TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist is stepping down.
"I am departing because I believe that doing so offers the best chance for control of our schools to remain where they belong: in Tulsa with our elected Board of Education and aligned with the values of our community," she wrote in her letter. READ the full letter here.
Her decision comes after months of tension between Gist and State Superintendent Ryan Walters over the district. The district's accreditation is being voted on in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
"It is no secret that our state superintendent has had an unrelenting focus on our district and specifically on me, and I am confident that my departure will help to keep our democratically-elected leadership and our team in charge of our schools–this week and in the future. So I’m stepping away," she added.
Find all of our TPS Accreditation Fight coverage here
2 News Oklahoma talked to Walters live on 2 News Oklahoma at 6 on Tuesday.
Walters released this statement after Gist's announcement:
“I’ve been crystal clear that Tulsa Public Schools needs a dramatic change in leadership, and I am pleased to see the board taking this seriously with the removal of Deborah Gist.
From day one, I called for the removal of Gist in order to get the district on a path to success. I am optimistic that this is a step in the right direction, that TPS and the
community takes their situation seriously. Financial transparency and academic outcomes must come next. I will always put Tulsa kids first.”
Gist became superintendent of TPS in 2015. According to the district's website:
"During Superintendent Gist’s tenure, the district has seen sustained increases in high school graduation rates, novice teacher retention, employee engagement, and the percentage of students meeting projected reading and math growth."
COMMUNITY LEADERS REACT
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum thanked Gist for her service to TPS:
I am incredibly grateful for the service of my friend, Dr. Deborah Gist, to our community.
Throughout her time as Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Gist took on some of the greatest challenges facing Tulsa students - from substandard teacher pay that makes it difficult for us to compete with other states, to student safety amidst the greatest public health crisis in our city’s history.
She was always willing to speak truth to power on behalf of the children she has dedicated her life to serving. On their behalf, and on behalf of our city, I want to thank Dr. Gist for all she has done for Tulsa.
Mike Neal, president of the Tulsa Regional Chamber, released this statement:
"We have been fortunate to have a native Tulsan as superintendent for nearly eight years. Dr. Gist cares deeply about our community, and she is extremely committed to helping ensure a bright future for Tulsa’s students. She has long been a strong partner with the Tulsa Regional Chamber, and we were proud to collaborate with her and her administration on projects such as the Tulsa Public Schools bond renewal in 2021, and the Tulsa’s NextGEN Talent externship initiative. All of us at the Chamber wish Dr. Gist the very best in her future endeavors. We commit to working with her successor to ensure a continued focus on students and their academic success.
Public schools are the backbone of the northeast Oklahoma economy. We at the Chamber will continue leading the business community’s collaboration with TPS and other area school districts to ensure that employers have access to skilled talent, and that students are prepared for success in college and career. The Tulsa Regional Chamber has always been very supportive of Tulsa Public Schools, and that will not change.”
Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin shared his thoughts on Gist's resignation given the Nation has 800 students in the TPS district.
Governor Kevin Stitt also released a statement:
“We know to be a top state that we need to build a Top Ten education system accessible to all families and students, and I am committed to working with any stakeholder who is ready to help make this a reality. As Tulsa Public Schools enters this next chapter, I urge the school board to conduct a thorough national search with the input of the Tulsa community, from past and present TPS families, local job creators, neighborhood churches, and non-profits. We are at a pivotal point in which our decisions today, as a community and as a state, will impact an entire generation of Oklahomans, and I am confident that by working together, we can ensure these decisions set these children up for success and with hope for a bright future.”
WHAT'S NEXT?
Ebony Johnson is taking the role of interim Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent, according to TPS. Johnson is the current senior director of student engagement at TPS.
She's worked for TPS as an employee for the past 24 years, serving as a teacher, dean, assistant principal, and principal before moving into her current role.
TPS is holding a special board meeting on Wednesday night. 2 News Oklahoma will be there and will keep you updated.
We also have crews attending the state school board meeting in Oklahoma City on Thursday.
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