Oklahoma To Require ‘America-First’ Test For Teachers From California And New York

What Happened

Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters has announced a new requirement for teachers seeking certification in the state if they are relocating from California or New York. Those applicants must pass a 50-question ‘America-first’ exam created in partnership with PragerU. 

Walters says the test is designed to ensure that educators entering Oklahoma classrooms share what he describes as traditional American values and are not bringing in what he sees as ‘woke indoctrination.’ The exam will reportedly cover topics including the U.S. Constitution, civic responsibility, religion in public life, and gender issues. Applicants must score 100% to pass.

The initiative is drawing national attention not only because of its content but also because of the exam specifically targets teachers from two politically liberal states. While Oklahoma already requires a civics exam for certification, this new test goes further by embedding questions on cultural and ideological issues.

Walters has bypassed the normal approval process of the state Board of Education, raising questions about the legality of the move and whether it could withstand legal challenges. 

Why It Matters

Supporters of the new test say it’s a necessary step to protect classrooms from what they view as activist teachers who prioritize progressive ideology over academic basics.

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They believe Oklahoma has the right to decide who educates its children and to set standards that reflect the community’s values. Walters has crafted the policy as part of a bigger fight to reclaim education from what he sees as left-leaning influence in American schools.

But some critics see it differently. Teachers’ unions and civil liberties groups warn that the measure functions as a political litmus test, excluding qualified educators for their personal beliefs rather than their ability to teach.

They believe that Oklahoma is already struggling with a severe teacher shortage and that adding more barriers could discourage skilled candidates from relocating. 

Legal experts also note that targeting applicants from only two states could open the door to constitutional challenges on equal protection grounds.

How It Affects You

For parents and students in Oklahoma, the change could mean fewer teachers from out of state filling open positions in local schools. That may reinforce Walters’ vision of schools aligned with conservative civic values, but it could also intensify staffing shortages, especially in rural districts already struggling to hire.

For any teachers considering a move to Oklahoma, the requirement adds a new hurdle, and potentially sends a signal about the political climate they would be stepping into.

On the national level, the policy highlights how education has become such a hot issue in America’s culture wars. Should Oklahoma succeed in implementing the test, other conservative-leaning states could follow with their own versions, embedding ideological screening into teacher certification.

But in the event that courts strike the decision down down, it could set boundaries on how far states can go in policing beliefs in the hiring process.

For everyday Oklahomans, the policy defines a new standard for who is eligible to teach in the state’s classrooms. It also establishes a framework that combines civic knowledge with professional requirements and could influence how future certification systems are shaped.

While the approach may remain unique to Oklahoma, it could also inspire similar measures elsewhere, making this development a potential marker in how states set expectations for their educators.

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