Walters Fights for Education; Teacher Bonuses, Literacy Funding, and Bibles Headline OSDE Budget Presentation

Oklahoma City, Okla – Today, State Superintendent Ryan Walters, visited the House Appropriations and Budget Committee to present the OSDE 2026 Fiscal Year Budget. Walters continues to push hard for teachers, students, parents, and school safety. Additionally, he is calling for an 8% decrease in OSDE operational budget.

"When we invest in teachers, curriculum, and the classroom, students end up as the big winners," said Walters on Wednesday. "We appreciate the Oklahoma Legislature's partnership, and we look forward to working together to create a world-class education system in Oklahoma."

    Walters, whose budget includes an ask to invite God back into the classroom with funding for bibles, touted his department’s 2025 victories prior to laying out the investments necessary to continue to improve Oklahoma's Education System.

"We appreciate Superintendent Walters’ dedication to our students and proven programs like high dosage tutoring," said Appropriations and Budget Committee Vice Chair Toni Hasenbeck. "He has proven that he is willing to go to bat, time and time again, for Oklahoma's teachers, parents, students, and school safety."

    Hasenbeck spent almost two decades in the classroom, teaching students of all ages in three different school districts.