We recently partnered with the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA) to conduct a comprehensive Title IX analysis of our athletic facilities. These organization also conducted a facility assessment and enrollment forecast for us last school year in preparation of Tiger Vision 2025. They offer a variety of services to Oklahoma Public Schools to help evaluate processes and make improvements. This particular paid service reflects our commitment to offering an equitable experience for all student-athletes. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs, including athletics, ensuring that male and female student-athletes receive equitable opportunities, resources, and treatment.

This specific part of the analysis evaluates locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities, weight rooms, and training areas to ensure fairness across boys’ and girls’ athletics. This report is just the first phase of a broader review that will also examine budgets, equipment, student interest, and more. CPS is dedicated to transparency and proactivity in fostering student success and enhancing the athletic experience for all.

The Evaluation Process

The audit examined several factors, including facility quality, availability, exclusivity, maintenance, and preparation. Each practice and competitive space was rated as excellent, good, average, or poor, with special attention given to disparities between boys’ and girls’ athletics.

Key Findings and Disparities

1. Competitive Facilities

• The track team lacks a home competitive facility, forcing athletes to travel for meets.
• Billy Vessels Stadium (football and soccer) was rated poor due to aging infrastructure, drainage issues, and outdated amenities.
• The softball and baseball stadiums were deemed good for practice but only average for competition due to field conditions, lack of a press box, and inconsistent scoreboard functionality.
• Boys had greater access to high-quality facilities (32%) compared to girls (25%), creating a disparity.

2. Practice Facilities

• Basketball, wrestling, and cross country had good or excellent practice conditions.
• Baseball and softball teams often practiced in an indoor facility that was rated poor due to uneven turf, exposed insulation, and lack of climate control.
• Football and soccer practice fields were average quality, with uneven surfaces and water retention issues.

3. Locker Rooms

• Boys’ teams had more dedicated locker rooms, with higher overall quality and better access.
• Girls’ track, soccer, and wrestling teams lacked assigned locker rooms, limiting their ability to store equipment and organize team activities.
• CMS girls’ teams had no access to high-quality locker rooms.

4. Weight Rooms & Training Facilities

• The high school weight room was rated average, but the middle school weight room was borderline poor.
• More boys had access to high-quality weight training areas than girls, creating another area of disparity.

Recommended Improvements

To move toward Title IX compliance, the audit suggests:
✔️ Upgrading Billy Vessels Stadium, softball, and baseball fields to at least good-quality competition standards.
✔️ Assigning dedicated locker rooms for girls’ track, soccer, and wrestling to improve equity.
✔️ Improving the middle school weight room to match the high school’s offerings.

✔️ Improve baseball and softball playing surfaces.

Looking Ahead

Tiger Vision 2025 will improve our middle school and high school girl locker room disparity. A remodel of our Indoor Facility will allow current weight room supplies from our Event Center to update the middle school weight room.

Our current football and soccer stadium is undergoing field and facility repairs this spring and summer. Softball and Baseball playing surfaces are being reviewed to determine the level of improvements needed along with upgrades in scoreboards in these facilities.

We are committed to improvement! Don’t forget Tiger Vision 2025 on April 1st if a vital part of improving our facilities and bringing equity back.

The full 16 page facility results are available upon request. Fill out the contact form to get yours emailed.

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