EVENING AT NINE ON OETA.

YOUR WEEKEND MOVIE TRADITION.

OETA MOVIE CLUB.

SATURDAY EVENINGS AT NINE ON OETA.

WELCOME TO THE 2026 OKLAHOMA SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION DEBATE LIVE ON OETA.

HERE ARE YOUR MODERATORS.

TAELYR JACKSON AND RICH LENZ.

GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE 2026 STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION DEBATE ON OETA.

MY NAME IS RICH LENZ, AND I'M THE NEWS DIRECTOR AND ANCHOR OF OETA'S WEEKLY NEWSCAST, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

AND I'M TAELYR JACKSON, THE EDUCATION REPORTER AND ANCHOR FOR THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

TONIGHT'S DEBATE IS BEING BROUGHT TO YOU LIVE STATEWIDE AND ALL 77 OKLAHOMA COUNTIES.

OUR TWO CANDIDATES SEEK TO REPLACE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT LINDEL FIELDS, CHOSEN BY GOVERNOR STITT TO REPLACE RYAN WALTERS.

LET'S MEET THEM NOW.

REPRESENTING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, DOCTOR ROBERT FRANKLIN AND THE DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE, DOCTOR JANETTA MARSHALL.

WE WELCOME YOU BOTH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NOW, THE RULES FOR TONIGHT'S DEBATE ARE PRETTY SIMPLE.

YOU'LL EACH BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE FOR AN OPENING AND CLOSING STATEMENT.

AND YOU'LL ALSO HAVE 90S TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION.

WE AS MODERATORS WILL NOT ENGAGE OR INTERRUPT THE CANDIDATES WHILE THEY ARE ANSWERING.

UNLESS YOU GO OVER THAT 92ND TIME LIMIT.

AND WE ALSO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION IF IT'S REQUIRED.

AND WITH THAT, LET'S BEGIN.

BY VIRTUE OF A COIN TOSS, THE FIRST OPENING STATEMENT BELONGS TO DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

FRIENDS.

45 YEARS IN SCHOOL BUSINESS.

I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE ON OETA.

I'M HONORED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OKLAHOMANS.

I'VE BEEN IN EVERY PLATFORM FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER TO ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, SERVED ON A STATEWIDE VIRTUAL CHARTER BOARD, ALSO SERVED IN CAREERTECH FOR 14 YEARS.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT OPPORTUNITY.

WE RETIRED AND NOW WE SERVE AS A FACULTY ADJUNCT FACULTY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA.

SO WE'VE BEEN IN EVERY PLATFORM.

SO MY GOAL AND MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN BRING AN OPPORTUNITY OF EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.

WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WE'D HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THIS FAR, BUT HERE WE ARE.

WE'RE BLESSED, AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OKLAHOMANS WHO PUT US IN THIS POSITION.

SO IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

DOCTOR MARSHALL, FOR TOO LONG HERE IN OKLAHOMA, POLITICS HAS OVERSHADOWED EDUCATION AND OUR CHILDREN, OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, OUR TEACHERS HAVE PAID THE PRICE.

IT IS TIME FOR PROVEN LEADERSHIP WITH RESULTS.

AS AN EXPERIENCED ADMINISTRATOR, I HAVE A PLAN TO RAISE EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT, TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS, TO EMPOWER FAMILIES AND TO RESTORE ACCOUNTABILITY.

THIS ELECTION IS NOT ABOUT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS.

IT IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OKLAHOMA.

I AM READY TO RESTORE TRUST, RAISE ACHIEVEMENT, AND PUT EDUCATION FIRST IN OKLAHOMA.

AND WITH THAT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS FOR BOTH OF YOU.

WE WILL BEGIN WITH DOCTOR MARSHALL.

OKLAHOMA IS CURRENTLY SPENDING ROUGHLY $12,500 PER STUDENT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION EACH YEAR.

THAT RANKS 49TH OUT OF 51 STATES, INCLUDING WASHINGTON, DC.

IS THAT ENOUGH TO GET THE JOB DONE, OR DO WE NEED TO ALLOCATE MORE MONEY PER STUDENT?

AND IF SO, HOW MUCH?

WE DO NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY IN OUR COFFERS FOR STUDENT ALLOCATIONS.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE ALSO NEED TO PUT MORE MONEY IN FOR OUR TEACHERS.

