Jenks Public Schools

The 11th-largest school district in Oklahoma, Jenks

Public Schools (JPS) serve 9,400 students, pre-kindergarten

through 12th grade. The district has an annual budget of $48

million and operates nine schools on five campuses, as well as

its own transportation, maintenance, print shop, warehouse,

food service, and technology operations. The staff includes

665 educators (teachers and certified staff) and 575

noneducational professionals.

A Passion for Improvement

At JPS, continuous improvement is not just a goal—it is a

passion. And no one is permitted to rest on the laurels of

previous improvements. Senior leaders, teachers, staff,

students, and parents are constantly striving to build on and

exceed the organization’s all-time best. Continuous

improvement is expected not only in key areas such as

academic achievement, staff and teacher training, and student

safety, but also in areas such as collecting, tracking, and

analyzing data. Continuous Improvement is one of the four

“pillars” that serve as the model for the school district; the

other three are Strong Quality Leadership, Customer Focus,

and Systems/Process Focus. 

As a central part of its improvement efforts, JPS uses a

Plan, Do, Study, Act process to plan, implement, analyze,

review, and revise practices and procedures related to its key

measures such as increasing the district’s fund balance and

improving test scores. All district level administrators and

principals develop department or site goals and action plans

that support the district’s goals, strategic objectives, four

pillars, core values, mission, and motto, “A Tradition of

Excellence with a Vision for Tomorrow.” The goals and key

measures are prominently displayed on posters in all of the

district’s buildings. 

Excellence Leads to Results

The district’s dedication to excellence has led to academic

success and local and national recognition. Overall, JPS is in

the top 1 percent of schools in the state of Oklahoma. The

2004 educational report by the state of Oklahoma shows that

the average scores of JPS students are significantly higher

than both the state’s and the nation’s in all subject areas in all

grade levels tested. In the past seven years, the district 

has produced 65 National Merit semifinalists, 48 National

Merit finalists, and two Presidential Scholars. 

The district’s Academic Performance Index (API) (based

on test scores, attendance, dropout rate, and graduation rate)

scores lead the state for K-12 schools of comparable size; the

district’s Southeast Elementary School was one of only four

elementary schools in the state to achieve an API perfect

score of 1,500 points. 

2005

Award Winner

National Institute of Standards and Technology ● Technology Administration ● Department of Commerce

Baldrige National Quality Program

Highlights

• For 2003 and 2004, the turnover rate for teaching staff

was 11 percent and 6 percent; the national level for 

both years was 20 percent.

• The Academic Performance Index scores exceed both

state and national levels; the district’s Southeast

Elementary School was one of only four in the state 

to achieve an API perfect score.

• Thirty-seven percent of the district’s class of 2004 

earned an AP test score of three or better, compared 

to 13 percent nationally and 21.2 percent in the state. 

• JPS innovative programs include exchange programs

with schools in Chengdu and Shenyang, China, and 

a program that partners pre-kindergarten and

kindergarten children with the residents of Grace 

Living Center, a state-of-the-art long-term care facility.
At the high school level, JPS’s graduation rates for 2003 to

2005 are 93, 94, and 95 percent, respectively. JPS students

consistently outperform other students statewide and

nationwide in their ACT and SAT (college entrance exams)

scores. And, 37 percent of the JPS class of 2004 demonstrated

mastery of at least one Advanced Placement course during

their high school years, compared to 13 percent nationally.

Eighty-five percent of the 2004 JPS graduating class enrolled

in colleges and universities, an increase of 1 percent over

2003. In 2004, seniors were offered more than $10 million in

scholarships, an increase from the $8 million offered to the

2003 graduating class.

Drop-out rates, a measure of student satisfaction, have

decreased steadily from 6.3 percent in 1999, to 1.2 percent at

the end of the 2004 school year.

Educated Educators

Excellence in academic performance could not happen

without a well-trained, motivated, and involved faculty and

staff. Forty-two percent of the teaching staff have master’s

degrees, 2 percent have doctorates, and 98.5 percent are

highly qualified, according to No Child Left Behind

standards. In the past five years, two JPS classroom teachers

were selected as Oklahoma Teachers of the Year; both

received the Presidential Award for Excellence in

Mathematics and Science Teaching. In 2004, a JPS teacher

received the Milken Family Foundation Educator Award,

which honors outstanding educators. Four JPS coaches have

been named “National Coach of the Year” by their respective

associations.

JPS puts a premium on continuing education for its staff.

The district regularly contracts with nationally recognized

professionals to conduct seminars and workshops. However,

because the knowledge among its staff is so substantial,

members of its own workforce provide most of the

professional development. In 2004-2005, staff members

conducted more than 274 training sessions for employees.

In addition, JPS considers itself a leader in using

technology tools for teaching and communicating, including

fully equipped computer labs and video production studios.

JPS teachers receive approximately 300 hours of technology

training per year, primarily from The Eighth Floor, a

consortium of Oklahoma schools that provides training and

professional development for educators. 

Compared to a national average of 20 percent, faculty

turnover rate has declined from 15 percent in 2000 to 

6 percent in 2004. The staff retention rate is 91 percent; the

non-teaching staff retention rate is 85 percent. On a

satisfaction scale of one to five, staff enthusiasm for work has

increased from 3.64 in 1998 to 4.62 in 2005. 

Teamwork and Partnerships 

Teamwork is among the district’s core values and is

apparent throughout JPS. At school sites and within

departments, various committees are in place to ensure that

all stakeholders can share in discussions and decisions. For

example, the PK-12 Curriculum Development Committee is

made up of more than 50 teachers, administrators and

parents who work together to develop standards and

objectives for the upcoming year. The Career Action

Planning Program (CAPS) was established in 1997 to

improve communication at high school parent-teacher

conferences. As a result, parent involvement in these

conferences has increased from below 20 percent to more

than 90 percent. 

Parents also volunteer much of their time and energy to

make improvements both inside and outside of JPS schools.

In 2004-2005, 1,079 parents and other volunteers

contributed a total of 62,904 hours. For example, the East

Elementary Dynamic Dads volunteer group and school

administrators worked with community organizations and

local businesses to transform a section of land between two

JPS school sites into a park-like setting complete with

markers providing information on the trees and plants along

a 2,800-foot walking trail. 

Teaming and partnering extends not only into the

community but also into the world through student and

teacher exchange programs with schools in Chengdu and

Shenyang, China. JPS has received much acclaim for its

innovative community partnership with the Grace Living

Center long-term care facilty. More than 25 of the home’s

residents interact daily with the young children who attend

pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classes held in the home.

Over the past 19 years, the Jenks Public Schools Foundation,

made up of business, community, and school leaders, has built

an endowment fund of almost $960,000. In another example,

a local Home Depot provides guest speakers, mentors, and

supplies to the Jenks Alternative Center. The center identifies

and supports at-risk high school students in an effort to

maximize their chances of completing high school.

For more information:

Jenks Public Schools

205 East B Street

Jenks, OK 74037

Telephone: (918) 299-4415 ext. 2211

Fax: (918) 299-9197

Email: dana.ezell@jenksps.org

Web site: www.jenksps.org