Oklahoma education official says lawmakers helped schools

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma’s top public education official says a measure that Gov. Mary Fallin has signed into law that axes end-of-instruction exams will help end an "over-testing culture."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister has commended the Oklahoma Legislature for approving the law, which she says in a statement will allow schools to develop more personalized student-assessment tools. Fallin signed the bill into law on Monday.

Hofmeister says the Legislature further helped schools by adopting "strong academic standards" in English and math, targeting waste in administration and addressing the state’s teacher shortage.

The Legislature has largely spared the state’s K-12 education system from appropriations cuts in next year’s budget, but Hofmeister says districts should be aware that future state revenues could fall short of projections as happened twice this year.