State Supt. Candidate Ryan Walters Reveals Plans Ahead Of Election

Oklahoma will be voting on a new State Superintendent next month, and the election comes down to Republican candidate Ryan Walters and Democratic candidate Jena Nelson.

News 9 will be following both campaigns and sat down with each candidate to talk about what they would do in the position. 

“I'm a candidate who's said from day one- I wanna work with parents, teachers and students- that's ultimately when you talk about education what education is all about- parents, teachers and students," Walters said.

He said he’s focused on the fundamentals of education.

“In Oklahoma we want an emphasis on the basics. We don't want topics that are dividing us, that are pushing indoctrination, we want to empower students of every background to be successful," Walters said.

He said he wants to conduct his own audit of the State Department of Education, to ensure funding is going where it’s needed most. 

“Instead of spending money on bureaucracy and hiring all these new administrators, we should hire more teachers, we should pay our teachers better and we should give our teachers the support they need," Walters said.

He said he wants transparency across the board, including where every dollar is going in Oklahoma schools.

“I will ensure that schools are showing parents not only what curriculum is being taught but also how their money is being spent," Walters said.

Walters is headed to a campaign event in Prior Thursday night and will continue traveling across the state on his campaign.