In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education released a report stating, “The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people.” In the aftermath of the report, public school foundations began forming across the nation, including the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, which was established in 1984.

Ray Potts, the Foundation’s first chairman, and its governing body of 22 trustees laid the groundwork for many of the Foundation’s lasting collaborations with the district, and by the 1990s, the Foundation’s role in creating a bridge between the community and the district was firmly established.

Throughout the years, the Foundation has made strategic pivots to align with the needs of the District. Today, the Foundation continues its ongoing effort to develop and support programs that improve education for the children of Oklahoma City and to elevate its critical role in connecting the resources of the community to the needs of students and teachers in Oklahoma City Public Schools.

Today, we are the leading advocate for OKCPS. We strengthen our schools through community investment, strategic partnerships, and innovative programs. We envision a community that values public education, recognizes it creates opportunity for everyone, and leads to a prosperous society — where students and families, educators and businesses choose Oklahoma City because OKCPS is the pinnacle of quality education.”