Ryan Walters, OSDE partner with PragerU to vet teachers with 'America First' test

The Oklahoma State Department of Education is partnering with PragerU to develop an assessment for teachers relocating from states with progressive education policies, the department announced Wednesday.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said the assessment is intended to ensure educators align with Oklahoma’s commitment to an "America First" education rooted in truth, patriotism and traditional values.

The assessment will evaluate educators on their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, their understanding of American exceptionalism and their grasp of biological differences between boys and girls, according to Walters. He said the standards reflect the state’s goal of protecting students from what he described as divisive ideologies.

“We’re sending a clear message: Oklahoma’s schools will not be a haven for woke agendas pushed in places like California and New York,” Walters said in a press release. “If you want to teach here, you’d better know the Constitution, respect what makes America great and understand basic biology. We’re raising a generation of patriots, not activists, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep leftist propaganda out of our classrooms.”

PragerU CEO Marissa Streit praised the partnership.

“We’re thrilled to join Oklahoma in answering parents’ call against senseless woke indoctrination,” Streit said. “This assessment will stop extreme leftist ideologies from harming children and ensure teachers champion America’s greatness and future potential.”

Walters said the department will work with PragerU in the coming weeks to finalize the assessment, which will be implemented immediately once completed.

According to Walters, the initiative aligns with the Trump administration’s America First agenda.