EDUCATION SUPERINTENDENT CANDIDATES

14 years.

Retired Oklahoma Public School Educator.

40 years as an Oklahoma Public School Educator.

We’ve seen what happens when voters choose an inexperienced State Superintendent of Public Education who is more concerned about their political future than educational outcomes. I’ve been a teacher, coach, counselor, principal and superintendent. I’m not a politician and will not serve more than one term if elected. We must be urgent with changing the direction of our kids’ education in our state.

First, to lead the way to establish a long term plan (8 year plan) to improve educational outcomes across the state, across grade levels and across subject areas. Second, to lead the movement to fully invest in a long term (8 year plan). Third, to fully implement a long term (8 year plan). The 8 year plan would be similar in scope to the 8 year plan that ODOT has for the long term improvement in roads and bridges. Our student’s future is worth more than potholes.

The action taken by the legislator this year simply is a bandaid with no chance for a long term solution to move us from 50th. We must come together and plan and implement a long term plan and show discipline and fidelity to real, long term systemic change.

First, I would immediately propose dipping into the various reserve accounts and use the funding to raise certified teacher salaries 12K over the next four years. Surrounding states have outpaced Oklahoma the last few years. New Mexico pledged to raise teacher pay by 10K. We must also pay education support staff a living wage. Many support educators are forced to work two and three jobs. In addition I would put the class size limits instituted in 1990 with the passage of HB 1017 back into law, added student mental health issues and require a school counselor for every 200 students. I would immediately begin providing every claim an educator with “What I Need” (WIN) professional development training and the resources necessary to teach today’s students.

Public money should fund public schools. Period. Private school voucher programs should be repealed immediately. Parents have had the ability to choose their child’s educational options for many years. That should continue to be the case.

Put an 8 year plan in place, increase per pupil funding 3K per student ($2.1 billion) over the first half of the plan, show fidelity to the plan over the life of the plan and monitor the plan.

Require all 4 year olds to be screened for school readiness similar to what we have been doing for birth to three year old children suspected of having developmental delays (Sooner Start Early Intervention) and requiring a universal statewide literacy curriculum that is grounded in the Science of Reading.

Require all 8th through 12th grade students and their parent/guardian to meet four times per academic year to formalize an Individualized Academic Plan.

My campaign has been “back to basics,” ABCs and 123s from the beginning. No more BS. We should put down the IPads and pick up the writing pads in primary grades. We must focus on early literacy that must include teaching the five components of reading; phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency. We must also return to teaching students how to read and write in cursive in the primary grades.

We must plan on teaching a solid foundational program in the middle grades that includes traditional study of math facts, grammar and composition, social studies and science.

In high school we must focus on college, career and workforce prep and readiness. We must also continue to provide students with counseling and guidance as they discover their individual pathways.

Sandy Garrett because of her unbending commitment to improving schools across Oklahoma through steadfast focus on early childhood opportunities, concurrent enrollment and expanded communication infrastructure.

67 years

Pastor

More than 32 years

Voters should choose Jennettie Marshall because I will bring steady, accountable leadership back to public education. Oklahoma schools need a state superintendent focused on students and teachers – not political chaos. After more than 32 years serving congregations across this state and eight years on my local school board, I understand the challenges schools face and the practical work necessary to lead with integrity. Moreover, much of my career was in criminal justice with various positions in the Department of Corrections and as a child welfare investigator with the Department of Human Services. I know first-hand what happens when children fall through the cracks in school.

Voters should choose me because I will fight for every child’s right to a strong public school, no matter their zip code. My administration will be accountable for the state’s major new investment in literacy programs, and I will make sure those dollars reach schools transparently and are tied to support for early reading success. At the same time, I will expect that new requirements—like additional instructional days—are fully funded by the state, because schools should not be forced to absorb unfunded mandates that strain local budgets and hurt students. Since I’ve had many positions in my career that were managerial and administrative, I would bring that experience to this role.

And I hope voters will choose me because I am not running to serve special interests. I am running to restore trust, tell the truth about what our students need, and work with communities statewide to strengthen public schools. I ask for your vote on June 16 because I will lead with independence, fairness, and a clear commitment to our students, educators, and communities.

My top three priorities are restructuring the state’s education agency, keeping our best educators in our classrooms, and supporting economic development by providing a well-rounded education for every child.