BECAUSE IF WE DON'T HAVE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM, WE CAN PUT ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD THERE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

BUT THE EDUCATION DELIVERY IS NOT THERE.

SO YOU WOULD AGREE THAT THE MORE MONEY IS NEEDED FROM THE LEGISLATURE?

I WOULD AGREE THAT MORE MONEY IS NEEDED.

OKAY, DOCTOR FRANKLIN, HOW ABOUT YOU?

I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE REGIONAL AVERAGES ARE AND HOW WE CAN GET OURSELVES COMPETITIVE WITH THAT.

I DON'T THINK THE FOLKS IN OKLAHOMA SEE THEMSELVES CONCEDING THAT WE LOVE OUR CHILDREN ANY LESS THAN THE FOLKS IN ARKANSAS OR KANSAS OR TEXAS.

WE WANT TO DEVOTE AS MUCH ENERGY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN IN CHILDREN.

THAT IS, THE WORK AT HAND.

ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE.

BUT I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE SPEND THE DOLLARS.

IF WE CAN ONLY SPEND THE TAX DOLLAR ONCE, WHERE DO WE TARGET THOSE DOLLARS?

OBVIOUSLY IN THE CLASSROOM IS THE FIRST PRIORITY.

SECONDLY, WHAT OUR TEACHERS ARE CLAMORING FOR MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW IS PAY ME REGIONALLY, COMPETITIVELY.

BUT ALSO YOU'VE GOT TO HELP US BRING ADDITIONAL HELP FOR THE CLASSROOM AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT.

THAT MEANS BEHAVIOR TECHNICIANS.

THAT ALSO MEANS COUNSELORS TO THE TABLE.

AND THAT MEANS ABOUT HOW WE PRIORITIZE OUR SPENDING.

THERE ARE SOME DOLLARS THAT HAVE COME TO OUR STATE IN THE NAME OF BIG TIME LAWSUITS, SETTLEMENTS THAT ARE NOT TAX DOLLARS, AND HOW WE TARGET THOSE DOLLARS TO OUR CLASSROOMS AND TO THE SUPPORTS THAT TEACHERS ARE BEGGING, BEGGING FOR, IS REALLY GOING TO TAKE AN EXPERIENCED LEADER.

AND SO WE'RE READY TO TO RUN DAY ONE.

WE'RE NOT READY TO TRY AND EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.

WE KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD TEACHERS ALL ACROSS THIS STATE TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED TO BE DOING.

AND WE'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.

SO THAT WILL BE THE EFFORT THAT WE MAKE.

BUT INTO THE SEMINAL QUESTION THAT YOU ASK, IS IT ENOUGH?

AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS NOT QUITE.

THIS NEXT QUESTION CONCERNS SCHOOL CHOICE.

THE LEGISLATURE INCREASED THE PARENTAL TAX CHOICE CREDIT PROGRAM BY $25 MILLION LAST SPRING TO $275 MILLION.

IN YOUR OPINION, IS THAT MONEY WELL SPENT?

DOCTOR FRANKLIN, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

YES.

I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, BECAUSE THIS QUESTION HAS COME UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BE SPENDING?

HOW MUCH COULD WE EXPAND THIS IN THE NAME OF SCHOOL CHOICE?

I BELIEVE CHILDREN DO DESERVE CHOICES.

PARENTS DESERVE CHOICES BECAUSE WHEN YOU INVEST IN YOUR CHOICE, YOU'RE MORE ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS.

MY DOCTORAL RESEARCH WAS ONLINE LEARNING AND ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE NAME OF CHOICE.

AND WHAT ARE THOSE RESULTS?

HERE'S WHAT I'M SAYING.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE US CONTINUING TO EXPAND A PROGRAM UNTIL WE STUDY WHAT THE RESULTS ARE.

WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT WE FIRST THOUGHT?

HAVE WE ACHIEVED THOSE GOALS BEFORE WE BEGIN TO EXPAND ANY KIND OF ADDITIONAL TAX CREDIT?

AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY SPEND THE DOLLAR ONCE.

THIS IS WHAT MANY HAVE SAID IS A TAX VOUCHER TO FOLKS THAT PERHAPS ALREADY WERE SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS OF THEIR OWN ACCORD, AND IS THAT THE RIGHT PLACE FOR US?

AND TAKE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS AS A AS AN OPTION, AS A LESSER OPTION?

I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE AT ALL.

LET'S MAKE ALL OPTIONS VIABLE.

AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS YOU RESOURCE IT ACCORDINGLY.

