth-graders were the largest ever recorded.

Oklahoma ranks near the bottom, with an average math score of 264 (out of 500) for eight-graders, which is nine points below the national average. When it comes to fourth-grade math, the Sooner State has an average score of 229, which is six points below the national average. 

Oklahoma also lags behind most other states in eighth-grade reading, with an average student score of 251. The score is eight points below the national average. Fourth-grade reading in Oklahoma does not fare any better, with an average score of 208, compared with the national average of 216.

Nelson, who is running for state superintendent against Republican challenger Ryan Walters, said the key to reversing the trend is getting real-time data on student progress so changes can be made now rather than later.

Related: How Candidate Ryan Walters Plans To Fix Low Test Scores If Elected State Superintendent

"One of the things that we need to do when it comes to our scores is make sure that we have a test that accurately shows us what students are actually learning or where the gaps are,” Nelson said. “And so the tests that we use right now needs to go and we need to move to a benchmark system where the last test is actually used.

"Now, it's a great opportunity because we're already using this kind of system and it actually shows us the progress that students have, also where the gaps are that we can address it in that particular year and not have to wait for the following year."

Another key issue in the state superintendent race is the impact of school vouchers, which would give public money to families for private school tuition.

Nelson said vouchers would harm public schools.

"When we start taking funding away from our schools, especially our rural schools, then we're closing down a school. We're closing down a community. We're going to close down small businesses and real estate, and people are going to have to move," said Nelson. "Out in western Oklahoma, they already said they've been consolidated enough, and we got to make sure that no matter where people live in Oklahoma that they have a public school that is fully funded so that their kids will have every opportunity to be successful."

Nelson, an English teacher at Classen SAS Middle Schools, has 17 years of experience in education and was the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year in 2020.

Election Day is Nov. 8. News 9 will bring live coverage of all the major candidates, including Nelson and Walters in the race for state superintendent.