For Immediate Release:
December 9, 2003
Sen.
Kathleen Wilcoxson and Rep. Thad Balkman
Lawmakers Say Governor Should Appoint
State Superintendent
State
Senator Kathleen
Wilcoxson and State Representative Thad
Balkman have filed legislation calling for a statewide
vote to allow future Oklahoma governors to appoint the state
school superintendent. Currently, that position is an
elected, statewide office.
“We want to stress that this is not a new idea. In
1989, Task Force 2000, the bipartisan panel that helped
shape House Bill 1017, recommended that the office of state
superintendent be appointed rather than elected. The Academy
for State Goals has made the same recommendation in the
past. I think it is high time we gave it serious consideration,”
said Senator Wilcoxson, R-OKC.
“We’ve looked at all models throughout the country.
The bottom line is that those states allowing the governor
to fill the top education posts have superior academic results.
To ignore that fact is simply playing politics with the
future of Oklahoma’s children,” explained Balkman,
R-Norman.
Wilcoxson and Balkman said they would introduce Senate Joint
Resolution 28 when the 2004 legislative session begins in
February along with a companion measure, Senate Bill 849,
which would change the way the state Board
of Education is appointed.
Under the present system, the board members serve for six
years with the governor appointing members when terms expire.
Under SB 849, the governor would appoint three members whose
terms would run concurrently with the governor’s term
and fill the remaining three positions two years later.
This would ensure that the current governor would always
have a majority of appointments on the board. If the constitutional
amendment is approved by voters, the changes would take
effect in January 2007.
“We have made progress in education, but there are
still tremendous gaps. When it comes to our basic subjects
like reading, science and math, too many students cannot
work at grade level. It is obvious the traditional models
aren’t working. We need to take the politics out of
the process and place the emphasis on the students. We believe
this proposal will help do that,” said Senator Wilcoxson.
For more information, contact:
Senate
Communications Division
- (405) 521-5774
