It is back to school time for children of all ages across the United States. As children prepare for their academic year, one critical aspect is reading literacy. Reading is the fundamental key to academic and career success. In studies delivered by the National Literacy Institute, on average, 79 percent of U.S. adults nationwide are literate, while 21 percent of adults in the US are considered illiterate. 54 percent of adults have a literacy below a 6th-grade level (20 percent are below 5th-grade level). Low levels of literacy cost the US up to $2.2 trillion per year in reduced productivity. Different factors contribute to this metric, but certainly one gauge is our graduation rate. According to US News and World Report, in 2023 the average state graduation rate across 49 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. (with Oklahoma being the only state to not submit data that year) was 79 percent in reviewing the 2021-2022 academic year, up two percentage points from the year prior. Additionally, in 2022, data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as “The Nation’s Report Card,” showed that only 33% of fourth graders and 31% of eighth graders scored at or above grade level in reading, with much of that learning loss coming from pandemic era school lessons taught virtually. When do children usually learn to read? There is no single answer to this question, as reading skills can vary from child-to-child. However, according to the National Reading Panel (NRP), most children start reading at around 6 to 7 years old, while some children learn as early as 4 to 5 years old. Children as early as two years old have incredible brains that allow them to learn more and learn faster than they can when they are older, so reading to them begins this process at that earlier age. I was thrilled to hear a Rotary program presented by an OKC Metro school superintendent highlighting her experiences and expectations for the school year with the issues facing children on the northeast side of the city, including early childhood literacy. She shared a sign-chart from several years ago showing how few of her three-year-old students were able to write their names at the beginning of school compared to the end gains based on the support from the teachers. Now, imagine the jumpstart to learning if these students came to school knowing simply how to properly write their own names, and it is not isolated with just this school. We expect much from students in school, but a great deal of their success depends on how much they learn at home. Parents who read to their children and provide learning opportunities are increasing the odds of preparing them for success in life. Beyond that, we as a society also have grown to expect so much more out of our schools above educational attainment. A successful program offered by the state is placing social workers into school sites to assist with helping children and their families attain success through connecting access to programs which provide support systems, such as SNAP (food), help in filling out applications for driver’s licenses and other needed government documents, and even assisting with locating jobs.  If parents must spend less time trying to find ways to survive, they have more time to spend with their children, including reading to them. This helps break the cycle of illiteracy and provides a foundation for future success for graduation rates and educational attainment for children, and a better foundation of success for our entire nation.

There are few constants in life, but change is one of those. Transformation can bring about levels of anxiety and hope, but we have to adapt to keep going or improve upon the situation. When I received word that Dr. Deb Shropshire, the current Director for Oklahoma Human Services, will be leaving her role, I was saddened to learn of this impending change. I feel that she has done a tremendous job with the resources which have been provided and directives given to her by elected officials while balancing her administrative duties over the agency. Deb and I first became acquainted when I began work at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy nearly eight years ago. In her role of leading Human Services’ Child Welfare Division, much of the work we both undertook often overlapped. I found her always willing to visit about policy, share ideas for improvements, and never dismissing anyone even when things did not fall under her scope of work. When Governor Stitt appointed her as the new director of Human Services almost two years ago, I said it was “one of his best decisions as governor.” I stand by that today as she has navigated a very difficult job and brought forth many policies which have improved difficult systems of care, even when many policymakers, including the governor, have called for flat budgets and no increases. Human Services has struggled with many tough cases in recent years, including child deaths. I firmly believe many of these problems could have been averted with the right resources provided by policymakers, including increased salaries and benefits for employees. If state agencies could hire enough workers and provide enhanced training for their staff, along with a smaller amount of caseloads, in turn having the ability to give more attention to these critical issues, we would see far fewer problems. In addition, if Oklahomans would be vigilant and willing to “get involved” by reporting when they suspect a child is the victim of abuse or neglect, far fewer traumatic cases would rise to that level upon investigation by the state. Oklahoma has anonymous reporting for suspected abuse and neglect situations for the very reason as it is too difficult even to get people to “get involved,” like what we saw with the child death in Midwest City a few weeks ago. Yes, it might be a hassle if an investigation occurs and nothing is found to be wrong, but I, and I hope most others, believe it is better “to be safe than sorry” with concerns regarding children. Over the past few weeks, Dr. Shropshire has been the focus of negative attention with a few lawmakers and other individuals tied to elected officials. Much of what has been called into question is outside the scope of her job, so I do not blame her if she finally had enough as her reason to leave. However, if she was forced out because someone had a politician’s ear, then it is a tragedy which will set a horrific precedent for the agency. As we move forward, and a new individual will take over this role, I am trying to have hope that things will improve. I also know that I must do my part to help make this situation for a new director positive and ensure the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy contributes when help is needed for improvement for foster youth and the others served by this agency.