AND I'M SAYING, LET'S NOT EXPAND A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM UNTIL WE STUDY IT AND ANALYZE THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT OUT OF THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT, DOCTOR MARSHALL.

YOUR THOUGHTS.

SCHOOL CHOICE IS A REALITY, AND IT IS A REALITY THAT MANY PARENTS HAVE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN.

IN OKLAHOMA.

WE NEED TO NOT TALK ABOUT EXPANDING SCHOOL CHOICE ANY FURTHER, BUT WE NEED TO INVEST MONEY IN DEVELOPING THE EXCELLENT EDUCATION WITHIN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

MOST PARENTS HAVE DECIDED TO GO INTO SCHOOL CHOICE INTO OTHER AVENUES BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY WEREN'T GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

THEREFORE, MONIES THAT WE CONTINUE TO PUT INTO EDUCATION NEED TO GO INTO PUBLIC EDUCATION.

WHILE YES, SCHOOL CHOICE IS THERE, THAT'S A LEGISLATIVE ACTION.

IT'S GOING TO BE THERE.

BUT LET'S INVEST IN FIXING WHAT HAS GONE WRONG WITHIN OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION, THAT WE WILL HAVE MORE STUDENTS WANTING TO COME BACK TO PUBLIC EDUCATION AND MORE PARENTS HAPPY WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING WITHIN THE PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM.

SO YOU MAY WANT TO CLAW SOME OF THAT MONEY BACK OUT OF SCHOOL CHOICE AND RETURN IT TO PUBLIC SPENDING.

PUBLIC EDUCATION SPENDING.

ABSOLUTELY.

VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT QUESTION AGAIN FOR BOTH OF YOU.

AND WE WILL BEGIN ONCE AGAIN WITH DOCTOR MARSHALL.

AS YOU KNOW, THE TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WAS CLOSING 17 SCHOOLS IN AN EFFORT TO CUT COSTS.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT DECISION?

AND, DOCTOR MARSHALL, OF COURSE, YOU SERVED ON THE BOARD FROM 2017 UNTIL 2025.

YOUR THOUGHTS?

I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT DECISION.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS A DISRUPTION IN THE EDUCATIONAL RIGOR OF OUR STUDENTS.

STUDENTS ATTACH THEMSELVES.

PARENTS ATTACH THEMSELVES TO THE BUILDINGS, TO THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THOSE BUILDINGS ARE LOCATED.

WE ARE DEALING WITH A SITUATION NOW WHERE FAMILIES ARE SITTING AND STANDING IN TRAUMA BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

WHEN WE CONTINUE TO DISRUPT THE FLOW OF EDUCATION BY GOING TO FIRST RESORT OF CLOSING SCHOOLS OR CONSOLIDATING, WE ALWAYS DISSERVICE THOSE STUDENTS AND THOSE FAMILIES.

WE HEARD THAT NIGHT I SAT IN ON THAT MEETING.

WE HEARD FAMILIES SAY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO CLOSE MY SCHOOL, I'M GOING VIRTUAL.

I'M GOING TO CHARTER.

I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE DISTRICT.

SO WE FURTHER DESTROYED BY USING BAND-AID SOLUTIONS, WE NEED TO THINK DEEPER, HARDER, AND WE NEED TO GET AHEAD OF PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GET TO THE POINT WHERE FINANCIALLY WE'RE IN TROUBLE AND WE HAVE TO START CLOSING SCHOOLS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND DOCTOR FRANKLIN, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

YEAH, I'VE BEEN IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHERE WE'VE HAD TO CLOSE SCHOOLS, NEVER 17 AT ONE TIME.

BUT TULSA IS OBVIOUSLY A REALLY BIG SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THAT REALLY IS HARD ON FAMILIES.

AND IT REALLY IS HARD ON ON CHILDREN.

BUT ALSO FINANCIALLY, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SOME FISCAL DECISIONS AT CERTAIN TIMES.

AND IF BUILDINGS ARE NOT BEING MAXIMIZED, IF TEACHER OPPORTUNITIES AND STUDENT MORE IMPORTANTLY, STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT AS VAST AND ROBUST AT THOSE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO HANG ON FINANCIALLY TO MAKE THAT WORK.

IF YOU CAN CONSOLIDATE THAT, ORGANIZE THAT ACCORDINGLY, PROVIDE STRONGER, BETTER RESOURCES FOR, FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING, THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING.