1. Repairing the devastation from Ryan Walters’ reign of terror We must restructure the State Department of Education, streamline processes, and return the focus to educating students whether they are rural, suburban or urban. My team would first evaluate all spending and staffing at the SDE and ensure taxpayer dollars reach classrooms where they are needed most – not diverted to political operatives or unnecessary bureaucratic functions.
2. Addressing the severe teacher shortage statewide In cleaning up the Department, we will improve teacher retention in the public schools by supporting all educators. We must respect teachers’ time and effort by reducing administrative burdens, working to get legislative support for increasing teacher pay to the regional average (at least) with the state FULLY paying for that in EVERY district, and funding experienced, peer mentors to help all new teachers whether they are traditional, alternative or emergency certified, and adjunct classroom teachers as well.
3. Building and keeping the workforce Oklahoma needs by improving our public schools We must better connect parents and schools while addressing deficits in services for students with special needs so ALL students have a chance to succeed in their community. My team will facilitate communication between parents, teachers, and administrators, and find new ways to build strong home and school partnerships. Most importantly, I would bring together local, state and federal stakeholders and develop a plan that ensures a well-rounded education in PK-12 and more paths for students to career-tech, higher education, and military service.

First, and most importantly, is getting the Department of Education ready to implement all the new laws passed this session. It’s NO small order. We must ensure all expected funding gets to schools efficiently and transparently while deploying state staff and support in ways that best help educators and board members make the most of the investment locally.

Hiring the much-needed literacy coaches and deploying them to the lowest performing schools while the colleges of education launch new Science-of-Reading micro-credential courses THIS FALL is critical to our schools’ success. Without these, the “new” but not-new Strong Readers Act would be 100% doomed from the git-go.

This coming school year we must make certain that what is supposed to happen in Kindergarten, first and second grade is developmentally appropriate and includes interventions designed for each child who is struggling to learn to read. The focus on early-childhood literacy and training teachers in the Science of Reading are the most important parts of the Strong Readers Act to the state’s future. As we know, retaining students in third grade is too late but is a state mandate once again, and we must ensure local AND state leaders are accountable for the results.

These new laws are highly prescriptive and making the policies to implement them must be handled carefully and quickly by the State Board of Education. Then, the state superintendent must be clear in her feedback to lawmakers in January 2027. Whatever needs to be built upon or changed before the retention requirements kick in for the 2027-28 school year, must be clear to legislative leaders and the governor. No wishy-washy budgeting attempts like Supt. Fields was forced to make this past January; and nothing like the games Ryan Walters played in his two, devastating years in office.

If elected state superintendent, I’d improve the teaching workforce by focusing on pay, support, and accountability. Oklahoma will not solve its teacher shortage by lowering standards or relying on emergency fixes. We need to pay teachers competitively, fully fund salary increases in all schools fairly, and treat teaching like the profession it is.

Even before schools receive it, you can stamp the Legislature’s check to increase teacher salaries next year as “INSUFFICIENT FUNDS”! Three-quarters of the districts already pay above the minimum or they wouldn’t have any certified or experienced teachers. And some districts don’t get any state money because of their local wealth, which isn’t enough to make up the difference. Yet all these schools are penalized by the Legislature – EVERY TIME they increase the minimum salary schedule.

We must expand pathways for aspiring educators to earn credentials and be mentored by effective peer teachers. In addition, school administrators must find new ways to get student discipline under control so teachers can manage their classrooms. If we want a stronger teaching workforce, we must invest in quality, support teachers better, and respect all school staff much more.

Given our current legislative and state leadership, the future of school choice is bright due to the amount of money being diverted to private schools. As long as the state continues to give public, taxpayer dollars to private schools, the quality of public education will never improve enough to get Oklahoma out of the bottom of national rankings. Why? Because public-school students are required in state and federal law to take state and national tests that private-school students do not. So, private-school students’ academic performance will never count in the calculations of various entities that compile national rankings. And, obviously, Oklahoma public schools will continue to be punished for the failure of state leadership. Public education is an investment but to date it hasn’t been enough to get a return. We all know the “Mississippi Miracle” was not a miracle but an infusion of public and private dollars into their literacy efforts over a decade. There are no quick fixes.

A back-to-basics approach to me means focusing on teaching and learning of core subjects (reading, writing, arithmetic, science and social studies) in public schools. And Oklahoma needs to be focused on its core mission of educating every child in the state for their future. That means we can’t go “back” because time doesn’t work that way and nothing is the same as it was when you graduated high school.

We must go forward by bringing together local, state and federal stakeholders to strengthen, broaden and individualize student paths to career-tech, higher education, and military service. “Back-to-basics” is not the same as building a well-rounded public education system that prepares every student for further education and for employment in an AI-driven world. We can’t simply go “back to basics” when we’re playing in a whole new ballgame.