In Tulsa, much attention over the past several months has been focused on the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice. More than 20 people have accused employees of sexually assaulting and harassing them while they were detained. The allegations range from adults having sex with minors in detention to drugs being provided to these children. This would have continued if not for one whistleblower raising awareness of the crimes. This tale rings far too familiar to similar circumstances that happened in the 1980s with the criminal activity that led to the “Terry D. Lawsuit” filed against the state of Oklahoma; the lawsuit which led to the creation of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). By all appearances, multiple failures occurred in procedures and policies designed to protect these youth. Instead of helping them on their way to overcoming issues that led them to allegedly becoming a risk to their community and themselves – the entire concept behind the term “juvenile justice” – most faced worse circumstances. Oversight and the abilities of the employees have been a critical failure. Policies to ensure that these workers from the center performed their jobs and did not stray into illegal activity were easily ignored. A solution which would have helped prevent this catastrophe would be to have a law in place to allow for easier monitoring by watchdog organizations from the state. Rep. Mark Lawson, R-Sapulpa, and Sen. John Haste, R-Tulsa, wisely authored HB 2313 in 2021. That measure would have modified the duties of the Office of Juvenile System Oversight (OJSO). The measure, had it been signed into law, required the OJSO to conduct inspections of privately operated children’s facilities not less than annually or as needed. OJSO needs access to all children and youth facilities to conduct site visits and speak with residents, not just those under the state. OICA encourages lawmakers to take this legislation up again next session, and this time pass it into law to help prevent the tragedy in Tulsa or anywhere else in Oklahoma from ever happening again. Other problems cited are the ability to pay workers adequately to attract a pool from which to select the most qualified staff, along with inadequate mental health programming provided for the youth. Resources must be sufficient from the city, county, and the state to alleviate these failures. Additionally, the educational programs offered through Tulsa Public Schools need to be restructured. The Office of Juvenile Affairs operates a charter school for youth housed at the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh to specifically focus on needs and a similar model should be considered for Tulsa. This would allow for specialized programs for addressing the many students on Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and keeping them up to speed for when they return to the classroom upon release. To be even more proactive, efforts must be made to help prevent youth from even being led into harmful situations. The school-based social worker program operated by Oklahoma Human Services helps provide support for young people in public schools which provides helpful resources to survive. OICA would like to see at least one of these workers in every school building to help ensure children are receiving support services which will only enhance their learning and keep them out of trouble. Additionally, finding ways to alleviate issues such as childhood hunger goes a long way to preventing negative outcomes. People want to point at one specific person or policy, but by all appearances, this is more a collapse of the overall system on many fronts. I hope the ideas presented here will provide a roadmap to overcome the failure of this system.

Nominate Someone Deserving at  https://www.oica.org/fall-award-nominations

UPDATE - ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, OICA AND SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVED WORD THAT GOVERNOR STITT WOULD AGAIN DECLINE TO ENROLL OKLAHOMA IN THE PROGRAM FOR SUMMER 2025. THAT MEANS OKLAHOMA FAMILIES WILL BE DENIED $48 MILLION IN FUNDS THAT WOULD HAVE GONE DIRECTLY TO THEM FOR CHILD NUTRITION. OUR CEO'S COLUMN BELOW OUTLINES HOW DEVASTATING THAT DECISION WILL BE. YOU CAN READ THE LETTER THAT OICA CEO JOE DORMAN SENT TO THE GOVERNOR BY CLICKING THE BUTTON AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE. As a number of school districts move to make meals free for students, now is a perfect time to address the larger issue of childhood hunger. The facts show childhood hunger is a real problem across Oklahoma, and we at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) applaud the school districts stepping up to fight it with free meals for all students. This positive move by some districts puts into specific relief the issue of summertime child hunger when most schools do not offer meals. One answer is Summer EBT, which Oklahoma turned down for this last summer. The deadline for Oklahoma to sign up for Summer 2025 EBT funding is this very Thursday, August 15. This would bring back from Washington about $48 million of our federal tax dollars direct to families to help feed hungry children. Hunger Free Oklahoma reports Oklahoma has about 403,000 children eligible to receive the Summer EBT benefit. Now, some school districts and nonprofits are able to provide summer lunches. However, only 4.3 out of every 100 eligible children in Oklahoma participated in Summer Meals programs in 2023. This is because most schools do not operate their cafeterias during those months and the nonprofit sector is simply not able to reach these children, especially in the rural areas. That is why the Summer EBT benefit is so important. Our neighboring state of Arkansas accepted the money for this year. Alabama, who – like Oklahoma – turned down the money in 2024 has already accepted the funding for 2025. We encourage Oklahoma leaders to follow suit and join in with this program to help feed hungry children in our state. Another feeding program, the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), is