Oklahoma lawmakers, State Chamber want to rebuild trust with teachers

By Alexia Aston, The Oklahoman

Updated Jan. 23, 2026, 3:02 p.m. CT

Oklahoma's elected leaders and the state's leading business group have their sights set on improving literacy ahead of the 2026 legislative session. But to do that, they have acknowledged that they must also rebuild trust with educators after two tumultuous years under former State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters.

From calling teachers unions "terrorist groups" to injecting Christianity into public school curriculum, the dramatic and tense era of Walters ended in October when he stepped down to work in the private sector.

With a new state superintendent overseeing the Oklahoma State Department of Education, Chad Warmington, the State Chamber of Oklahoma's president and chief executive officer, called it "a new day" for the long embattled agency and the state's K-12 school system.

"It's one of those things when opportunity and the right people and the right momentum get together," Warmington said at a news conference Wednesday, Jan. 21. "Our timing's just kind of ordained to make some really big gains."

Chad Warmington, the State Chamber of Oklahoma president and CEO, introduces his organization’s 2026 annual agenda alongside the state’s legislative leaders at the State Chamber Conference Hall in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026

The Chamber is a major driving force behind business-related legislation at the Capitol every year, such as pro-business legal reform. Two lobbyists for the Chamber were among the busiest at the Capitol last session. This year, literacy is at the top of the lobbying group's agenda as part of its campaign to strengthen Oklahoma's economy.

According to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Education, 43% of third grade students scored at or above the proficient level on the reading state test in 2023-2024. Among students in fourth grade, 23% scored at or above proficient in 2024, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Literacy at forefront of legislative effort

The Chamber is backing legislation that seeks to strengthen and expand the Strong Readers Act, direct universities to create research and development opportunities and ensure students receive graduation credit for work-based learning experience.

In November, Rick Nagel, the chair of the Chamber’s board of directors and a member of the University of Oklahoma Board of Regents, described literacy as a pathway to good jobs, better health and community engagement.

“As a state, we need to be committed and making sure that all of our kids have the opportunity to learn to read, so that they can from there, read to learn and put themselves in a good position where they can take control of their destiny and live the American dream,” he said.

On Wednesday, Jan. 21, Warmington said he's heard from teachers who question why the group is just now engaging in improving education. He called those fair questions, adding that the group should've been involved sooner, but it's now built relationships and a dialogue with educators and superintendents.

"They're right to be a little bit concerned," Warmington said. "They're right to maybe question, 'Why now?' for the State Chamber, so we're going to work to rebuild that trust."

Sen. Adam Pugh, Senate Education committee chairman, said rebuilding that trust starts with communication and building personal relationships. Pugh, who's running to become the next state superintendent, said he welcomes feedback from educators, adding that he's hosting hundreds of them at the Oklahoma Capitol next week.

"We have a state department that's communicating properly, and the language we use to edify and encourage people who are spending time inside every single Oklahoma school, that's really important," Pugh, R-Edmond, said. "That's what you'll see from us, and it's what you have seen from us."

House Speaker Kyle Hilbert turned the question of trust around to educators, saying that over the past nine legislative sessions, the Legislature has set new records for public school funding, and he doesn't expect that to end this session.

"The funding has improved," Hilbert, R-Bristow, said. "Now, we need to also talk about outcomes."

Oklahoma House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, talks about improving literacy in Oklahoma as part of the State Chamber of Oklahoma’s 2026 annual agenda at the State Chamber Conference Hall in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026

He said lawmakers put words on a piece of paper by writing bills, but if nobody executes those words, they're just words.

"If we want to drive the needle and truly plant a flag in the ground and improve our reading outcomes, somebody's got to implement those words that are on pieces of paper," Hilbert said. "Who's doing that? It's our educators."