Oklahoma City Public Schools announces new administration, staff positions

Superintendent Sean McDaniel on Friday announced a plan to dedicate $600,000 toward additional administrative, leadership and mental health staff for Oklahoma City Public Schools.

McDaniel said the reorganization plan included three more administrative positions and an unspecified number of new leadership directors, school counselors and nurses.

“As I spent this year listening and learning about the many challenges faced by our students, families and staff, it was apparent that there were a number of gaps that could not be filled without structural changes to the way our organization operates,” McDaniel said in the announcement. “I have spent the past few months assessing the gaps in our support for schools and redesigning the organization in a way that I believe will allow us to better anticipate and respond to the needs of our students, families, and teachers.”

The $600,000 devoted to the reorganization plan will amount to less than 1% of the annual district budget.

The school district will add a director of mental health position and more school counselors and nurses to “bring trauma-informed practices into our schools,” the superintendent said.

McDaniel announced the investment is a partnership with the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools, the Oklahoma City Chamber, United Way of Central Oklahoma and the city of Oklahoma City. The initiative focuses on the mental, physical, social and emotional health of students and families.

“These teams will continue to shine a light on the many challenges that our students bring with them into the classroom and provide the appropriate supports, which our teachers have clearly told us are needed in order to improve students' access to learning,” McDaniel said.

The reorganization will divide the deputy chief of schools position into two assistant superintendents, one overseeing secondary education and the other elementary education. Human resources administrator Jason Brown will assist the two assistant superintendents as a deputy superintendent, overseeing human resources, academics and student support.

Chief of Staff Rebecca Kaye will shift into a new role of chief of equity and accountability.

District educators called “loud and clear” for increased instructional support for principals, according to the announcement. McDaniel’s plan will add more instructional leadership directors, allowing each employee to focus on a smaller number of schools. The instructional support team will increase the guidance each director could devote to individual schools.

“Just changing the organizational structure will not get us where we need to be, but it's a significant step in addressing the issues we've uncovered after a yearlong process of gathering input and listening to our students, staff and families,” McDaniel said.