an alternative to household applications for free and reduced-price meals in local educational agencies and schools in high-poverty areas. A new guideline implemented last September expanded the number of districts that can apply for funds to provide free meals. Unfortunately, not all Oklahoma school districts that qualify will seek this support for their students. You can go to https://tinyurl.com/CEPSpreadSheet to see if your school district qualifies and if they currently operate this program. While it is too late for this current school year, the deadline to apply for next year is April 1, so school boards and administrators should start reviewing this now. CEP – and all models for providing healthy school meals for all at no cost – is often a win-win for schools, kids, families, and communities, providing many benefits, including: Lowering food costs for families. Increasing food and nutrition security. Eliminating school meal debt. Increasing student participation in school breakfast and lunch programs. Saving time by simplifying program operations for hardworking school nutrition staff. Eligible schools and local education agencies must consider their ability to provide meals at no cost and cover their operating costs with this federal assistance and any other available funds, including state and/or local funds, if available. Additionally, the federal Agriculture Department (USDA) supports expanded access to healthy school meals by offering extensive financial support for schools Even so, it is not enough. The Summer EBT, pumping $48 million dollars into families’ pockets and local economies across the state, is the best step to ensure many of Oklahoma’s children do not needlessly suffer from the pain of hunger. We at OICA implore the state leaders to accept the return of our tax dollars for children’s meals and ask each of you to reach out to school leaders in your communities and state policymakers to ensure we do everything possible to ease childhood hunger.

The legislative interim studies have been approved by both chambers, so the meetings are now being scheduled for hearings. Interim studies are hearings requested by lawmakers and approved by the leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate. Committees to which studies are assigned may conduct hearings before November to review topics which might become legislation or further examine issues that have been considered in the past and may be again. Due to the number of studies, we have only listed a few which we will follow or play a part in the conversation. In the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Greg Treat approved 39 studies. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is very happy with most which were requested. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, is looking at cell phones being allowed in schools. Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, wants to study youth vaping, pregnancy care, and school voucher programs. Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, is looking at social media regulations for protecting children, and Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, is looking at policies to help decrease poverty in Oklahoma. OICA will also be monitoring a study requested by Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Lawton, which seeks to study “Harm related to increasingly expansive school-based health care” and report back on the findings of the study. While health care should primarily be a parental responsibility, far too many children in Oklahoma are facing health disparities. We are interested to see what suggestions this study will encourage. To look at the entire list of Senate studies, go to https://oksenate.gov/publications/senate-interim-studies?Interim-Study-Year=2024 and you can also read the presentation and report filed following the study at this link. In the House of Representatives, Speaker Charles McCall approved all 114 studies requested by members, something which does not usually happen. Reps. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton and Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman, will study school safety and bullying prevention. Reps. Pae and Preston Stinson, R-Edmond, will look at increasing school-based Medicaid reimbursements for children experiencing health disparities in Oklahoma schools. Rep. Suzanne Schreiber, D-Tulsa, will study the lack of childcare in our state and if it is an impediment to economic growth and sustainability. Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, will study the impact and implementation of inclusive education and parental participations, along with improving family outcomes through school-based social work in Oklahoma, a request from OICA to look at a successful Oklahoma Human Services program. Representative Pae also wants to review findings from grant work being done by The Education and Employment Ministry (TEEM) in relation to ways to reduce the number of youths entering foster care and ways to increase home-based placement over placing children in certain group settings. OICA has been working with TEEM on this project and we certainly appreciate Representative Pae’s willingness to review the work being done. While a few filed studies are questionable for positive benefits for youth, there is truly only one House interim study which gravely concerns OICA. That is the study Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, filed in response to the debate on whether corporal punishment should be used on special needs children in schools. He has filed a study to review “the effectiveness of properly administered corporal punishment.” OICA will certainly follow this study and what is promoted by Representative Olsen. I personally have fears this will turn into yet another national embarrassment for our state. For a full list of House studies, you can go to https://former.okhouse.gov/Committees/ShowInterimStudies.aspx . If you are interested in a specific study, please contact the lawmaker who requested the issue and ask them to alert you when the study will be conducted. 

