OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) – Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton are working to give State Board of Education members more power.
Hilbert, with Stitt’s and Paxton’s support, filed an amendment to House Bill 1491. The amendment authorizes any member of the State Board of Education to place an item on the Board’s agenda if two Board members have submitted a written request for the item. The item must be placed on either the next meeting’s agenda or a subsequent meeting’s agenda, as determined by the requesting members.
HB 1491 gives all State Board of Education members the power to place an item on the board agenda if requested in writing by at least two members of the board. The item shall be placed on the agenda for the next meeting or a subsequent meeting, as decided by the requesting members, in accordance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.
“No one member should unilaterally control a board, especially one that directly impacts the outcomes of our students,” Stitt said. “It’s time to give a voice on the Board of Education to parents and students all across Oklahoma. Thank you to Speaker Hilbert and Pro Tem Paxton for spearheading this important legislation.”
Stitt was asked during his weekly news conference on Wednesday whether the amendment is an attempt to check State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ power. Stitt has been a vocal critic of Walters, and vice versa.
“You don’t really have a board it you can’t put an agenda item on there,” Stitt said in response to the question. “If nine people want something and one person is keeping that from even being talked about, I think that’s a problem. That’s not really a board.”
State Board of Education members deserve to have more of a voice in what appears in their agenda, Hilbert said.
“We have volunteer boards and commissions that play an important oversight function for state agencies for a reason, and the duly-appointed members of the State Board of Education should have a say in the agenda before them. This has been a longstanding issue that needs to be fixed,” Hilbert, R-Bristow, said. “We have checks and balances on government intentionally built into our system and this legislation will help ensure the State Board of Education – no matter who is appointed or who is the chair – will be able to move the needle for Oklahoma kids.”
The original version of HB 1491, written by Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada, and Sen. Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks, aimed to clarify the circumstances under which the State Board of Education can revoke or suspend a teacher’s license. That version required the State Department of Education to provide at least 10 days notice to the teacher and the employing school district prior to revoking or suspending a license.
“The State Board of Education plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our schools, and its members should have a clear and fair process for addressing key issues,” Paxton, R-Tuttle, said. “This legislation ensures that every board member has a voice in setting the agenda, reinforcing transparency and accountability in our education system. With the current structure, the board is neutralized and has no say in shaping policy. Allowing this will provide a fair and more effective structure.”
The House Education Oversight Committee passed the amended version of the bill with a 9-0 vote on Wednesday.
