Concerns grow over proposed Oklahoma school A-F rating changes as public comment deadline approaches

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahomans have until the end of the day Friday to tell the State Department of Education what they think about some controversial proposed changes to how the state assigns letter grades to public schools. Those grades are often a quick way for families to judge whether a school is the right fit for their children. Last year, lawmakers voted to remove a factor that could lower a school’s grade if it had too many chronically absent students. State Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, said schools have no control over that and called it an unfair way to rank them. “I thought it was a hugely unfair way to rank schools,” Mann said. Now, he’s concerned the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s (OSDE) proposed replacement criteria are just as unfair. “I don’t think it’s an