Sen. Mann files bills to protect schools and teachers from politics

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoman City, has filed a pair of bills to ensure public schools and teachers can focus on educating children instead of expending time and resources fending off political attacks. Mann’s bills would move the supervision of the Accreditation Standards Division and the Teacher Certification Division from the State Department of Education (SDE) to the Commission for Education Quality and Accountability (CEQA).

“Ryan Walters has caused uncertainty and chaos in our schools by using accreditation and certification as weapons to advance his personal political agenda,” Mann said. “We cannot and will not sit idly by and allow him to continue to target schools and educators in order to grab the media spotlight.”

Senate Bill 374 is the measure that moves oversight of the Accreditation Standards Division away from SDE. Under the legislation, the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability would investigate complaints regarding failure to comply with accreditation standards and would direct CEQA to assume the duties of adopting accreditation standards and evaluating schools.

Senate Bill 556 moves the duty of issuing teacher certificates to the CEQA, which would assume the duties of licensure and certification of individuals for instructional, supervisory, and administrative positions and services. CEQA would have the authority to enforce rules related to issuing or revoking teaching certificates.  

“All children deserve a great education. These bills are a straightforward way to ensure the superintendent does not continue to use teachers and schools as pawns in his political games so they can focus on our students’ success,” Mann said.

If they become law, both measures would remain on the books until March 31, 2027.

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Mark Mann at 405-590-4471 or Mark.Mann@oksenate.gov