IT IS HARD, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT IT'S NOT A BAD THING TO CONSOLIDATE WHEN YOU NEED TO DO THAT FISCALLY.

THAT OLD ADAGE OF HOW DID YOU GO BANKRUPT?

SLOWLY, SLOWLY, SLOWLY, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IS REALLY BRINGING TRUE HERE.

17 SCHOOLS AT ONE TIME IS REALLY HARD.

SO AGAIN, A MORE METHODICAL APPROACH TO THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PROBABLY MORE PALATABLE.

BUT AGAIN, THAT'S A REALLY BIG NUMBER OF SCHOOLS AND A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE BEING DISPLACED.

SO I UNDERSTAND THE ANGST THAT MOMS AND DADS ARE STRUGGLING WITH.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR FRANKLIN, WE'LL START WITH YOU ON THIS NEXT QUESTION.

ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE NUMBER OF EMERGENCY CERTIFIED TEACHERS HAS INCREASED BY 256% OVER THE LAST DECADE.

THIS CONCERNS SEVERAL LAWMAKERS.

HOW WILL YOU INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TRADITIONALLY CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM?

I'M SO GLAD YOU ASKED THAT QUESTION, BECAUSE THIS IS THE CRISIS OF OF THE MOMENT.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS WHOLE ELECTION PROCESS, PARTICULARLY ON THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, HAS GENERATED SO MUCH ENERGY.

WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS MANY EMERGENCY CERTIFIED OR ALTERNATIVELY, CERTIFIED FOLKS COMING INTO OUR PROFESSION.

AND THANK GOD WE HAVE THEM.

BUT THE REALITY CHECK IS WE HAVE TO BUILD THE BASE.

AND HOW DO YOU BEGIN TO BUILD A BASE?

LET'S TAKE WHAT OUR 2023 NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR, REBECCA PETERSON, IS DOING AT UNION PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GROW THOSE SENIORS THAT ARE TAKING A SENIOR LEVEL CLASS THAT LOOKS LIKE THEY WANT TO BE IN PRE INTERN TYPE TEACHING.

AND ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS, SHE WORKS ON TEACHER PEDAGOGY.

TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND THURSDAYS, THEY'RE OUT THERE GETTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT LOOK LIKE AN APPRENTICESHIP THAT IS MAGIC.

AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE OUGHT TO HAVE A SCHOLARSHIP COMING OUT, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM OUGHT TO GET 3 TO 4 CREDITS, JUST LIKE A CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT CLASS ON THEIR WAY TO BECOMING A SCHOOL EDUCATOR.

THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.

I ALSO AM BOLD ENOUGH TO SAY PERHAPS WE'LL DO JUST LIKE IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY WHEN WE WANTED TO BOLSTER THE AEROSPACE.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T TARGET TAX INCENTIVES TO TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS AND SAY, LET'S GIVE THEM A TAX INCENTIVE TO STAY IN OUR PROFESSION, AND THAT THAT WAY WE CAN PROMOTE, THUMP OUR CHEST ON A NATIONAL SCALE AND SAY, COME TO OKLAHOMA.

WE BELIEVE SO MUCH IN OUR TEACHERS.

WE DON'T WANT TO TAX THEM ON STATE INCOME TAX.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO SOME THINGS BOLDLY.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY ACROSS THE STATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

DOCTOR MARSHALL, HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH THIS?

MANY OF OUR EDUCATORS ARE TRADITIONALLY CERTIFIED EDUCATORS.

THEY EXIT THE SYSTEM EARLY.

AND ONE OF THE CRIES THAT I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER IS THE FACT THAT IN OKLAHOMA, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT EDUCATION.

WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATION, BUT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE EDUCATORS.

THEY CRY OUT.

THEY WANT TO TEACH.

INSTEAD OF HAVING CHROMEBOOKS TEACH FOR THEM.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE LEAVING, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH CERTAIN PROGRAMS TO HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE THEY HAVE IN PLACE IN UNION.

THAT'S GREAT, BUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO FOR.

I JUST RETURNED FROM THE PANHANDLE.

WHAT DO WE DO FOR THEM?

THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT PROGRAM.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE THE EXTRA ADDED SUPPORTS THAT OTHER LARGER DISTRICTS HAVE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT IT HOLISTICALLY.

AND AGAIN, BAND AID SOLUTIONS IS NOT WHAT IT TAKES.

