In a bold and controversial move, Oklahoma is set to become the first state to implement a screening test for teachers relocating from traditionally liberal states. The policy, spearheaded by Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters, is aimed at aligning incoming educators with the state’s conservative educational standards and philosophy.
Walters revealed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the test will debut next week and is specifically designed for teachers moving into Oklahoma from blue states. “We offered the largest signing bonuses for teachers in the country,” Walters said. “If you’re in the top 10 percent of teachers in the country, we give you $50,000 in Oklahoma. So we’ve seen teachers come from blue states, red states all over to come to Oklahoma. They especially are fleeing the teachers unions, the grip that they’ve had on them in these blue states.”
The forthcoming certification exam—unofficially dubbed the “America First” test—will reportedly assess basic knowledge in civics, U.S. history, and what Walters described as “common sense.” He added that the test is being developed in partnership with conservative media organization and think tank PragerU. This marks the first time a state has officially collaborated with PragerU to implement a teacher certification program.
The collaboration isn’t new. Oklahoma previously worked with PragerU to reshape its history curriculum, with Walters emphasizing a focus on American exceptionalism and biblical references. “We put the Bible back in our history standards,” Walters said.
The initiative has sparked heated reactions, particularly due to its ideological underpinnings and targeting of “woke” educators. Walters cited states like Maine, California, and New York as having implemented educational policies that are “antithetical” to Oklahoma’s values. “One of the things that we wanted to do is…make sure we’re not getting these woke, indoctrinating social justice warriors in the classroom,” he said.
Walters singled out California Governor Gavin Newsom’s gender education policies as a key driver of Oklahoma’s decision. Under California law, schools are required to teach students about “gender, gender expression, gender identity,” and to explore “the harm of negative gender stereotypes.” These mandates, according to Walters, reflect a political ideology that Oklahoma seeks to keep out of its classrooms.
“When we see Maine take the extraordinary steps to fight President Trump… Every county in Oklahoma voted for President Trump,” Walters added, pointing to ideological differences between red and blue states.
The superintendent’s stance has not gone unchallenged. During a recent board meeting, some of his colleagues questioned the necessity and legality of the proposed test. Board member Ryan Deatherage requested legal documentation to verify that the board’s approval wasn’t needed, while another member, Chris Van Denhende, argued that teachers are already contractually obligated to teach Oklahoma standards.
Walters dismissed their concerns, calling Van Denhende “a puppet for the teachers union” and accusing critics of parroting “the lies of the NEA [National Education Association].” He continued, “We are seeing indoctrination on kids like never before.”
PragerU also issued a statement supporting the initiative. “We have been closely following the implementation of teacher training and testing programs — such as the PRISM test imposed on educators in states like California — and we fully understand why superintendents of education, like Ryan Walters, feel compelled to protect their students from the extreme left-wing ideologies,” a spokesperson said. “It is our honor to help reverse the damage caused by these trends by equipping educators with higher-quality resources and holding them accountable to do what is right for their students.”
