I have known Robert Franklin as a professional colleague and friend for more than thirty years. He shared with several of us on Thursday that he will file for election to the office of State Superintendent for Public Instruction on Wednesday, April 1. This is good news. Robert is a gifted and accomplished educator who cares deeply about Oklahoma’s children and their educational success. Previously I had planned to vote for Rob Miller, also a former professional colleague and outstanding public schools administrator, but following the unexpected loss of his wife Rob has announced the end of his campaign and instead is also supporting Robert Franklin.
Robert faces an enormous challenge in mounting a statewide campaign ahead of the June 16 primary election. I encourage all who care about the future of public education in Oklahoma to step up and help him. Here are his closing words to his early supporters:
“We can muster the courage and conviction if we stay focused. I am committed to support the work for our communities, families and most importantly for our students and educators. There is no doubt that our state’s economic development and well-being depends on public education which is powered by dynamic and well trained educators…we have slipped over the past decade, yet we can be inspired to collectively be stronger and bolder in service to our educators and support staff. Lastly, we are all broken in some kind of manner: some are bigger, some are stronger and run faster, some are gifted singers and talented musicians, some read and calculate more aptly than others , yet we are all broken in some kind of manner; spiritually, emotionally, physically, intellectually. Thus, our ultimate commission , taught by our spiritual guidepost, is that if each of us works to help someone who is a little more broken then the chain becomes stronger and lifts us all to a higher and more noble place… Onward, Robert”
What follows is additional information about what you can do and the upcoming election.
Website: likely to be live in next 48 hours
Fund Raising link: will be built into the website, and programming is under way, but folks can send checks asap to
Robert Franklin for State Superintendent 2026
17305 West 2nd Street South
Sand Springs, OK 74063
Last day to change political party registration before the June primary is March 31; go to OK Voter Portal.
Other candidates have announced: Independent Jerry Griffin, Democrats Jennettie Marshall and Craig McVay (also a retired public schools administrator), and Republicans John Cox, Ana Landsaw, Adam Pugh and Toni Hasenbeck. Others may file also, but Robert Franklin will be the best choice for Oklahoma.
Robert’s VITA
Robert M. Franklin, Ed.D.
- Date of Birth: 10-28-1959
- Tenure: 44 Years of service, Oklahoma Public Education
1 Public Higher Education, University of Oklahoma
29 Public K-12 Schools
14 Oklahoma Career Tech
- Education:
Doctor of Education: University of Oklahoma, Education Administration & Curriculum Studies (2020)
Master of Science: Northeastern State University (1984), Education Administration
Bachelor of Arts: Northeastern State University (1981), Special Education Teaching
Certifications (Oklahoma):
Standard Certificate, Superintendent
Standard Certificate, Secondary Principal
Oklahoma Career Tech Administrative Credential
Standard Certificate, Elementary Principal
Standard Teaching Certificate, Special Education
- Professional Experience (Oklahoma Public Educator, 1981-2026):
- Lecturer, University of Oklahoma Tulsa (August, 2025 – Present):
Currently teaching doctoral course in Ethics in School Administration and master’s level courses in Politics in Education and Supervision of Instruction.
- Associate Superintendent, Tulsa Technology Center (February, 2010 – 2024):
Served as district officer for student affairs for 6 distinctive campus locations throughout Tulsa County serving over 6,000 full time students and over 15,000 part time clients. Essential functions:
- Manage and conduct formal performance reviews for Campus & Program Directors
- Foster and manage partnerships with Community Stakeholders
- Policy interpretation and development
- Final employment interviews
- Manage Student Affairs operations & work with Legal Counsel
- Data analysis
- District Strategic Planning
- Support district budgeting and recommendations including Capital Improvements
- Contract negotiations leadership
- Assistant Superintendent, Sand Springs Public Schools (2005-2010):
The district served over 5,300 students, 380 certified staff, and approximately 350 support staff. Primary duties included:
- Curriculum Development and Textbook and Curriculum Coordination
- Leadership Team evaluations and supervision: (
- Professional Development Training and Coordination for district:
- Information Technology Coordinator
- Education Foundation Grant Management
- School Bond Planning and Parent Outreach
- Title IV: Safe and Drug Free School Director
- Supervision of Librarians/Media Center Specialist, Counselors
- Coordination of student enrollment processes and course description catalogs
- District Testing Coordinator
- Principal: Charles Page High School, Sand Springs Public Schools (2002-2005):
Duties included supervising over 1100 students and over 75 staff members including 12 different vocational-technical education programs.
- Assistant Principal: Hissom Center, Clyde Boyd Middle School, Rader Treatment Center, Sand Springs Public Schools (1987-2000):
Served as an assistant principal for 13 years working under the direction of 4 different principals while at the Hissom Center, Boyd Junior High, and at the Rader Juvenile Treatment Center.
- Special Education Teacher: Hissom Memorial Center, Sand Springs Public Schools (1981-1987):
Taught elementary aged developmentally delayed students to read, write, calculate, and interact in a socially appropriate manner at the Hissom Memorial Center for 7 years.
