Walters Visits Storm-Affected Districts in Ardmore, Plainview, and Marietta

Oklahoma City, Okla – State Superintendent Ryan Walters visited school district leaders in Ardmore, Plainview, and Marietta today to offer continued support in the wake of last weekend’s severe weather.

“Folks in southern Oklahoma are meeting the challenges they’ve been given head-on,” said Walters. “I am proud our agency is providing resources and assistance to get our schools back up and running while ensuring our students are supported every step of the way.”

Superintendent Walters shared footage of the damage in Marietta on X (formerly Twitter) here:
https://x.com/RyanWaltersSupt/status/1785387743817658514

OSDE is working with affected districts to:

• Provide waivers or extensions for statewide testing.
• Expedite claims, provide exemptions for any requirements (including school day requirements), and extend any deadlines necessary.
• Make available the OSDE crisis response team to any district needing additional support or resources.
• Deploy additional OSDE staff to substitute in districts with teachers who need to attend to any personal losses and challenges.
• Reach out to families who receive support from SoonerStart to ensure continuity of services for infants and toddlers.
• Ensure that schools have access to programs under Child Nutrition and provide contact information nonprofits, such as the Regional Food Bank.
• Utilize any other OSDE resources to be made available to students and districts in need.