The thing about that is: Oklahomans’ opinions have almost nothing to do with ranking 50th in education nationally. Those rankings center on student performance on various tests, graduation and dropout rates, and funding. Yet, turning things around over the next four years could dramatically improve both of these sad stats, IF, as the findings suggest, we are “strengthening schools and improving outcomes for students.” How do we do that?

1. Bring steady, accountable leadership to the SDE and build a team of effective teacher trainers and efficient support providers.
2. Fight for every child’s right to a successful public school, which means sufficient investment in each one since – even after this year’s pay raise – Oklahoma is still last in our region and below the national average in teacher pay.
3. Restore educators’ trust in state and local leaders and do everything possible to improve the quality of teaching and the results of learning in EVERY school.

Without question, the best state Superintendent of Public Instruction in Oklahoma history is Sandy Garrett. My admiration of her leadership starts with her being the first woman elected to the position but she was also the last Democratic candidate elected. Superintendent Garrett served for 20 years – a historic five consecutive terms. That is largely because of her grassroots perspective on the needs of students and teachers but also because she used her skills as a first-grade teacher at all times. She was never a school administrator like my opponent nor a preacher like me. Yet she set high expectations and worked diligently with Independent, Republican and Democratic leaders alike to marshal state forces in support of local schools and became loved by most.

29 years

Elgin Middle School, Elgin, OK – Seventh Grade English Teacher, August 2011–May 2018
Great Expectations, Tahlequah, OK – Instructor, May 2001–May 2018
Elgin Elementary School, Elgin, OK – Library Media Specialist, August 2006–May 2011
Elgin Elementary School, Elgin, OK – Second Grade Teacher, August 2005–May 2006
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Duncan, OK – Museum Educator, October 2004–May 2005
Fletcher Public Schools, Fletcher, OK – Art Teacher, August 1999–July 2002

I am the most qualified candidate running for State Superintendent with almost 20 years of classroom experience and a proven conservative record in the Oklahoma House.

I am 100% pro-life and pro-2A. Since 2018, my conservative record in the House of Representatives is unmatched, as evidenced by my voting record and bills I have authored including: SB 2 (2022) No Boys in Girls Sports, HB 1449 (2024) Defining Man and Woman the Biblical Way, SB 613 (2023) No Transgender Surgeries or Hormones for Minors, 100% pro-life voting record HR 1041 (2022) and HR 1004 (2025), 100% pro-2nd Amendment record HB 2597 (2019).

1. Restore Academic Excellence Through Back-to-Basics Instruction

• Mandate the Science of Reading with full phonics implementation statewide, targeting dramatic literacy gains
• Enforce high standards in math, science, and U.S. History taught from a patriotic, fact-based perspective that celebrates American exceptionalism and founding principles

2. Empower Parents as Primary Educators and Protect Their Absolute Rights

• Enact a comprehensive Parents’ Bill of Rights granting veto power over curriculum, materials, surveys, and medical/psychological interventions in schools
• Require full transparency: mandatory parental notification and opt-out for any content involving sexuality, gender ideology, race-based theories, or sensitive topics

3. Eradicate Indoctrination: Ban DEI, CRT, Gender Ideology, and All Divisive Concepts

• Expand bans on Critical Race Theory, DEI programs, and any curriculum promoting division by race, sex, or identity

I will expand science of reading training with strong incentives and micro-credentials for K-3 educators, remove bureaucratic red tape that slows progress, and prioritize results over the process itself. I will fight to protect these gains from dilution and add rigorous phonics-based instruction while eliminating distractions that take time away from core academics. Our focus must remain on evidence-based fundamentals that prepare Oklahoma students for success.

I will expand science of reading training with strong incentives and micro-credentials for K-3 educators, remove bureaucratic red tape that slows progress, and prioritize results over the process itself. I will fight to protect these gains from dilution and add rigorous phonics-based instruction while eliminating distractions that take time away from core academics. Our focus must remain on evidence-based fundamentals that prepare Oklahoma students for success.

Parents are the primary educators of their children and deserve real choices. The growth in the Parent Choice Tax Credit and charter schools shows families are seeking options that align with their values and deliver results. As Superintendent, I will strongly support and expand school choice so every Oklahoma family has access to the best education for their child, whether traditional public, charter, or private through choice programs. I believe competition improves all schools. I will protect and grow these opportunities while ensuring public schools remain strong by refocusing them on excellence, not ideology.

