City: Tulsa, OK

Category: Education

Telephone: (918) 746-6800

Description: The largest school system in Oklahoma, Tulsa Public Schools serves 41,000 students in 58 elementary schools, 15 middle schools, and 9 high schools. Other locations include seven alternative schools. Of Tulsa’s 3,224 teachers, 1,165 hold master’s degrees; 94 have doctorates. Ninety-three of Tulsa’s teachers are National Board Certified. The overall teacher/student ration is just under 1 to 13.There are two foreign-language immersion schools—Zarrow International Elementary School for Spanish and Eisenhower International Elementary School for both French and Spanish. Mayo Demonstration School of Science and Technology serves elementary students from all parts of the district who are selected from a random drawing,Thoreau Demonstration Academy serves grades six through eight—its MicroSociety program provides real-world contexts for academic learning. Students, with the help of teachers, parents, and business volunteers, create a functioning society within the school context. By creating their own government, businesses, arts organizations, etc., they become immersed in the free-market economy and the realities of taxes, property issues, social concerns, and the political system.Booker T. Washington is Tulsa’s high school for Advanced Placement and the International Baccalaureate program. It was ranked number 74 in Newsweek’s list of the top 1,500 U.S. public high schools in June 2009.Four of Tulsa’s high schools are magnet schools. Hale High School explores wellness and global cultures through cuisine, tourism, and health and human performance. The school has a professional-level kitchen and a student-run bistro called Nathan’s. It also boasts a state-of-the-art fitness facility where students can become involved in the dynamics of health and human performance.Webster High School specializes in broadcasting and digital media. It has a state-of-the-art TV studio where students learn video, film, news production, and editing using the latest equipment and edit suites. Journalism, marketing, and graphic design are also components of the program.Fine and performing arts take the stage at Central. Facilities include art and dance studios, a black box theater, and a vocal recording studio. Students learn not only the discipline of their choice but the business end of that discipline.McLain specializes in scientific and technological utilization. Areas of study include environmental science, wave mechanics, atmospheric science, aeronautics and aviation technology, aerospace, avionics and robotics, and materials science. Its official title is McLain Magnet High School for Scientific Exploration and Technology Utilization. And yes, they do have a football team. Go MMHSFSEATU!Beginning with the 2009–2010 school year, Tulsa Public Schools have partnered with the Teach for America program. About 50 of the nation’s highest-ranking college graduates will be placed in high-needs classrooms. The results of this type of program in other cities has been profound. Administrators believe that they and their teachers will also learn from the program, and what they learn will influence the way teachers are trained and evaluated in the district. The district is also redesigning programs to improve the graduation rate and increase the number of students going on to higher education.