News

HB1050 Signed into law

Good substitutes are hard to come by. The ability to step in short notice, manage a class and deliver a lesson are qualities hard to come by. Substitutes that have earned the trust of teachers and students are popular and often run out of days they can serve in a school year.
I am pleased to have had the opportunity to co-author HB1050, which increases the maximum number of days from 90 to 135 that a substitute can serve in our schools during a year.
This is the first of hopefully many education bills to come that has now been signed into law.

Bills signed thus far into law

What has been signed into law thus far clearly demonstrates our priorities.  We can do better. 

The State of Education this session

"We need to remember why the teachers walked out last year. The raise was already in place. The message was clear then, and it is clear today: We need more money for our students and classrooms. The teachers said it during the walkout; the voters said it by selecting 46 new representatives for the House, and the vast majority of Oklahoma parents say it when they send their children to our public schools each and every day. We have the best teacher talent in the region — we know this because other states recruit heavily for them. They are thankful for the raise, but it is time to invest in our kids with relevant curriculum and support staff. Our teachers know exactly what is needed to be “top 10” in education.
They just need the funding and support to do it."

BAM Radio Podcast: Leading school Change- Doing the Real Work

Oklahoma Women's Caucus

The Oklahoma Women's Caucus: Together we can find common ground on more issues than not, and work to make a difference on issues that affect women in our state.

"..the caucus is bipartisan — meaning it’s not the red or the blue that matters but rather an effort to improve the state’s treatment of women." - Susan Ellerbach, Tulsa World