To be clear, I want Oklahoma’s public schools to improve and succeed in every subject. My nearly two decades of experience as a teacher in rural public schools in Oklahoma has given me the perspective I believe is necessary to fix Oklahoma’s education system and ensure all children receive the best possible education wherever they attend.

We turn it around by rejecting the status quo and implementing proven conservative principles. In my term, we will: fully enforce science of reading with retention where needed; restore classroom discipline; expand school choice and competition; eradicate indoctrination; empower parents with a strong Parents’ Bill of Rights; and measure success by student outcomes, not inputs or federal grants.

With nearly 20 years in the classroom and a conservative voting record, I will cut bureaucracy, reward great teachers, protect Oklahoma values, and make our state a leader in education. Real change comes from fundamentals, accountability, and putting kids and parents first.

Back-to-basics means restoring academic excellence through rigorous, evidence-based instruction in reading, writing, math, history, and science. It means eliminating classroom distractions like political indoctrination, DEI, CRT, and gender ideology and no taxpayer-funded time or resources for radical concepts that divide students.

It looks like phonics-based reading, mastery of fundamentals, strong discipline, respect for American history and Oklahoma values including faith and family, and protecting single-sex spaces and sports. Parents have absolute rights over their children’s education. As Superintendent, I will ensure every school prioritizes fundamentals, faith where appropriate and voluntary, freedom from government overreach, and preparation for life, not activism.

I admire leaders who fought for parental rights, academic excellence, and Oklahoma values against entrenched interests. While I respect several past superintendents for their efforts, I am most inspired by those who prioritized back-to-basics education and stood firm against federal overreach and progressive ideologies.

My model is practical, results-driven leadership rooted in classroom reality. As the only candidate with extensive teaching experience and a proven conservative record in the Legislature, I will fight to restore faith, family, freedom, and fundamentals to every Oklahoma school. Oklahoma needs a fighter for parents and kids, not another insider.

19 years

Pastor/Teacher

I have been teaching since 1977, and in the classroom for more than 18 years. I have administrative skills, as a pastor, that includes creating budgets, hiring and firing employees, selecting curriculum, planning events and a host of other issues.

I support parental empowerment and accessibility to the school’s activities. I have a teachable spirit which allows me to quickly learn the areas that I am less efficient. A recent poll showed that the perception of public schools has dropped from 41% in 2024 to 31% in 2025. I will improve that perception and slow down the parents pulling their children out of public schools. I will work with the legislatures to bring about a reduction in superintendents across our state. A county superintendent will help with efficiency and duplication of services.

1. Getting our reading scores up.
2. Hiring and retaining qualified teachers.
3. Creating a more positive attitude about public schools so that parents will want to keep their children in public schools.

The changes are positive, especially when it comes to raising our reading scores. I would build upon them by increasing the number of reading specialists, pushing for higher raises for support staff and teachers and encouraging the legislators to switch back to a county superintendent model.

When I talk to teachers that have left education it has been for a variety of reasons, the least of these is money. I would encourage an atmosphere where the teacher is better prepared on day one. I will provide training on what to do on the first day of school. First year teachers are thrown to the wolves on day one. They know subject matter; however, they are not prepared for classroom management. Also, teachers need to be able to teach without someone looking over their shoulder. First year teachers should be assigned a seasoned educator to guide them in the first year. I would encourage the teachers to improve the relationship between the teacher and the parents. I would provide additional financial incentives to teachers who do their job well.

I believe it is the parent’s responsibility to determine what they feel is best for their children when it comes to education. I believe school choice is here to stay.

This number is going to change because we have brought back basics to the classroom. How it improves is to make sure the teachers are implementing the legislation in the classrooms.

Whoever is elected Superintendent will look good because the legislators passed a bill to bring back phonics and more reading specialists. That is one way how we are getting back to basics that will have a fantastic impact across the state. Getting back to basic math so that a child knows their times table to do math independent of a calculator. Teachers communicating with parents on a regular basis to develop a shared interest in the child’s academic achievements.

I don’t admire any of them, not really my style. However, I appreciate what Ryan Walters was attempting to do with protecting children from predators, attempting to keep our campuses safe and removing those who would prey upon our children. I believe Walters’ methodology was fraud. Let me illustrate. There was no need to have a fight about putting the “Trump” Bible in our schools when the Gideons volunteered to do it for free. In fact, there is a school across from our church, and we would have gladly put Bibles in there for free.