GOVERNOR STITT NAMES SECRETARY OF EDUCATION

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Kevin Stitt today named CEO of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma and public school teacher Ryan Walters as his Secretary of Education, a cabinet position that requires Senate confirmation.

“Ryan Walters is a committed educator who has dedicated his life to moving the needle in educational outcomes for all Oklahoma students and to supporting his fellow teachers,” said Gov. Stitt. “His perspective as a public school teacher, and his leadership experience as the CEO of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma, will be invaluable as we continue to work toward Top Ten results in education.”

Ryan Walters taught eight years as a high school history teacher in his hometown at McAlester High School. During his time at MHS, Walters taught Advanced Placement courses in World History, U.S. History and U.S. Government. He also taught on-level history classes, special education classes and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes. The Oklahoma State Department of Education named Walters as an Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016.

Walters currently serves as CEO of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma and simultaneously teaches AP U.S. History at Millwood High School and McAlester High School in a pilot course through the Oklahoma Supplemental Online Course Program. He previously served as the executive director of Oklahoma Achieves, an education initiative of the State Chamber of Oklahoma that sought to get the business community more actively engaged in education. Additionally, he is a governor’s appointee as a commissioner of the Office of Education Quality and Accountability. As CEO of Every Kid Counts Oklahoma he is empowering teachers, parents and community leaders to improve Oklahoma’s education system for all students. Recently, Every Kid Counts Oklahoma led the Bridge the Gap Digital Wallet initiative, which is part of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund.

“I am excited for the opportunity to serve on Governor Stitt’s cabinet as the Secretary of Education and I know my public school classroom experiences will help support Governor Stitt’s education policy initiatives,” said Walters. “Oklahoma students deserve what the governor has wanted from day one - for our state to be Top Ten in education. I am honored to serve the State of Oklahoma and the governor by working to improve public education for every student in our state.”

Governor Stitt today also issued Third Amended Executive Order 2019-01, creating an individual Secretary of Education cabinet position, and combining the duties of the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Native American Affairs.

As Secretary of Education, Walters is responsible for various agencies, boards and commissions, including the State Board of Education, College and University Boards of Regents or Trustees, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and the State Board of Career and Technology Education.