Three candidates compete for Oklahoma City schools board chairperson seat

Two candidates are vying to defeat the two-term incumbent to become the next chairperson of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education.

Paula Lewis is seeking a third term after being elected to the role in 2017. Challenging the board’s leader are Niah Spriggs, a former Oklahoma City Public Schools teacher who started a homeschool collective in 2023, and Jan Barrick, founder and CEO of Alpha Plus Education systems.

More: Oklahoma City Public Schools raises 33 teacher salaries through state’s teacher bonus program

Voters in the Oklahoma City school district will vote in the board chair primary election on Feb. 11. If no candidate earns more than 50% of the vote, the two with the highest vote totals would advance to an April 1 general election.

Who is OKCPS Board Chair Paula Lewis?

Lewis is from Lawton and an alumna of Eisenhower High School, according to her Oklahoma City Public Schools profile. She holds multiple degrees, including a bachelor’s in biology, a bachelor’s in occupational therapy and master’s degree of business administration.

The chairperson is a former professional golfer and the current co-owner of Quest Pediatric Therapy.

“For over 30 years, I’ve built my career as an entrepreneur and an occupational therapist dedicated to helping others thrive,” Lewis said during her opening remarks at a debate between the candidates earlier this week hosted by NonDoc and KWTV-9. “I’ve had the distinct privilege to bring those skillsets forward to this board. I want every child to thrive.”

Lewis said the biggest issue facing OKCPS is the fear of federal funds freezing as of President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Prior to that, the district’s biggest issue was chronic absenteeism, she added. According to the Oklahoma schools report cards, about 60% of Oklahoma City Public Schools’ students were in good attendance during the 2023-24 academic year.

How does Paula Lewis plan to address OKCPS’ low proficiency rates?

Across the state, about 45% of students scored proficient in state tests in English language arts, according to the 2023-24 Oklahoma school report cards. In comparison, that statistic is about 27% for Oklahoma City Public Schools. In math, 41% of students across the state scored proficient compared to 22% for OKCPS students.

It’s not the role of the board chair to enact policies and initiatives related to improving the district’s proficiency rates, Lewis said during the debate. It’s up to the superintendent, she added, though it’s her responsibility to communicate parents’ concerns to the superintendent.

Paula Lewis’ stance on the push for a cellphone ban in schools

Amid a push from the state Legislature to ban cellphones in classrooms, Lewis was the only candidate to raise her hand during the debate when asked who’d support a districtwide cellphone ban.

More: Oklahoma lawmakers are considering ways to limit cellphone use by students at school

Even if the state Legislature doesn’t pass a law banning cellphones in schools, Lewis said she thinks Oklahoma City Public Schools should consider this policy anyway.

“It is important that we address the wellness of our children’s’ mental health, and we know that screen time is affecting their ability to focus, and their ability to not feel depressed and hopeless,” Lewis said.

Paula Lewis addresses Ryan Walters’ push for counting undocumented students, support for ICE raids

State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters is seeking to require schools to report the number of undocumented students and parents in their districts. He’s also vocalized support for immigration enforcement raids in schools.

More: Hundreds protest Ryan Walters’ proposed citizenship rule: ‘These children, they are not criminals’

Lewis said it’s the anti-immigrant rhetoric from elected officials that’s hurting kids. She added that she doesn’t agree with checking students’ citizenship status.

“We have to start thinking about these kids no matter what their skin color is,” Lewis said.

Paula Lewis opposes placing Bibles in schools

As Walters seeks to further put Bibles in schools, Lewis said she’s opposed to this, adding that OKCPS should instead focus on improving its proficiency rates and absenteeism.

Who is Niah Spriggs?

Spriggs was born and raised in Oklahoma City where she graduated from Millwood High School, according to her website. She’s a first-generation college student with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, a master’s degree of business administration, a master’s degree in urban education and advanced coursework toward a Ph.D. in psychology, according to her website.

She worked in finance, eventually becoming an auditor on Wall Street, before starting businesses in Oklahoma City, including NEAT Education Solutions.

“I am running for change. I am running to tell you that we can do something different,” Spriggs said during her opening remarks of the debate. “I have seen it. I have worked in it and therefore, I can lead it.”

Like Lewis, Spriggs said the biggest issue facing Oklahoma City Public Schools is chronic absenteeism. If elected, Spriggs promised to implement systems and bring in outside help to address this issue.

How does Niah Sprigg plan to address OKCPS’ low proficiency rates?

If elected, Spriggs plans to create districtwide initiatives aimed at increasing child literacy rates and math scores aimed at showing significant improvements in student achievement levels, according to her website.

Niah Spriggs’ stance on the push for a cellphone ban in schools

Spriggs called cellphones a distraction during the debate, but said they can be useful tools in the classroom. She added that they should be used in a responsible way.

“Cellphones are here. This is the year 2025,” Spriggs said.

Niah Spriggs addresses Ryan Walters’ push for counting undocumented students, support for ICE raids

Citing the potential of students being separated from their parents due to deportation, Spriggs said Walters isn’t thinking about the number of problems that could arise from targeting undocumented students and their families. She added she’s completely opposed to ICE raids in schools.

“Please leave the schools out of this,” Spriggs said during the debate.

Niah Spriggs opposes placing Bibles in schools

Spriggs said she doesn’t support placing Bibles in classrooms, adding that schools should get back to the basics.

“We do not need to have every teacher in a classroom teaching the Bible,” she said.

More: Hundreds protest Ryan Walters’ proposed citizenship rule: ‘These children, they are not criminals’

Who is Jan Barrick?

Barrick, like Lewis, is from Lawton where she graduated from Eisenhower High School. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education, according to her website.

Barrick is the founder and CEO of Alpha Plus Education systems, an education consulting business. Her website boasts helping numerous schools achieve Blue Ribbon status.

“Oklahoma City has a problem,” Barrick said during her opening remarks. “I am the only person on this stage that has a solution. All of my career, I have been working to improve Oklahoma schools.”

How does Jan Barrick plan to address OKCPS’ low proficiency rates?

Barrick said the biggest issue facing OKCPS is proficiency rates. She promised to vastly improve the district’s low rates within her first year, if elected.

Her website says Barrick has taken the lowest performing schools in the state to National Blue Ribbon Schools, and she promised do the same for the Oklahoma City district.

Jan Barrick’s stance on the push for a cellphone ban in schools

During the debate, Barrick said she’s personally against cellphones in schools, but the choice to ban them in individual classrooms should be up to teachers.

Jan Barrick addresses Ryan Walters’ push for counting undocumented students, support for ICE raids

During the debate, Barrick said she doesn’t support ICE raids at Oklahoma City Public Schools. However, she said that if the state requires schools to report the number of its undocumented students, this could be done during enrollment as to not disrupt learning in the school year.

“Every student in the United States has access to free, equitable, equal education,” Barrick said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re legal or not legal.”

Jan Barrick opposes placing Bibles in schools

While she opposes putting Bibles in classrooms, Barrick said she read Bible stories to her students every day when she was a teacher. She added that she didn’t think putting Bibles in the classroom was ever barred.

“I don’t think anyone wants teachers or undesignated people to teach the Bible,” Barrick said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Three candidates vie for Oklahoma City schools board chairperson seat

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