2024 News (Small Newsroom) Winner

About the Winner:

Oklahoma quietly reduced the rigor of its state tests, and Nuria Martinez-Keel looked into the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s highly irregular handling of the process. 

Nuria obtained records shedding light on changes, interviewed national testing experts who gave perspective on the highly unusual nature of Oklahoma’s cut score adjustments, and spoke with educators and parents who felt the impact of the irregularities. 

Had she not doggedly reported this story, many Oklahomans would have lacked crucial context of their children’s test results and their public schools’ performance, and state officials wouldn’t have had to answer for changes that quietly took place under their watch.

Comments From the Judges:

“Excellent, dogged reporting on a crucial topic. I thought this story highlighted an issue that a lot of the public might not have been aware of. Lowering the requirements for “proficient” raises questions about the quality of the education children are receiving.”

“This story series was both enlightening and compelling. It left me wanting to know more about the discrepancies in scores and why the state administration sought to distance itself from its own decisions. I also appreciated the diversity of thought and voices across the three stories. Additionally, I was curious about why the state superintendent cited ‘misinformation’ when public records confirmed the accuracy of the information provided.”

Photo credit: Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice