Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Encyclopedia
The Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes called the Oklahoma State School Superintendent, is the chief executive officer
for the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the President of the Oklahoma State Board of Education
. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for overseeing, implementing and reviewing the policies of the Oklahoma’s public school system.
The current State Superintendent of Public Instruction is Janet Barresi. Barresi is currently serving her first term in office, first elected in 2010.
by the people of Oklahoma.
Elections for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction are held on a four year concurrent basis with the election of the Governor. After all votes are collected, the Legislature of Oklahoma shall convene in the hall of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Representatives announce the results of the elections in the presence of a majority of each branch of the Legislature. The persons having the highest number of votes for the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be declared duly elected. However, in case two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Legislature shall, by joint ballot, choose one of the said persons having an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
officeholder) chose not to seek re-election for a sixth term.
The Republican
candidate was Janet Barresi, a dentist
, school speech pathologist, and founder of two charter school
s in Oklahoma (Independence Charter Middle School, the first charter school in the state of Oklahoma, and Harding High School.
The Democratic candidate was Susan Paddack
, a former secondary school science teacher and member of the Oklahoma Senate
.
In addition, Richard E. Cooper ran as an Independent candidate.
Barresi won the general election.
. The Oklahoma Constitution
places no limit to the number of terms a candidate may serve in succession or in total.
. The primary function of the State Superintendent is giving advice and making recommendations to the State Board of Education on all matters pertaining to the policies and administration of the State Department of Education and the public school system. The State Superintendent’s powers over the Department of Education come from its ex officio positions as President of the Oklahoma State Board of Education
and Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education. As the President of these Boards, the State Superintendent presides at all meetings and has the full right of discussion and voting on all measures.
As the Chief Executive Officer
of the State Department of Education, State Superintendent coordinates all divisions of the State Department of Education and supervises all employees. As Oklahoma's state education agency
, the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for the general administration, coordination, supervision, promotion, evaluation, and improvement of educational programs, the state superintendent interprets and implements the policies of the State Board of Education. Also, upon request, the State Superintendent must advise district superintendents of schools on questions as to the powers, duties, and functions of school district officials.
Every two years, the State Superintendent must compile, publish, and distribute a book of laws and Attorney General’s opinions
on schools, and issue annually a statistical report for the Governor and legislators on the Education Department. Depending on the relationship between the two, the State Superintendent can serve as the chief education advisor to the Governor of Oklahoma
, as demonstrated by the relationship between Governor Brad Henry
and Superintendent Sandy Garrett
.
The State Superintendent serves as the official representatives from Oklahoma to the United States Department of Education
.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
for the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the President of the Oklahoma State Board of Education
Oklahoma State Board of Education
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma...
. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for overseeing, implementing and reviewing the policies of the Oklahoma’s public school system.
The current State Superintendent of Public Instruction is Janet Barresi. Barresi is currently serving her first term in office, first elected in 2010.
Constitutional requirements
The Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction has requirements which set it apart from all other state offices. As with all executive branch officials, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction must be at least 31 years old and have been a register elector within Oklahoma for 10 years prior to election.Election
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction is elected directlyDirect democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
by the people of Oklahoma.
Elections for the State Superintendent of Public Instruction are held on a four year concurrent basis with the election of the Governor. After all votes are collected, the Legislature of Oklahoma shall convene in the hall of the House of Representatives and the Speaker of the House of Representatives announce the results of the elections in the presence of a majority of each branch of the Legislature. The persons having the highest number of votes for the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall be declared duly elected. However, in case two or more shall have an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Legislature shall, by joint ballot, choose one of the said persons having an equal and the highest number of votes for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Most recent election
For the November 2010 general election, Sandy Garrett (the five-time and current DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
officeholder) chose not to seek re-election for a sixth term.
The Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
candidate was Janet Barresi, a dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
, school speech pathologist, and founder of two charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s in Oklahoma (Independence Charter Middle School, the first charter school in the state of Oklahoma, and Harding High School.
The Democratic candidate was Susan Paddack
Susan Paddack
Susan Paddack is the Oklahoma Senator representing District 13, which includes Pontotoc and Hughes counties and parts of Garvin and Coal counties, since 2004. She currently serves as Minority Whip and Vice Chair of the Judiciary Committee.-Biography:...
, a former secondary school science teacher and member of the Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
.
In addition, Richard E. Cooper ran as an Independent candidate.
Barresi won the general election.
Term(s) of office
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s four year term begins on the first Monday in January following the general election, and runs concurrently with that of the Governor of OklahomaGovernor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
. The Oklahoma Constitution
Oklahoma Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the U.S. State of Oklahoma. Adopted in 1907, Oklahoma ratified the United States Constitution on November 16, 1907, as the 46th US State. At its ratification, the Oklahoma Constitution was the longest governing document of any...
places no limit to the number of terms a candidate may serve in succession or in total.
Powers and responsibilities
Constitutionally, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction has no duties. The office’s powers and responsibilities come from Oklahoma School Code and the powers granted to the office by the Oklahoma State Board of EducationOklahoma State Board of Education
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma...
. The primary function of the State Superintendent is giving advice and making recommendations to the State Board of Education on all matters pertaining to the policies and administration of the State Department of Education and the public school system. The State Superintendent’s powers over the Department of Education come from its ex officio positions as President of the Oklahoma State Board of Education
Oklahoma State Board of Education
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma...
and Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education. As the President of these Boards, the State Superintendent presides at all meetings and has the full right of discussion and voting on all measures.
As the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the State Department of Education, State Superintendent coordinates all divisions of the State Department of Education and supervises all employees. As Oklahoma's state education agency
State education agency
A state education agency , or state department of education, is a formal governmental label for the state-level government agencies within each U.S...
, the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction is responsible for the general administration, coordination, supervision, promotion, evaluation, and improvement of educational programs, the state superintendent interprets and implements the policies of the State Board of Education. Also, upon request, the State Superintendent must advise district superintendents of schools on questions as to the powers, duties, and functions of school district officials.
Every two years, the State Superintendent must compile, publish, and distribute a book of laws and Attorney General’s opinions
Attorney General of Oklahoma
The Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
on schools, and issue annually a statistical report for the Governor and legislators on the Education Department. Depending on the relationship between the two, the State Superintendent can serve as the chief education advisor to the Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
, as demonstrated by the relationship between Governor Brad Henry
Brad Henry
Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...
and Superintendent Sandy Garrett
Sandy Garrett
Sandy Garrett is a retired American Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma. Garrett is the former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction....
.
The State Superintendent serves as the official representatives from Oklahoma to the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
.
Oath of office
"I, ........., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support, obey, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, and that I will not, knowingly, receive, directly or indirectly, any money or other valuable thing, for the performance or nonperformance of any act or duty pertaining to my office, other than the compensation allowed by law; I further swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as State Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Oklahoma to the best of my ability."External links
- State Department of Education website