Registration for the inaugural Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Advocacy Boot Camp will close on Wed., July 31 at 5 p.m. CDT. The year-long program will focus on making those interested in being a voice for children even more effective, said Joe Dorman, OICA’s CEO. “Oklahoma’s children need for adults to be their collective voice when it comes to both advocating and leading,” he said. “The Advocacy Boot Camp, or ‘ABC,’ is a great way for today’s child advocates to learn to be more effective and make a difference immediately.” The Advocacy Boot Camp is a spin-off of a program operated by OICA from 1995 to 2010 called the Kids Count Leadership Program. Several inaugural sponsors participated in this original program and have generously made it possible for the cost to attend ABC to be reduced for participants. Among those sponsors are Potts Family Foundation, Sarkeys Foundation, Paycom, AT&T, Centene Corporation, and EdChoice. “We are incredibly grateful to the initial sponsors for their investment in a brighter future for Oklahoma’s children,” Dorman concluded. “We certainly would welcome assistance from other organizations and businesses to sponsor and have employees attend, and we anticipate some will cover the tuition for their own employees to be in the inaugural class.” According to Renee Herrman, OICA’s program director, the seven-session program will provide coursework on how participants can be stronger advocates on key issues relating to children, and possibly be candidates for office someday. “This will be the primary goal of the ABC,” she said. The sessions will be held in several state locations, including Sequoyah State Park in September, Lawton in October, Oklahoma City in November and January 2025, Stillwater in April, and Tulsa in May. The final session will overlap with the incoming class for the next year. Among the topics which participants will study will be the dangers of toxic trauma and how to protect children, support services for youth and families, the legislative process including how to communicate effectively with policymakers, overcoming the digital divide in our state through technology, and how to better utilize the resources already in place to improve children’s lives. Various aspects of Oklahoma will also be covered, such as rural versus urban issues, the impact of sovereign nations on their regions of Oklahoma, how the military connects with communities for youth, and what many local nonprofits are doing to support better opportunities for children. “This inaugural class will be the next generation of policy leaders,” Dorman said. “Trained advocates will leave with the skills to lead organizations in communities across the state, working at the grassroots level to make Oklahoma a better place for its youngest residents, and possibly even run for an elective office.” The cost to apply for the program is $50, and for those accepted that money goes towards your registration fee of $500. These events will be multi-day events with hotels and food included for the entirety of the event over multiple months. There are limited spaces available. To register for OICA’s inaugural Advocacy Boot Camp, go to https://www.oica.org/abc . 

 Matt Sandmann (center) of Sandmann Auction Group poses with his team and several cosplayers at OICA’s Heroes Ball held Saturday, July 27 at the First American’s Museum in Oklahoma City. Sandmann was the evening’s auctioneer, his third time to help raise money for OICA. (Courtesy Photo) Last Saturday, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our eighth annual Heroes Ball. This event recognizes champions for children as selected by our board of directors. We were so thankful to have the opportunity to honor the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Barry Switzer, OU gymnast Maggie Nichols, and former speakers of the House Steve Lewis and Kris Steele. We were also pleased to announce our Anne Roberts People’s Choice Awards in Child Advocacy winners. The individual award winner was Mary Beth Talley, an early childhood educator from Stillwater who was nominated as a representative of all teachers in our state. The organizational award winner was The Anna’s House Foundation, an Edmond-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide immediate, stable, and loving homes for Oklahoma's children in state custody. At the event, we also paid tribute to nine child advocates who passed over the last year: Daniel Billingsley – Dan was a stalwart employee of the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits who then opened his own consulting firm to assist the sector. Dan also served on the OICA Advocacy Committee. Cathy Cummings – An Oklahoma City restaurateur who joined the political world by running for Oklahoma’s Lieutenant Governor, and then serving as the Mayor of the Village. Cathy donated time and resources to many worthy organizations. Alana Hughes – A Tulsa-based advocate, Alana worked for the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and was a champion for passage of High Quality Legal Representation in Oklahoma to assist families struggling for rights in the legal system. Alana was an OICA board member. Toby Keith – A world-renowned musician from Moore, Oklahoma. Toby created the Toby Keith Foundation, which spearheaded the Kids Korral, a place for families to live during the time their children are battling cancer while at the Stephenson Cancer Center. Lou Kerr – An Oklahoma City philanthropist who not only distributed necessary contributions to wonderful causes, but Lou also served on numerous boards and