Walters and OSDE must be held accountable for U.S. News rankings controversy

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has called for State Superintendent Ryan Walters and other Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) leaders to be held accountable after it was revealed that OSDE failed to submit crucial data to U.S. News and World Report, resulting in a significant drop in Oklahoma schools’ rankings.

According to a report by News 4, OSDE did not provide U.S. News with Advanced Placement (AP) testing data for Oklahoma high schools for the past two years. This omission caused many schools to plummet in both state and national rankings, with some schools dropping more than 100 spots.

The issue only arose after State Superintendent Ryan Walters took office in January 2023, as the data had been successfully submitted under previous administrations. When questioned about the missing data, an OSDE spokesperson claimed that the information may have been lost in the mail.

Governor Stitt emphasized the importance of accurate data for promoting Oklahoma to families and businesses. He expressed concern that the rankings impact the state’s reputation and economic development opportunities. Stitt stressed the need for accountability and transparency in addressing the oversight.

Stitt highlighted the significance of the U.S. News rankings in decision-making processes and underscored the importance of ensuring that all relevant information is provided to accurately represent Oklahoma’s educational system. He called for a thorough investigation into the matter and urged for corrective actions to be taken to rectify the situation.