IT TAKES THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO REVAMP HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT EDUCATION AND HOW WE RETAIN THOSE TRADITIONAL TEACHERS SO THEY CAN BE MENTORS TO THOSE THAT ARE COMING IN NOW.

NON-TRADITIONALLY.

AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO BRING THAT NUMBER DOWN.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH DOCTOR MARSHALL ON THIS NEXT QUESTION.

THE OKLAHOMA BOARD OF EDUCATION RECENTLY DOWNGRADED THE ACCREDITATION OF 59 SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR HAVING POOR MATH AND READING SKILLS.

THE STRONG READERS ACT IS NOW BEING IMPLEMENTED IN OKLAHOMA CLASSROOMS.

ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT IT IS GOING TO RAISE LITERACY OUTCOMES?

YES, I BELIEVE IT WILL RAISE LITERACY OUTCOMES.

BUT ONE THING THAT I BELIEVE IS THAT INSTEAD OF DOWNGRADING, WE NEED TO FIRST, AS A STATE DEPARTMENT, BEGIN TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP, COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH DISTRICTS THAT WE EMPOWER THEM ALONG THE WAY, THAT THEY DON'T COME TO A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE SUBJECTED TO DOWNGRADING.

WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORTS, THE RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP THEM TO ACTUALLY APPLY ACADEMIC STANDARDS, ACTUALLY GET IN THERE AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO TEACH THE STUDENTS.

IT'S ALL ABOUT COLLABORATION AND EMPOWERMENT, NOT ABOUT DOWNGRADING, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT'S PLAGUED WITH FEELING LIKE EVERYTHING IS PUNITIVE.

PUNITIVE MEASURES IS GOING TO DRIVE MORE AND MORE EDUCATORS OUT OF OUR SYSTEM.

WE HAVE TO EMPOWER THEM BEFORE PUNITIVE MEASURES HAVE TO BE PUT IN PLACE.

THAT STRONG READERS ACT.

IS IT A FIRST STEP, IN YOUR VIEW?

DOES IT DO ENOUGH?

THE STRONG READERS ACT.

THERE ARE MANY CONCERNS WITH THAT ACT.

THE MERE FACT THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY PUNISHING STUDENTS WHO AREN'T READING ON GRADE LEVEL ONCE IT'S PUT IN PLACE, THAT SUBJECTS STUDENTS TO RETALIATORY TREATMENT FROM THEIR PEERS, BULLYING ALL OF THE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS.

THE TEACHERS.

THEY'RE PUT IN A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE HAVING TO TRY TO REMEDIATE WITH THOSE STUDENTS AND TEACH, YOU KNOW, PROFESSIONALLY, THAT'S YOUR TIME.

I ASKED ANOTHER QUESTION, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.

YOUR THOUGHTS, DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

OKAY, SO THE QUESTION WAS, IS THE STRONG READERS ACT GOING TO DO WHAT TO CHANGE OUR THE DOWNGRADING?

YEAH, I WOULD SAY JUST LIKE THIS, I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LOUDLY YOU CLAP, HOW MUCH YOU YELL FROM THE SIDELINE, THERE'S A CAPACITY THAT YOUNG PEOPLE CAN COMMIT TO AND CAN EXCEED AND MATCH.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE LEGISLATION, ALTHOUGH THAT IS A GREAT SCAFFOLD TO WORK OFF OF.

THIS IS ABOUT THE CAPACITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THIS IS ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE FOR TEACHERS.

WE CAN DO SOME THINGS REGIONALLY ACROSS THIS STATE TO PUT IN REGIONAL SERVICE CENTERS, MUCH LIKE THEY DO IN OTHER STATES, AND BUILD THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NETWORK TO GET TRAINING REALLY EFFECTIVELY DELIVERED TO THE PRACTITIONERS IN OUR SCHOOL SETTINGS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO.

I THINK WE CAN MAKE SOME PROGRESS TOWARD THAT END.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT WE PROVIDE FOR OUR EDUCATORS, NOT ABOUT THE LEGISLATION THAT COMES TO US, ALTHOUGH THAT'S IMPORTANT.

THAT PROVIDES A SCAFFOLD WHERE THE REAL DIFFERENCE IS MADE IS WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE CAPACITY BUILDING THAT WE SUPPORT THAT WORK WITH.

AND AGAIN, CLASS SIZE MATTERS.

