The public television station from Rogers State University in northeast Oklahoma is taking lessons learned from its Cherokee language telecourses and supplying classes to students whose schools are closed to combat COVID-19.
RSU Public TV will air courses taught by teachers from Tulsa Public Schools and Sequoyah Public Schools in Claremore four days a week. The programming is designed to bring courses to students who otherwise wouldn't be able to access teaching via the internet.
A recent State Department of Education survey found that almost 70,000 students in northeast Oklahoma would need mobile hotspots to access the web at home — the highest need in the state.
Royal Aills, RSU TV's station manager, said that's why the partnership with districts was a natural fit.
"Exactly what we're supposed to do as public broadcasters is to be helping to educate our kids on a grassroots level," Aills said.
RSU’s programming is different from one started by OETA. Oklahoma's PBS affiliate is broadcasting educational shows on a supplemental channel for 12-hours a day statewide and offering resources to pair with the programming.
