State Rep. Ann Coody has been appointed by House Speaker Chris Benge as the Oklahoma Legislature’s representative on the Education Commission of the States.
“I am honored by the appointment and pleased to be able to be a contributing member to a commission focused on educational policy,” said Coody, R-Lawton. “I hope to bring my perspective to the commission but also learn from others’ perspectives.”
The Education Commission of the States is part of the Compact for Education that meets in Denver, Colo. It provides a forum for all branches of government in the compact states to discuss educational policies.
“The House leadership is committed to providing greater accountability and standards to Oklahoma schools,” Coody said. “As chair of the Oklahoma Common Education Committee, I will already have a role to play in crafting educational policy here. Being on this commission will provide a view of policy in other states.”
Legislation by state Rep. Ann Coody that would increase the penalty for criminals who prey on the elderly now awaits the governor's signature.
Senate Bill 1600, by state Sen. Ron Justice (R-Chickasha) and Coody, increases the punishment for abuse of the elderly and mentally disabled, allowing a prison sentence of up to two years upon conviction.
"Criminals who physically abuse or defraud the elderly are a plague on our communities and must face consequences as great as the crimes they commit," said Coody, R-Lawton.
Another bill Coody carried in the House also awaits the governor's signature.
Senate Bill 519, by state Sen. Brian Crain (R-Tulsa) and Coody, creates a 15-school pilot program to track the physical fitness rates of students in third through fifth grades during the 2008-2009 school year.
"Childhood obesity is a problem for more and more of our children," Coody said. "Senate Bill 519 will help us learn if our efforts to combat this problem are working."
Coody said her bill will complement another law enacted this year that doubled the amount of class time devoted to physical activity and nutrition programs in public schools.
A 2004 study found that only 37 percent of Oklahoma school children were enrolled in physical education courses, compared to a national rate of 55 percent.
Since 1980, the percentage of Oklahoma children who are overweight has more than doubled, and rates for teenagers have tripled.
Fifteen percent of Oklahoma teenagers are classified as severely overweight or obese, a 300 percent increase in 20 years.
A proposal authored by state Rep. Ann Coody to remove obstacles making it difficult for children of military parents to transfer to or from an Oklahoma public school is one signature away from becoming a law.
"Children whose parents are in the military often live in
multiple states in just a handful of years and regularly transfer from one school to the next," said Coody, R-Lawton. "Unfortunately, that creates logistical problems due to the different state standards and requirements. In some cases, it can even delay a child's graduation.
"My legislation will remove many of the artificial barriers that prevent military children from easily enrolling in an Oklahoma school."
It has been estimated that as many as 850,000 K-12 students in the United States have parents on active duty in the U.S. military.
Those children will change schools about every two to three years on average as their parents redeploy, meaning many will attend up to six
different schools during their K-12 experience.
Under Coody's legislation Oklahoma will join the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The purpose of the legislation is to facilitate "the timely enrollment of children of military families" and ensure that they "are not placed at a disadvantage" due to difficulty in the transfer of education records or by variations in attendance requirements, scheduling, sequencing, grading, course content or assessment.
The legislation would also make it easier for military children to qualify and participate in extracurricular activities at Oklahoma schools and graduate on time.
Coody's proposal was incorporated into Senate Bill 1951, which passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives 96-0 and now goes to the governor for his signature.
Another Coody bill would also improve school services. Senate Bill 1769, by state Sen. Susan Paddock (D-Ada) and Coody, would provide additional funds to schools for remediation efforts.
Under the bill, a school district that has 10 or fewer students participating in a summer reading remediation program could be provided another $1,500 for the program above and beyond the standard reimbursement amount.
The bill also provides additional funds to help schools provide remedial
education to students who fail state-mandated tests.
The legislation also allows third-grade students who speak English as a second language and don't read at grade level to participate in summer reading remediation programs.
"Reading is the foundation for almost all academic learning from grade school through a Ph.D.," said Coody, a former educator. "If we fail to teach our children to read, we are putting a roadblock on their path to success."
Senate Bill 1769 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives 100-0 and now proceeds to the governor for his signature.
State Rep. Ann Coody has been appointed by House Speaker Chris Benge as the Oklahoma Legislature’s representative on the Education Commission of the States.