BEHAVIORAL TECHNICIANS MATTER BECAUSE TEACHERS ARE SAYING, I NEED TO STAY ON TIER ONE INSTRUCTION, BUT I'M STRUGGLING BECAUSE I HAVE SO MANY KIDDOS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH THEIR BEHAVIOR AND HOW WE MANAGE THAT EFFECTIVELY.

SO THERE ARE STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ALL IN CONCERT.

BUT AS MUCH AS WE TALK ABOUT LITERACY, WE'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT MATH BECAUSE WE'RE WOEFULLY BEHIND IN THAT.

THANK YOU.

OUR PARENTS AS INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AS THEY WERE MAYBE WHEN YOU ALL WERE YOUNGER.

AND IF NOT, HOW DO YOU PROPOSE TO GET THEM MORE INTERESTED IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION?

DOCTOR FRANKLIN, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

WELL, I CAN TELL YOU IN MY HOUSEHOLD AS GRANDPARENTS, WE'RE EQUALLY AS INVOLVED AS WE CAN POSSIBLY BE.

AS MY GRANDPARENTS WERE OUR PARENTS.

MY GRANDCHILDREN'S PARENTS ARE VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

IN FACT, THEY'RE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS.

AND SO THEY ARE VERY, VERY INVOLVED.

SO COMPARATIVELY, ON A BROAD BRUSH STATEMENT, I WOULD SAY IN SOME CASES, YES, IN SOME CASES THE ANSWER IS NO.

SO AGAIN, CONTEXTUALLY, I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT PARENTS ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT.

AND I THINK WHEN THAT HAPPENS COLLECTIVELY, WHEN EVERYBODY IS LEANING IN TOGETHER, THAT'S WHEN CHILDREN GROW MOST EFFECTIVELY AND MOST READILY.

WHEN A SCHOOL DISTRICT ALIGNS WITH PARENTS THAT EMBRACE THEIR INPUT AND THAT TEACHERS EMBRACE THEIR INPUT, THAT'S WHEN THE MAGIC STARTS TO HAPPEN.

AND WE CAN BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT CHILDREN ARE STRUGGLING WITH BECAUSE ALL OF US, ALL OF US CHILDREN, STRUGGLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES WITH DIFFERENT CONTENT THAT WAS THERE.

BUT WHEN WE CAN GET THAT CONTENT TO THEM AND WE CAN GET THAT TRANSPARENTLY DELIVERED TO THEM, AND PARENTS KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, THAT'S WHEN THE MAGIC STARTS TO HAPPEN.

SO, YOU KNOW, FROM A BROAD BRUSH STATEMENT TO SAY, BACK IN THE OLD DAYS, BACK IN MY DAY, PARENTS WERE SO MUCH MORE INVOLVED.

I WOULD SAY TODAY IN POCKETS, YOU COULDN'T GET A MORE INVOLVED PARENT THAN SOME OF THE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT I'VE BEEN IN, DOCTOR MARSHALL, IN APPROXIMATELY 2019, I MADE A SUGGESTION.

I REPRESENTED DISTRICT THREE, THE LARGEST OF SEVEN DISTRICTS IN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BECAUSE OF THE FACT WE DID NOT HAVE THE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND OTHER FACTORS, WE CREATED WHAT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE NORTH TULSA COMMUNITY EDUCATION TASK FORCE.

A TASK FORCE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE OKLAHOMA STATE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, AND THE COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS.

THAT PROGRAM SET UP A PARENT RESOURCE CENTER THAT PARENT PARENTS PROBLEMS, THEIR CONCERNS, THEIR NEEDS WERE BEING ADDRESSED.

WHETHER IT WAS.

THEY NEEDED MILK, THEY NEEDED DIAPERS.

THEY NEEDED CLOTHES, UNIFORMS, HELP FILING TAXES, HELP FINDING A JOB, OR ACTUALLY HELP LEARNING HOW TO DO A MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM WITH THEIR CHILD.

AND THAT CENTER WAS SET UP TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS TO ENSURE THAT WE WOULD INCREASE AND ENHANCE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.

SO WE MUST INVEST IN MORE PROGRAMS LIKE THAT STATEWIDE TO PROVIDE AN AVENUE FOR PARENTS TO COME IN, FEEL WELCOMED AND FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A PART OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS.

WE'LL BEGIN WITH DOCTOR FRANKLIN ON THIS, BUT PERHAPS YOU CAN ADDRESS EACH OTHER IN THIS QUESTION.

