At last week’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced the creation of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) Office of School Choice. The new division will function as a one-stop shop for all things related to school choice and parental empowerment in Oklahoma.

“Whatever the educational option parents choose, I want to make sure they have one place to go where they can navigate their options for their child,” said Walters. “I am proud that OSDE will be among the very first state departments in the nation to have created this resource. Oklahoma will continue to lead on school choice now and into the future, and we will be here to assist parents every step of the way.”

School choice programs give families access to the right educational option for their children, whether that’s a different public school through open enrollment, a charter school, private school, home school, or any other innovative solution that meets the needs of our students and their parents

The creation of the Office of School Choice will help reorganize OSDE to ensure that teams working across these areas are in one place to make it easier for parents and communities to find their way to all available resources.

While much has been written about the Tulsa Public School System (TPS), from facts to hyperbolic misinformation defending special interest(s), it is apparent that the Oklahoma State Department of Education under the leadership of State Superintendent Ryan Walters has a sincere concern and willingness to act for students, parents, teachers, and administrators both in Tulsa and throughout Oklahoma. The following video highlights the success of cooperation between local and state.