Oklahoma Secretary of Education

Updated on Nov 08, 2023

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Formed June 6, 1986 Annual budget $6 billion (FY2011)		Employees 1,128 (FY2011)

Headquarters 655 Research Parkway Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Minister responsible Natalie Shirley, Secretary of Education Child agencies Oklahoma State Department of Education Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education

The Oklahoma Secretary of Education is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The Secretary serves as the chief advisor to the Governor on public education issues and needs.

The 5th and current Secretary is Natalie Shirley, having been appointed by Governor Mary Fallin on January 22, 2015.

History

The position of Secretary of Education was established, along with the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet, by the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986. The Act directs the Secretary of Education to advise the Governor on public education policy and advise the state public education agencies on new policy as directed by the Governor.

Dual Position

Oklahoma state law allows for Cabinet Secretaries to serve concurrently as the head of a State agency in addition to their duties as a Cabinet Secretary. Historically, the Secretary of Education has not served in any such dual position.

Responsibilities

The Secretary of Education oversees the State's public education system. This includes elementary education, secondary education, vocational education and higher education. The Secretary is chiefly responsible for ensuring accountability and performance from the educational system. The Secretary also oversees all libraries in the State and is responsible for ensuring that teachers are appropriately prepared to perform their duties.

As of fiscal year 2011, the Secretary of Education oversees 1,128 full-time employees and is responsible for an annual budget of over $6 billion. Of that budget, only $209 million (or 3%) is spent on operating the various State agencies under the Secretary's supervision. The remaining $5.9 billion is used as payments to local education agencies, such as school districts and universities, to support their activities.

The Oklahoma Legislature has charged the Secretary with several duties and responsibilities:

Overseeing the Oklahoma Office of Educational Quality and Accountability

Monitor the efforts of the local school districts to comply with the State education standards

Identify local school districts not making satisfactory progress toward compliance with State education standards and recommend appropriate corrective actions to the Oklahoma State Department of Education

Develops and implements a standardized performance measure to gauge the performance of local school districts

Review the progress and effectiveness of the Education Reform Act of 1990

Analyze the revenues for all systems of education and the expenditure of common education revenue

Implementation the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act

Make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature on methods to achieve an aligned, seamless system from preschool through post-secondary education

Submit recommendations regarding funding for education or statutory changes to the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate, and the Governor of Oklahoma

Agencies overseen

The Secretary of Education oversees the following state entities:

Department of Education

Department of Career and Technology Education

Department of Libraries

Office of Educational Quality and Accountability

State Regents for Higher Education

Salary

The annual salary for the position of Secretary of Education set by State law at $65,000. Despite this, if the Secretary serves as the head of State agency, the Secretary receives the higher of the two salaries.

References

Oklahoma Secretary of Education Wikipedia

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