nb: I wrote the majority of this post while I was in Oklahoma, so if the tense is off, just charge it to lazy editing...
So, I was finally in Oklahoma last week, doing some research on my dissertation and my time there was awesome. My dissertation topic is studying a 1998 bill that provided pre-kindergarten to all kids in the state of Oklahoma. now, at first blush this might seem like not a big deal. many states offer pre-k, but it's usually reserved for kids from low-income families, those with special needs, or children who are bilingual... basically children who are at risk. and, many states that have programs that only serve certains kids, the program quality isn't that great. the teachers are usually not required to have a college degree, there aren't educational standards, etc. on top of that, even if kids do qualify for the program, many aren't able to get in, because there's a small pot of set aside for pre-k, and once the money's gone, families are left out in the cold. countless research shows that high quality pre-k is effective for all children, and disadvantaged children in particular. a lot of people see the early grades as "play" time when in fact they're the most crucial grades. for example, many states use 3rd grade reading scores to determine how many prisons they will need. the reason for that is if kids aren't reading on grade level by the 3rd grade, it is VERY hard to catch them up. and if children can't read, every other subject is difficult, so that they eventually lose interest in school and are at a higher risk of dropping out or if they graduate from high school, their quality of life is diminished. so, by now, it should be pretty clear just how important high-quality early childhood education is.
Oklahoma is unique because it has one of the best pre-k programs in the country. it's high quality, effective, available (yet optional) for all kids, has developmentally appropriate standards for instruction, requires teachers to have a B.A. in early childhood education, and pre-k is part of the state funding formula. the funding formula piece is huge because it treats pre-k like any other grade, meaning when the state cuts educational funding, the cut is made across the board, and all grades are effected. in other states, pre-k is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, so pre-k classes can be eliminated or drastically cut if the money is reduced. all of this is very unusual, especially in a fiscally and socially conservative state. a high quality pre-k program costs a lot of money and there are still many people who think kids should be at home with their moms and that the state shouldn't have any involvement in the rearing young children.
so, basically my dissertation is looking at how this happened and what lessons other states that want to have universal pre-k can learn from Oklahoma. I first met with the original author of the bill. He's retired from the Oklahoma legislature, and isn't on FB, Twitter, etc. So, I went the old school route, found his address on the White Pages online, and sent him a letter, requesting an interview. I also included my card, which listed my e-mail and phone number. About a week after I sent the letter, he e-mailed me and said he would be happy to visit with me. I called the next day to set up an interview day and time. He was like, anytime is fine, we can even do it right now. lol! i didn't have my questions completely prepared, and I also needed to record the conversation. also, you know, phone conversations are rarely as rich as a face-to-face conversation. so, we agreed to meet at his home the following week. after i got off the phone with him, i was elated! this man doesn't know me from a hole in the wall and yet he agreed to spend time talking with me. so, fast forward to yesterday when we finally met. even though the bill was passed back in 1998, he remembered everything that happened before and after the bill was passed. it was crystal clear, and so all i had to do was let him tell me the story. he's still heavily involved with early childhood education, so he had some keen insight into where the state is today regarding early childhood education. We "visited" for about an hour and I left with everything I needed to know. If I left with just that information, the trip would've been worthwhile.
The former legislator I met with told me about two other people I needed to talk with, so I tracked them down. One guy is retired and working as a consultant for an organization in Oklahoma. I found his home address and phone, but wasn't sure if I would be able to reach him. So, I called the foundation where he consults and they gave me his cell phone number. I called him and it turned out he and his wife were driving back from Kansas. I told him I wanted to interview him and he said right then was the best time. So, we talked for about an hour on his drive back to Oklahoma. He had sooo much wisdom and insight into the political story! I was so fortunate to catch him at a good time and that he was willing to talk with me. He's still involved in early childhood education in Oklahoma, so I guess I also lucked out in that he's happy to talk about his passion. I met with a few other people working in early childhood education in the state and everyone was incredibly helpful and giving of their time. A few weeks ago, I sent a letter to the senator who co-sponsored the bill and she hadn't responded, so I chalked it up as a loss. Then, lo and behold, as I drove back to Austin, she called and left me a voice mail. It turns out she'd been in Colorado with her son, and had just passed through Oklahoma to get her mail and she found my letter while reading her mail on the plane. She apologized profusely and said she'd call me back over the weekend. well, i hadn't heard from her by Monday, so I called her. She was again on the way to the airport with her son, and said she'd call me back. I told her everyone I talked to while in Oklahoma, and she said I talked with the right people, so I'm not confident she'll call me back since her information may not be useful. But, we'll see...
before i went home, my dissertation was gasping for breath because I couldn't really find anything that explained exactly what happened. I was expecting to read about a huge referendum, debates, political support, community support, etc. and that's not what happened at all. it was truly a stealth campaign, for all intents and purposes. but, now, I have everything I need to write the dissertation, defend in the spring, and graduate in May. I met with my dissertation chair yesterday and she said if I burned the midnight oil now, doing the interview transcriptions, I could possibly defend in February. now, that's a little too ambitious, but it gives me hope that the end is near.
Frankly, I'm totally over being a student. I'm ready to have a regular life and make real money again. I've been feeling like I'm putting the life I want to have on hold while I finish this last degree. I'm not complaining, because this is the life I chose. But, I can honestly say that completing this degree has been more challenging than I ever imagined. No part of me was happy about going back to Austin. Well, I was happy to go back to the comfort of my own home, with my things and all of that. But, they are things that I can have anywhere. Now that I know this degree will be completed soon, I feel like I can finally start to lead the life I really want.
until next time...
