Governor Stitt Thanks Secretary Nellie Sanders for her Service, Appoints Dan Hamlin as New Secretary of Education
Today, Governor Kevin Stitt announced that Secretary of Education Nellie Sanders would be stepping away to continue to fight for the students of Oklahoma in the private sector.
“Nellie’s passion for students, especially those that don’t fit the traditional education mold, has revolutionized the Oklahoma education system,” said Gov. Stitt. “She sees students who think differently in a way no one else does, and our state is better for it. Her passion for education is irreplaceable, but her dedication to the students will continue to be well-served as she fights for Oklahoma outside of the walls of government.”
“Serving as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education has been the honor of my lifetime,” says Secretary Sanders. “Under Governor Stitt’s leadership, we have taken important steps forward: establishing Science of Reading requirements for teacher certification, launching the Human Potential for Future Industries Task Force, and pioneering teacher apprenticeship pathways to ensure success for all students. These are lasting foundations that will help open doors for Oklahoma students for years to come.”
Governor Stitt will name University of Oklahoma professor Dan Hamlin as his new secretary of education.
“I’m excited to bring Dan to the team,” said Governor Stitt. “He brings a new perspective that will pay dividends as we work to stabilize the Oklahoma State Department of Education and turnaround our education system.”
“Oklahoma is a state that's full of promise, but our children need a strong education to pursue the opportunities available to them,” said Hamlin. “For many years, I have dedicated my work to researching how to strengthen education systems, so I am thrilled to have an opportunity to work with our partners across the state to do just that.”
Daniel Hamlin is Presidential Professor in education policy and Faculty Director of the Oklahoma Center for Education Policy (OCEP) at the University of Oklahoma. He is the founding director of OCEP, Editor-in-Chief of the Oklahoma Education Journal, and Research Affiliate at the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University. He has been published by a variety of widely respected journals and won multiple awards for his work in the education space.
