OSSM asks lawmakers for $1.02 million for counselor, security, roof and fiber; unveils statewide "Live" recruitment plan

Tony Kornforth, president of the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, asked a legislative committee on Monday to approve $1,021,000 in FY2027 funding for student supports and campus upgrades and described a new statewide recruitment partnership.

Kornforth told lawmakers the four-part request includes $105,000 for a licensed professional counselor, $60,000 to extend armed security coverage to evenings and weekends (Sen. Pugh suggested increasing that item to $96,000 to add cameras and servers), a one-time $570,000 dorm roof replacement and a one-time $250,000 fiber and Wi-Fi upgrade. "So in summary, with Senator Pugh's recommendation to increase that security item, the total request is 1,021,000, with 201,000 recurring and 820,000 as one time," he said.

The counselor request responds to student mental-health needs at the residential campus, where Kornforth said academically gifted teenagers sometimes struggle with anxiety and depression. "We are requesting $105,000 for a licensed professional counselor to support the well-being of our students," he said.

Kornforth framed the fiber and Wi-Fi request as an operational priority: the school's infrastructure is nearly 30 years old, he said, and coverage gaps in the dorm threaten services such as fire alarms, access control and security camera feeds. "We're requesting a one time appropriation of $250,000 to upgrade in ground connections to single mode fiber and to add WiFi access points throughout the campus," he said.

In response to questions about capacity and recruitment, Kornforth said the dorm expansion completed in 2012 raised residential capacity from 144 to 288 beds. He also said the residential school currently enrolls about 130 students; a lawmaker later referenced 132 students, which Kornforth confirmed are Oklahoma residents.

To broaden the pipeline of prospective students, Kornforth announced a partnership with an online math enrichment product called Live that OSSM described as developed at Carnegie Mellon. He said OSSM will run a March statewide tour and aims to select at least two students from every Oklahoma county to enroll in Live for free beginning January 2027. "Then next fall, sixth grade teachers will nominate students," Kornforth said, and "in December, OSSM will select at least 2 students from every Oklahoma county to enroll in Live for free starting in January 2027." He said Live pairs high-school instructors with short recorded segments from a Carnegie Mellon professor and uses coaching to help student teachers engage learners.

Committee members pressed Kornforth on barriers to enrollment, with lawmakers noting that students often hesitate to leave home-school extracurricular opportunities. Kornforth said OSSM's emphasis on an academically focused residential experience can require students to give up activities such as marching band or sports, and that enhancing the student experience is part of the school's recruitment strategy.

Kornforth closed by inviting committee members to OSSM's annual on-campus fundraiser, Quantum Experience, scheduled for May 1. The committee is scheduled to reconvene at 9 a.m. the next day, with CareerTech first on the agenda.