House Speaker Kyle Hilbert has amended a bill to give members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education the right to place items on meeting agendas. He has the support of Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton and Governor Kevin Stitt.
“We have volunteer boards and commissions that play an important oversight function for state agencies for a reason, and the duly-appointed members of the State Board of Education should have a say in the agenda before them. This has been a longstanding issue that needs to be fixed,” said Hilbert. “We have checks and balances on government intentionally built into our system and this legislation will help ensure the State Board of Education – no matter who is appointed or who is the chair – will be able to move the needle for Oklahoma kids.”
House Bill 1491 sets up a mechanism that allows any member of the State Board of Education to place an item on the board agenda if requested in writing by at least two members of the board. The item will be placed on the following agenda in accordance with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.
Paxton praises the move to provide the Board of Education members with more authority to deal with policy.
“The State Board of Education plays a crucial role in shaping the future of our schools, and its members should have a clear and fair process for addressing key issues,” Paxton said. “This legislation ensures that every board member has a voice in setting the agenda, reinforcing transparency and accountability in our education system. With the current structure, the board is neutralized and has no say in shaping policy. Allowing this will provide a fair and more effective structure.”
A recent Stitt appointee to the State Board of Education voiced his frustration at not being able to place an item on the agenda during the February monthly meeting. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters currently controls the items placed on the agenda.
“No one member should unilaterally control a board, especially one that directly impacts the outcomes of our students,” said Gov. Kevin Stitt. “It’s time to give a voice on the Board of Education to parents and students all across Oklahoma. Thank you to Speaker Hilbert and Pro Tem Paxton for spearheading this important legislation.”
The House Education Oversight Committee voted 9 to zero on Wednesday to move the amended version of House Bill 1491 forward.