IT IS FOR BOTH OF YOU.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU AND HOW YOU WOULD RUN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION COMPARED TO YOUR OPPONENT?

WE'LL BEGIN WITH DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

OKAY, SO I WOULD START BY FIRST AND FOREMOST LOOKING AT RESUMES AND HOW WE HAVE DONE THE WORK IN THE PAST.

SO FOR 45 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK COLLECTIVELY, STARTING OUT AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, ALSO A HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, SERVED ALSO AS AN ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF A DISTRICT AND ALSO WORKED AT CAREERTECH.

SO I KNOW WHAT COLLABORATION LOOKS LIKE.

AND I'VE ALSO LEARNED SOME THINGS FROM AN EXECUTIVE POSITION AND FROM A LEADERSHIP POSITION.

YOU CAN ALSO RUN REALLY, REALLY FAST, BUT IF YOU DON'T BRING A TEAM ALONG WITH YOU, YOU WILL NOT MOVE THE AGENDA NEARLY AS FAR DOWN THE FIELD.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT, THAT COOPERATIVE SPIRIT, NOT A CONTRARIAN SPIRIT, BUT A VERY COLLECTIVE SPIRIT THAT BEGINS TO SAY, HERE'S HOW WE GO ABOUT THE WORK.

WE MAY NOT AGREE ON THINGS, BUT LET'S AGREE ON THE THING THAT'S IN FRONT OF US, AND THAT IS THE CHILDREN THAT WE'RE SERVING AND THE TEACHERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CELEBRATE AND ELEVATE ALONG THE WAY.

AND IF THAT'S OUR GOALPOST AND THAT'S WHERE WE BEGIN, THEN LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OUTCOMES THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO GET TO.

AND THEN WHERE ARE THE GAPS THAT ARE CAUSING US TO HAVE A CONCERN?

AND THEN WE BEGIN TO PUT PROGRAMING IN PLACE.

IT'S IT'S TERRIBLY INAPPROPRIATE TO SAY, I HAVE A PLAN AND I'LL BRING IT TO YOU.

THIS IS ONE WHERE WE BRING THAT ISSUE TO THE TABLE.

WE BRING STAKEHOLDERS TO THE TABLE AND SAY, LET'S CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THIS STATE WITHIN THE FIRST 100 DAYS, AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT AND BRING ALL STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING LEGISLATORS, PARENTS, AND BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY.

AND THEN WE SET SAIL AND WE BEGIN TO DO THE WORK.

SO, DOCTOR MARSHALL, HOW WOULD YOU DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU THINK THAN YOUR OPPONENT?

WELL, I LOOK AT THE FACT THAT I SERVED ON THE TULSA SCHOOL BOARD, A SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAS AN $800 MILLION BUDGET.

I WAS ABLE TO ADMINISTRATE THAT WHEN I'M ASKING TO GO TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, WHERE THERE'S A APPROXIMATELY $6 BILLION BUDGET AND ENSURE THAT I HAVE THE NETWORKS IN PLACE TO ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD LOOK AT IS THE FACT THAT HAVING A PLAN BY GOING OUT AND TRAVELING THIS STATE AND ALREADY HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS AND HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, EDUCATORS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND OTHERS, THE PLAN THAT I HAVE ALREADY PUT TOGETHER IS AN INVESTMENT OF WHAT THEY HAVE ALREADY GIVEN ME.

SO IT'S TO SAY THAT I DID NOT WAIT, BUT I AM PREPARED.

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT A TEAM OF TRANSFORMATIONAL EDUCATORS THAT HAVE A HISTORY IN OTHER AREAS OF TURNING SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATES AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION AND THE SITUATION THAT OKLAHOMA FINDS ITSELF IN.

TO SAY THAT I FEEL THAT I AM MORE THAN COMPETENT TO DAY ONE TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF LEADING THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA AS WE GO FORWARD IN EDUCATION.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WELL, THAT WRAPS UP OUR QUESTIONS.

WE'LL NOW GIVE EACH CANDIDATE ONE MINUTE FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT, AND THIS TIME WE WILL BEGIN WITH DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

OKAY.

VERY GOOD.

I THOUGHT IT WAS FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN BUT THAT'S GREAT.

WE'LL GO FIRST.

I LOVE THAT.

HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.

OKLAHOMA.

WE KNOW THAT TEACHERS ARE THE SOLUTION.