commissions to improve conditions for all Oklahomans. Lou was also a very active Rotarian and worked to improve Oklahoma’s opportunities with the state film commission. George Krumme – Living to the age of 101, Mr. Krumme passed recently and will leave a tremendous void with his work. Anyone who watches OETA will likely have seen the Krumme Oil sponsorship attached to much of their program. George made sure Tulsa and the rest of the state had resources to encourage young people to register to vote and was a major sponsor of OICA’s Kid Governor® program. Barbara Loring – The loving wife of our former board member Ben Loring, Barbara was a tremendous childhood advocate for youth in Miami, Oklahoma and beyond. Serving as a special education teacher and being selected as the local teacher of the year in 2010, Barbara dedicated countless hours to local youth nonprofits serving children with special needs. Ray Potts – Ray and his wife Pat will certainly be recognized as the duo who created the Potts Family Foundation, but this Oklahoma City-based oil and gas leader also served for eight years as a member of the Oklahoma State Board of Education and State Board of Vocational-Technical Education. Dr. Dwight Sublett – This doctor from Blanchard made a tremendous mark on youth access to health through his career. Dwight served as the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics - Oklahoma Chapter for a number of years. He also was a vocal advocate for health issues during the pandemic and was part of an OICA effort championing youth access to health insurance. Thank you to the more than 430 advocates who attended our banquet, the youth who were a part of our Sidekicks Ball, and the honorees for their work. Oklahoma owes each of you a debt of gratitude.

The Anne Roberts People’s Choice Award celebrates an individual and an organization serving youth in our state. It is named for the longest serving executive director for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA). Please go to our website https://www.oica.org and vote for your favorites until Saturday afternoon! Here are the nominees: Sarah Herrian – As the director for the Foster Care Association of Oklahoma, Sarah’s passion for her work helping foster children and their foster families is lifechanging. A Jaye Johnson – A Jaye is the VP at the Boys and Girls of Oklahoma County and acts as a mentor for children that have no father figure in their life. Te’Ata Loper - As the founding executive director of the Oklahoma Indian Child Welfare Association, Te’Ata has over 20 years of experience shaping impactful programs and policies. Shelby Lynch - Shelby Lynch has been the Director of Education at The CARE Center and has spearheaded the nonprofit’s vision to end child abuse in Oklahoma County through prevention education. Pamela Neeley -Pam works with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc., providing civil legal assistance to low-income persons throughout Oklahoma, works in Kid Space, and represents and helps many families across Oklahoma with pro bono services. Mary Beth Talley - Mary Beth has taught for 18 years and is but one of the many early childhood educators in OK who deserve recognition, and her award would be symbolic for all educators in our state. Angels Foster Family Network has been fighting for better policies, procedures, and outcomes for children in foster care since 2008. Their model of care is unique in that we only place one child or sibling group per family so that we can help create strong trust, bonding and healing for children and families. Anna’s House Foundation is a faith-based organization whose mission is to provide immediate, stable, and loving homes for Oklahoma's children in state custody, offering a future of hope and faith to foster children and foster families by providing housing, support, training, and resources in a Christian community setting. The Comeback Kid Society is a nonprofit that teaches young people of all ages that are at high risk for incarceration. The organization meets kids in every component of where they are at: Juvenile Detention centers, treatment centers, schools, foster home, and group home facilities. The Demand Project fights child trafficking in Oklahoma. From rescuing children from trafficking situations to working with legislators to tighten child pornography laws, they are making a difference in the lives of at-risk youth. Parent Promise has helped more than 7,500 Oklahoma families develop loving and nurturing homes where children can flourish into healthy adults since its inception in 1988. They collaborate one-on-one with parents to provide resources and guidance through free, voluntary programs administered by child development professionals. Peaceful Family Oklahoma has provided care to children living with addiction in their homes, usually one or both parents, and sometimes a sibling for 10 years. Based on the same therapeutic model used for children at the Betty Ford clinics, PFO provides a free program that helps children understand the addiction is not their fault, that their job is to be a kid, and that it is OK to love the person but not the addiction. The Toby Keith Foundation encourages the health and happiness of pediatric cancer patients and to support OK Kids Korral, a home for children battling cancer. The Toby Keith Foundation has been helping children with cancer since 2006 and has streamlined its efforts around no-cost housing for children with cancer.  These individuals and organizations are wonderful Oklahomans doing very important work. OICA is proud to celebrate each!