For more than 40 years, I’ve taught, coached, counseled, and led schools across Oklahoma. In every role, one truth has stood firm: teachers are the heartbeat of our schools and the catalyst for every improvement we hope to make. When they are respected and equipped, students thrive. When they are overburdened, outcomes suffer.
Today, too many teachers feel trapped under testing mandates, paperwork, and politics. They entered this profession to change lives, not to become compliance officers. If Oklahoma wants stronger schools, higher academic outcomes, and restored public confidence, we must start by empowering teachers to do what they do best – teach.
Replace Bureaucracy With Trust
For years, Oklahoma teachers have been required to administer spring tests that don’t return results for months – far too late to help struggling students. This system frustrates teachers and leaves parents in the dark.
Under my leadership, we will replace outdated, once-a-year tests with growth-based benchmark assessments that give teachers real-time information they can use immediately. This shift doesn’t just help learning – it restores teachers’ ability to lead their classrooms with confidence.
Prioritize Reading and Math Foundations
Our statewide rankings in literacy and math speak for themselves. But the solution isn’t more testing – it’s better teaching tools. Too often, educators are given scripted programs that stifle their professional training. We must invest in reading science, phonics instruction, and strong math foundations and give teachers the freedom to deliver these skills in ways they know work.
Professional development should not be a box to check. It should build mastery, confidence, and consistency across classrooms. Teachers are the experts; our job is to support them, not sideline them.
Support Special Education Teachers and Families
The teachers who serve Oklahoma’s special needs students are among the most dedicated professionals in our state, yet they are routinely weighed down by excessive paperwork, misaligned testing requirements, and unrealistic caseloads. Parents are frustrated, teachers are exhausted, and students lose valuable instructional time.
IEPs should be parent-driven and growth-focused, not paperwork-driven. Special education teachers deserve systems that reward progress, not compliance. When special needs students grow, whole schools grow.
Restore Respect to the Profession
Across Oklahoma, teachers tell me the same thing: “I just want to teach.” They aren’t asking for perfection – they’re asking for support, stability, and respect. They deserve leaders who listen, who have walked in their shoes, and who will protect classrooms from political agendas.
As a lifelong educator, and as a papa to six grandchildren, I know what’s at stake. Our children cannot rise until our teachers rise. They deserve a superintendent who sees them as partners – not obstacles – and who knows from experience what it takes to run a school.
If we want stronger schools, safer classrooms, higher achievement, and better opportunities for every child, the formula is simple:
Let teachers teach again.
That’s how we will Make Education Great Again – for today’s students and tomorrow’s Oklahoma.
By Dr. John Cox, Peggs Public School Superintendent and Candidate for State Superintendent