Oklahoma, which ranks 49th out of 50 states in education, is implementing a new requirement for teachers seeking licensure in the state.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) recently announced its partnership with conservative nonprofit PragerU to compose an assessment for teachers relocating from states with "progressive" educational curricula. So far, the states of origin are set to include California and New York, but others are still being decided upon.

According to Fox News (which first announced the partnership), the educators will be assessed on these primary topics:

"knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, understanding of American exceptionalism, and grasp[ing] fundamental biological differences between boys and girls...The goal of the new assessment is to ensure educators align with OSDE's commitment to an education rooted in truth, patriotism and core values."

State Superintendent Ryan Walters, when interviewed about the upcoming changes, said Oklahoma classrooms will not be a place for "woke agendas" and "leftist propaganda," thus teachers seeking to teach there must "know the Constitution, respect what makes America great, and understand basic biology".

What is PragerU?

PragerU, short for Prager University (despite its lack of degrees and accreditation), is a nonprofit co-founded by radio talk show host Dennis Prager. The organization was founded to, according to its website, "promote American values through the creative use of digital media, technology and edu-tainment".

The nonprofit produces a variety of documentaries, movies, educational content, shows, and other forms of media promoting conservative, right-wing ideals and figures. They create content for viewers ranging from young children to adults.

The 'America-First' assessment is not PragerU's introduction into schools. In July 2023, for example, Florida was the first state to allow its classrooms to utilize the nonprofit's educational videos. By September 2023, Montana, New Hampshire and Oklahoma followed.

While PragerU does have a loyal fan base and viewership by the millions, the organization has also been accused of promoting climate change misinformation and downplaying slavery and historical racial violence.

This is also not the first time Oklahoma has made headlines regarding its educational curriculum. In April, the state implemented a new set of educational standards, one of which includes lessons on "discrepancies in 2020 election results."

Students will examine graphs, halts of ballot-counting in certain cities and states, the risks of mail-in voting practices, the "unprecedented contradiction of 'bellwether county' trends" among others.

The curriculum has received enthusiastic support from Ryan Walters, the aforementioned State Superintendent, but it has been heavily condemned by Democratic and Republican politicians alike. Conspiracy theories that the 2020 election was stolen have lingered despite extensive studies proving otherwise.

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Oklahoma's state of education

Image Credits: Element5 Digital from Unsplash

A variety of studies have placed Oklahoma in 49th place when it comes to education, only ranking higher than New Mexico.

Teachers are leaving, absenteeism is rising, and test scores are dropping. Comparative nationwide, proficiency among students has consistently been found to be below average.

Education reporter Beth Wallis found,

"Oklahoma ranked 47 in fourth grade reading and 48th in eighth grade reading. For math, fourth graders ranked 44th, and eighth graders ranked 45th...Only a fifth of Oklahoma eighth graders tested proficient in reading, compared to the 29% national average. Fourth graders scored at a 23% proficiency rate, compared to 30% nationally. In math, 31% of fourth graders tested proficient, compared to 39% nationally. Seventeen percent of eighth graders tested proficient, compared to 27% nationally."