The Oklahoma Secretary of Education is a cabinet-level position appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Oklahoma State Senate, created under the Executive Branch Reform Act of 1986 to advise the governor on education policy and coordinate the state agencies, boards, and institutions assigned to the education cabinet area.1Oklahoma Legal Information. Oklahoma Code 74-10.3 – Creation of Cabinet System The role carries a statutory salary cap of $65,000. Daniel Hamlin currently holds the position, appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt.2Oklahoma.gov. Commission – Office of Educational Quality and Accountability
What the Secretary Does
The core job is advising the governor on education policy and coordinating the agencies that fall within the education cabinet area. The position oversees the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, which handles teacher certification and teacher preparation program accreditation.2Oklahoma.gov. Commission – Office of Educational Quality and Accountability Beyond that specific agency, the secretary coordinates every board, commission, and institution the governor’s executive order assigns to the education portfolio.1Oklahoma Legal Information. Oklahoma Code 74-10.3 – Creation of Cabinet System
In practice, that means reviewing budget requests from education agencies, identifying legislative priorities the governor wants to pursue, and working to align degree programs at Oklahoma’s colleges and universities with workforce needs. When the governor issues executive orders affecting schools or higher education, the secretary oversees implementation. The role also involves keeping agency directors in communication with one another, so efforts aren’t duplicated and the governor’s office stays informed about emerging issues.
How the Position Is Filled
The governor selects a nominee, usually someone with a background in education administration, policy, or academic leadership. Under Title 74, Section 10.3, the appointment requires the advice and consent of the Oklahoma State Senate.1Oklahoma Legal Information. Oklahoma Code 74-10.3 – Creation of Cabinet System The secretary can be hired directly through the governor’s office budget or drawn from among the agency heads already working within the education cabinet area.
There’s no fixed term. Cabinet secretaries serve at the pleasure of the governor and can be replaced at any time without cause. If the position becomes vacant, the governor has 30 calendar days to appoint a successor through the same process.1Oklahoma Legal Information. Oklahoma Code 74-10.3 – Creation of Cabinet System
Salary
Oklahoma law caps the Secretary of Education’s compensation at $65,000 per year, paid monthly. That ceiling is among the lowest in the cabinet. The Secretary of Finance and Administration can earn up to $90,000, and the Secretary of Safety and Security up to $85,000. The $65,000 cap matches those set for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.3Justia. Oklahoma Code 74-10.5 – Salaries
The low ceiling shapes who takes the job. Education cabinet officials in other states often earn well above $100,000, so the Oklahoma role tends to attract people motivated by policy influence rather than pay. It also partly explains why governors frequently appoint existing agency heads, who already draw a separate agency salary, rather than hiring an outside candidate into a standalone role.
Can an Agency Head Also Serve as Secretary?
Yes. Governors have paired the two roles since the cabinet system began in the 1980s, but the arrangement was challenged as improper dual office holding. The Oklahoma Supreme Court resolved the question in 2025. In Stitt v. Drummond, the court held that Title 74, Section 10.3 specifically allows the governor to appoint agency heads as cabinet secretaries, creating a valid exception to the general prohibition against holding two state offices. Reading the statute otherwise, the court reasoned, would render that provision meaningless.4Oklahoma.gov. Governor Stitt Celebrates Victory in Secretary Lawsuit The practical effect is that a governor can, for example, appoint the head of the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to also serve as Secretary of Education without facing a dual-office challenge.
How the Secretary Differs From Other Oklahoma Education Officials
Oklahoma has several overlapping education authorities, and this is where most confusion arises. The Secretary of Education is not the person running the public schools, and does not sit on the State Board of Education.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
The State Superintendent is an entirely separate position established by Article VI, Section 1 of the Oklahoma Constitution. The Superintendent is elected statewide and serves as the chief executive of the Oklahoma State Department of Education, managing the day-to-day operations of the public school system. The Secretary of Education, by contrast, is appointed by the governor and focuses on broader policy coordination across the administration’s education agenda. The two officials answer to different bosses: the Superintendent to voters, the Secretary to the governor. That can produce productive alignment or open friction depending on where their priorities sit.
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
The State Regents coordinate Oklahoma’s system of 25 public colleges and universities, handling academic standards, degree programs, tuition policies, and system-wide budget requests to the legislature.5Transparency Oklahoma Performance. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education The Secretary serves as the governor’s point of contact with the Regents, working to align higher education objectives with the administration’s workforce and economic development goals. Because the Regents have their own constitutional authority, the Secretary’s role here is coordination and influence rather than direct control.
State Board of Education
The State Board of Education governs the public school system and is made up of six appointed members plus the Superintendent of Public Instruction.6Oklahoma State Department of Education. State Board of Education The Secretary of Education does not sit on this board but tracks its regulatory decisions on curriculum, school accreditation, and district requirements so the governor’s office stays informed. Awareness of board actions is part of the job even without a formal seat.