State Supt. Joy Hofmeister Testifies In Front Of Congress Subcommittee

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister will testify in front of the US House of Representatives subcommittee Wednesday focusing on gun violence and trauma in schools.

Hofmeister’s testimony is embargoed until after testimony and panel appearance before the House Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education.

Oklahoma is a case study for how to combat childhood trauma in schools. The state has one of the highest rates for what are known as adverse childhood effects or ACEs. But Oklahoma has also become a national leader in recognizing and treating them.

Most recently the state was given more than $12 million in federal grants to hire regional mental health professionals and fund training programs for teachers. This summer alone, Oklahoma trained more than 4000 teachers in recognizing and responding to trauma.

Hofmeister will be on the panel with the CEO of Chicago Public Schools, an assistant superintendent from rural West Virginia and the Surgeon General of California. Testimony begin at 9:15.