The land that now comprises Oklahoma was once a settling ground for Ice Age Native Americans, Spanish explorers, and French conquistadors. When the United States acquired the Louisiana Purchase, the territory that would become Oklahoma became part of America. However, it wasn’t until 1907 that Oklahoma entered the union as the 46th state. The oil industry boosted the economy in the 1920s, but the Dust Bowl ruined the land’s robust agriculture industry. Fortunately, the disaster led to advances in agricultural technologies, which even today have made the state a leader in food production. Oklahoma is also one of the nation’s biggest producers of natural gas and oil.
Oklahoma’s educational system has been known to be lacking in funds. In 2009 the Department of Education announced that it spent less than $8,000 per student, ranking it the 46th in the country. Teachers’ salaries are ranked 48th in the nation. These numbers have, however, shown significant growth since 1992 than most states. An additional indicator of educational incline is the rise of online schools in Oklahoma, which began opening to public high school students in 2011.
In 2010, a new law required that school districts provide online schools for students who want courses that aren’t offered by their current school. Originally, Oklahoma Virtual High School and Oklahoma Virtual Academy’s classes were only available to students in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The new law gives these state-funded schools the same funding per student that an on-campus school would receive, allowing the schools to hire more qualified instructors. The law also required that students enrolled full-time in Oklahoma’s online schools be allowed to participate in public school events and extra curricular activities.
With the upgrade in laws supporting online schools, Oklahoma has seen multiple institutions open online programs. Oklahoma State University has over a dozen master’s degree and graduate certificate programs in engineering, agricultural education, and other subjects that are relevant to Oklahoma’s agricultural and technology industries. The University of Oklahoma’s Outreach Program has dozens of bachelor and graduate degree programs, as well as web community programs.
Oklahoma’s Department of Education constantly lists new scholarships on its website. The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship is available for high school students to go towards their college education, whether or not the school is online.
4511 SE 29th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73115
6808 S. Memorial #116
Tulsa, OK 74133
9801 N Broadway Extension
Oklahoma City, OK 73114
100 Career Tech Road
Fort Cobb, OK 73038-0190
2800 Gore Blvd
Lawton, OK 73505
3 CT Circle
Drumright, OK 74030
4013 NW Expressway St.- Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-1695
12777 N Rockwell Ave
Oklahoma City, OK 73142-2789
4500 W Lee Blvd
Lawton, OK 73505-8399
3701 S I-35 Service Road
Moore, OK 73160
2403 N 41st St E
Muskogee, OK 74403-1889
50 Penn Place Office Tower- 1900 NW Expresswa
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
8421 East 61st Street- Suite U
Tulsa, OK 74133
102 Page Hall
Langston, OK 73050
1900 Springlake Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73111-5240
3500 SW 119th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73170-9797
4701 12th Avenue NW
Norman, OK 73069-8399
600 N Grand
Tahlequah, OK 74464-2399
709 Oklahoma Blvd
Alva, OK 73717-2799
500 W University
Shawnee, OK 74804
2501 N Blackwelder
Oklahoma City, OK 73106-1402
1801 E 4th St
Okmulgee, OK 74447-3901
107 Whitehurst
Stillwater, OK 74078-1015
900 N Portland
Oklahoma City, OK 73107-6195
2201 Silver Lake Rd
Bartlesville, OK 74006-6299
7777 S Lewis Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74171
901 N Mingo Rd
Tulsa, OK 74116-5612
1701 W Will Rogers Blvd
Claremore, OK 74017-3252
Fifth and University
Durant, OK 74701-0609
6729 NW 39th Expy
Bethany, OK 73008
1100 N Lindsay
Oklahoma City, OK 73104-5499
660 Parrington Oval
Norman, OK 73019-3072
6501 N. Broadway- Suite 100
Oklahoma City, OK 73116-8244
14002 East 21st St.- Suite 1000
Tulsa, OK 74134-1412
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
7892 Highway 9
Wetumka, OK 74883-6155
2801 N Main St
Altus, OK 73521-1397