THEY ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.

WE JUST DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH OF THEM.

SO LET'S BEGIN THE WORK OF TRYING TO ELEVATE THIS PROFESSION, GROW THOSE TEACHERS, KEEP THOSE TEACHERS ALONG WITH US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOMS.

THAT IS A MUST, AND THAT'S A PRIORITY.

TEACHERS HAVE ALWAYS SERVED AS THE KARABINER, THE KARABINER FOR OPPORTUNITY, AND THE AMBASSADORS FOR HOPE, THE KARABINER FOR OPPORTUNITY AND THE AMBASSADORS OF HOPE.

THIS IS THE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE FOR 45 YEARS.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE HEAVY LIFT THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO DO TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE CANNOT WAIT ANOTHER MOMENT, AND WE CANNOT FIND OURSELVES BEING A WHIPPING POST FOR THE REST OF THE NATION.

WE'RE GOING TO OVERACHIEVE.

WE'RE GOING TO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT, AND I THINK I CAN HELP DO THAT.

THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, DOCTOR MARSHALL, ON NOVEMBER THE 3RD, OKLAHOMA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORY HERE IN OKLAHOMA AND TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR EVERY STUDENT, REGARDLESS OF ZIP CODE.

FOR 20 YEARS, OKLAHOMA INVESTED IN A PROVEN LEADER, SANDY GARRETT.

AND IN THAT TIME, SHE LIFTED OUR SCHOOLS UP TO 17TH IN THE NATION.

I'M ASKING OKLAHOMA TO REINVEST WITH THAT TYPE OF DRIVE, THAT SAME THRUST FOR EXCELLENCE, INVEST IN IT, THAT WE CAN CHANGE OUR CHILDREN'S ACADEMIC FUTURE, SUPPORT THE MARSHALL PLAN, VOTE FOR DOCTOR MARSHALL ON NOVEMBER 3RD.

FOR STATE SUPERINTENDENT.

I OFFER YOU A PROMISE, A PLAN, A NEW STANDARD FOR TEACHERS, FOR STUDENTS, AND FOR OKLAHOMA.

THANK YOU.

GOD BLESS OKLAHOMA, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES.

AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR DEBATE.

WE WANT TO THANK BOTH OF THE CANDIDATES, DOCTOR JANETTA MARSHALL AND DOCTOR ROBERT FRANKLIN, FOR AN INFORMATIVE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND WE WISH THEM BOTH WELL.

HEADING FORWARD TO THE NOVEMBER 3RD ELECTION AND AN IMPORTANT PROGRAMING NOTE, OETA WILL BE LIVE ON ELECTION NIGHT WITH THE VERY LATEST RESULTS BEGINNING AT 8 P.M.

OUR STAFF OF REPORTERS AND POLITICAL EXPERTS WILL BE SPREAD OUT ACROSS THE STATE TO PROVIDE ANALYSIS AND REACTION TO THE RESULTS AS THEY COME IN FOR TAELYR JACKSON AND OUR ENTIRE OETA STAFF THAT WORKED SO HARD TO ORGANIZE TONIGHT'S DEBATE.

I'M RICH LENZ DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.

GOOD EVENING.

OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

WE'LL RECAP OUR OETA STATE SUPERINTENDENTS DEBATE AIRING LIVE NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 29TH AT 7:00 ON OETA, FEATURING DOCTOR JENNETTIE MARSHALL AND DOCTOR ROBERT FRANKLIN.

PROGRAMING ON OETA IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE PRODUCERS CLUB.

THESE GENEROUS INVESTORS INVITE YOU TO JOIN OETA AS MEMBERS OF THE PRODUCERS CLUB.

YOUR INVESTMENT IN OETA IS AN INVESTMENT IN OKLAHOMA.

EVERY OKLAHOMA STUDENT DESERVES THE CHANCE TO DISCOVER SOMETHING AMAZING.

THAT'S WHY OETA BRINGS THE POWER OF PBS LEARNING MEDIA TO CLASSROOMS AND HOMES ACROSS OUR STATE.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OKLAHOMA STORIES BECOME LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH OETA AND PBS LEARNING MEDIA, EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES CAN ACCESS THOUSANDS OF FREE CLASSROOM READY RESOURCES INSPIRED BY PBS AND LOCAL OKLAHOMA CONTENT.

I LOVE IT.

WE'RE ON THE PRECIPICE OF A GREAT DISCOVERY.