The Oklahoma Education Association is a left-of-center membership organization for education professionals in Oklahoma that supports increased funding for public schools and opposes school voucher policies. It is the Oklahoma state-level affiliate of the National Education Association.
Background
The Oklahoma Education Association was originally founded on October 19, 1889 as the “Oklahoma Teachers Association.” In October 1938, the organization was registered as a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) membership organization in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It is the Oklahoma-state affiliate of the National Education Association. 1 2
The association’s main office is in Oklahoma City, and it maintains a regional office in Tulsa. 1
Reading List
The Oklahoma Education Association features a reading list on “racial and social justice” for members on its website that includes critical race theory-aligned material, including How to be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi, “75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice” by Corinne Shutack, and Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment by Patricia Hill Collins. 3
Fund for Children and Public Education
The Oklahoma Education Association’s affiliated political action committee (PAC) is the Fund for Children and Public Education. On the former’s website, members are encouraged to donate and become involved with the PAC’s work. In alignment with the policy aims of the Oklahoma Education Association, the fund endorses candidates who support subsidizing student meal programs and increasing funding for public schools and who oppose programs that would allow parents to spend tax dollars that would otherwise go to public schools on private education. 4
Oklahoma Education Coalition
The Oklahoma Education Association is a founding member of the Oklahoma Education Coalition, a group of aligned organizations in Oklahoma opposed to Education Savings Accounts, policies that would allow parents to claim funds that would otherwise be allotted to public schools to finance their children’s education in private schools, homeschools, or other alternative educational arrangements. 5 1
The other members of the Oklahoma Education Coalition are the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School Administration, Organization of Rural Oklahoma Schools, United Suburban Schools Association, Oklahoma City Public Schools, Tulsa Public Schools, Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, and the Oklahoma Association of Career and Technology Education. 6
Leadership
Katherine Bishop is the president of the Oklahoma Education Association. Formerly, she was the organization’s vice president, an instructional coach at Putnam City West High School in west Oklahoma City, a member of the National Education Association’s IDEA Special Education Resource Cadre, co-chair of the Exceptional Needs Standards Committee for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and a member of the ELA Work Team for the Common Core State Standards. 7
Cari Elledge is the vice president of the Oklahoma Education Association as well as a fifth-grade teacher in Norman, Oklahoma. Previously, she was the full-time release president of the Professional Educators of Norman, the zone director for Southwest B on OEA’s board of directors, and chair of the OEA’s Communications Committee. 7
Carolyn Crowder is the executive director of the Oklahoma Education Association. Previously, she was the OEA’s president from 1997 to 2003, an artist-in-residence for Oklahoma City Public Schools, a music teacher in Mustang, Oklahoma, executive director of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, and the executive director of the Tennessee Education Association. 7
References
- “About OEA.” Oklahoma Education Association. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://okea.org/about-oea/.
- “Oklahoma Education Association.” ProPublica. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/730384310.
- “Racial and Social Justice.” Oklahoma Education Coalition. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://okea.org/initiatives/justice/.
- “Fund for Children & Public Education.” Oklahoma Education Association. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://okea.org/for-members/members-legislative/fund-for-children-public-education/.
- “#ESAisnotOK.” Oklahoma Education Coalition. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.okedcoalition.org/esa-is-not-ok.html
- Coalition Members.” Oklahoma Education Coalition. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.okedcoalition.org/
- “Executive Officers.” Oklahoma Education Association. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://okea.org/about-oea/executive-officers/