The Performance Review of Broken Arrow Public Schools by the Oklahoma Office of Accountability that was approved by the Broken Arrow School Board in August begins in earnest on Feb.1.

Office of Accountability Executive Director Robert Buswell recently told Central Office staff that expert consultants on best practices in the various facets of a school district would be in the Broken Arrow School District for three weeks beginning Feb. 1 to conduct the review.

The review looks at all aspects of a school district including the district’s organization, management, and community involvement along with budgeting and financial management, asset and risk management, facilities and energy management, safety and security, food service and transportation.

“Our School Board unanimously approved this performance review because of the value to the next superintendent of the enormous amount of data and information that will be collected,” Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Gary Gerber said.  “The review will be a great asset to the next superintendent as he or she works with the board on strategic planning.”

As part of each review, contracted management experts conduct detailed studies at each site in the district.  They hold public meetings, arrange focus group forums, conduct private interviews, and solicit calls from citizens.  In the process they consult with a wide range of community groups, business leaders, students, parents, teachers, principals, and central office administrators.

Buswell said school districts like BAPS must cover 25 percent of the cost of the review. In August, he estimated the total cost of the review to be $200,000 meaning the cost to BAPS would be $50,000.  After awarding the bid package to a consulting group based in Houston, Texas that will conduct the performance review however; Buswell now says the cost to BAPS will be closer to $27,000. 

“Our school district has budget concerns as all school districts in Oklahoma do right now, so the reduced cost of the performance review is excellent news,” Dr. Gerber said.

It should be noted the budget allocation for the performance review had been included in the district’s budget for the 2009-2010 school year since it was approved by the School Board in August and was not only recently added.

Buswell believes the final report which will include commendations and recommendations for BAPS will be available sometime in early July, 2010.  Oklahoma School Performance Reviews are made available to the public and all other schools in the state via the Office of Accountability’s website at www.schoolreportcard.org.

At the August 10, 2009 Board of Education member Cheryl Kelly said she believed the performance review would provide the new superintendent with a “baseline” and would be an excellent place to start for the new superintendent.  At the same board meeting, board member Shari Wilkins said she especially appreciated the review’s focus on safety and security.