State Superintendent Ryan Walters Meets With School Leaders From NE Oklahoma

State Superintendent Ryan Walters was in Broken Arrow on Feb. 27 for a roundtable discussion with school leaders from northeast Oklahoma.

The districts that attended the roundtable with Walters included Broken Arrow, Peggs, Pawhuska, Pryor, Oologah and Pretty Water.

Walters called it a "great meeting" on how to get Oklahoma to be top 10 in education.

He talked about the reform he believes needs to happen.

“We talked about the work they’re doing on local districts, but the conversation was about school choice and how we can get it across the finish line so that every parent has that educational freedom,” said Walters.

Walters said he believes his agency is moving in the right direction.

He stressed the problem with education is not lack of money but rather how money is spent.

"Our biggest problem is we aren't having money follow the kid through school choice, number one,” said Walters. “Number two, we're not allowing more money in the classroom. We're growing administrative costs and bureaucracy and number three, we're allowing radical indoctrination into the classroom rather than a focus on the basics."

Broken Arrow superintendent, Chuck Perry, said he is glad to be a part of the discussion.

"Just positive exchanges,” said Perry. “We talked about legislation, we talked about teacher pay, we talked about testing and assessments given to our students."

Perry said school vouchers would greatly impact the district.

He also said while bills are moving through Oklahoma's legislation, he is trying his best to make teachers feel appreciated.

"I see them fighting hard every day, impacting young kids' lives and I'm trying to do everything I can to support that,” said Perry. “I don't want to get into the rhetoric of that."

Oklahoma Representatives Mark McBride and Rhonda Baker has called on Walters to hire a federal programs director for the Oklahoma State Department of Education.

That position ensures the state gets federal funding requests in on time.

Walters said his agency has had one since the beginning, but his press secretary has not given News On 6 the name of that director.