Oklahoma establishes new ‘Office of School Choice’

The Oklahoma Department of Education is establishing a new “Office of School Choice,” State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced at a Board of Education meeting.

The goal, Walters said, is to make “a one-stop-shop related to everything school choice.”

“It’ll help reorganize this agency to make sure our team that works with charter schools, our team that works with private schools, we’re all in the same spot to make it a lot easier for parents and communities to navigate these resources.”

Oklahoma will become the fourth state to create an office dedicated to school choice, following the lead of Florida, New Mexico and Arkansas.  

“Parents deserve and have demanded robust choice options for their children’s education, and we are there to support them every step of the way,” Walters said.  

Oklahoma is one of several states with a universal school choice program after Kevin Stitt signed a universal school choice bill into law last year.