- Nominations, Awards, Distinctions:
- Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, Inducted 2024
- Rho Theta Sigma Honor Society, 1981
- Hissom Memorial Center Educator of the Year, 1984
- National Service Award, 1985: American Association for Mental Retardation
- Governor’s Task Force on Virtual Learning, 2011: The task force was assembled to help promulgate rules and policies related to virtual learning throughout the public K-12 and Career Tech educational systems.
- Publications and Professional Research:
- Dissertation, University of Oklahoma, 2020:
Electronically Accessible via: STUDENT PREFERENCE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN TECHNOLOGY-ENRICHED E-LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: AN EVALUATION OF THE TTeSN VIRTUAL E-SCHOOL NETWORK (shareok.org)
- Grant Submissions:
Wrote and coordinated Title 4 Safe Schools Grants for a decade for Sand Springs Schools totaling over $1 million. Wrote and co-authored Federal, State, Philanthropic, and Local community grants throughout the past 40 years, and garnered mm through submissions.
- Professional Leadership Positions:
- Vice-Chair Gatesway Foundation (2023)
- Junior Achievement Tulsa Board member (2015-present)
- Leadership Tulsa Class 57, Leadership Sand Springs (Class 2008)
- Oklahoma Academy for Statewide Goals Committee (2009)
- Oklahoma Therapeutic Ropes Course and Experiential Education Association President (2001)
- Impact on State Educational Community:
- Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board: Chairman (2018-2024):
The SVCSB provides oversight, training, and serves as the accrediting agency for 7 approved statewide virtual charter schools serving over 45,000 students throughout Oklahoma. The board has a purview over the HORIZON learning platform that designs and facilitates online and blended learning content to over 65 different traditional K-12 school districts throughout the state.
- Oklahoma Education Technology Trust Board Trustee (2012-2016):
Served as trustee whose purpose was to equip and train Oklahoma common school and career technology students with the technology and technological skills necessary to compete in a global marketplace. The Trust annually provided over $100,000 for computer and telecommunications equipment, infrastructure, and professional development to implement and advance integration of technology into classroom instruction.
- Innovative Educational Programs:
- Coordinator of Tulsa Tech e-School Consortium (2011-2022):
Organized and facilitated 21 school districts in partnership to deliver and provide professional consultation and professional development to ultimately deliver online and blended learning platforms for students throughout the Tulsa metro region. This e-School Consortium collectively saved partner districts over $1.2 million and served over 7,200 secondary students over a 9 year period.
- Project Search (2021-present):
Project Search is a vocational training internship program customized for disabled young adults. The program is affiliated with the national Project Search accreditation agency, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitative Services and with Tulsa Tech. I championed and secured funding which facilitated the partnership with the St. Francis Hospital as an industry partner. The program serves 15 students in a 9-month training cohort which has resulted in over 30% of each cohort student securing a full time job with the St. Francis Health System.
- Character Education & Drug Free Youth Program (1997-2000):
Crafted and implemented a Character Education and Drug Free Youth Program for Sand Springs Schools that was funded by local philanthropy to reduce drug and substance use among middle and high school students while also working to reduce school suspension and discipline referrals. The grant program included team building, resiliency, and leadership skills among middle and high school students. The program included connecting local and regional vendors to honor discounted merchandise and products for students who voluntarily took a substance use test to validate their clean and healthy lifestyle choices. I designed and facilitated quarterly leadership and team building workshops for over 2,000 students throughout the 3-year grant term. The outcomes for the grant yielded a 25% reduction in overall district discipline referrals for misconduct and disruption, and the Drug Free Youth Program yielded over 30% reduction in suspensions for substance and smoking use and possession. The Character Education & Drug Free Youth program was modeled by other districts throughout the state.
- Sandite Scholars Program (2004-2007):
Designed and implemented a voluntary Scholars program which supported underachieving high school juniors and seniors with an elective course designed to bolster and support their achievement and completion of College Board approved AP courses. Yet, these students had never been involved in pre-AP or advanced courses in their middle and high school matriculation. The program included providing college student tutors and mentors on a weekly basis to help the cohort of students thrive in their AP high school courses. The success of the program was marked by an increased overall GPA for all students in the cohort including success in their AP courses. Every Sandite Scholar student in the cohort matriculated to a higher education program of their choice which was a matter of family pride as they were first generation college attendees. This program was mirrored and modeled by other districts who implemented similarly designed efforts often referred to as the AVID model.
- Extracurricular and Community Involvement:
- “Make Promises Happen” Co-Founder (1985-present):
I am the co-founder of a non-profit camping and recreational program that has served over 50,000 disabled individuals since its inception in 1984. The program is the second largest recreational program in the state that is dedicated to serving disabled youth and adults, and the “Make Promises Happen” program is located just outside Guthrie, OK. I have served as a program director and as a consultant to the program for over 3 decades. The website can be accessed at www.centralokcamp.org.
- Gatesway Foundation, Inc. – Chairman (2024-present):
Gatesway Foundation is a non-profit organization in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma that empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through housing, employment, and life skills training.
- Home Builders Association-Charitable Foundation Board of Directors (2018-present)
- Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:
- Jenks Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2020-2024),
- Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2011-2015)
OK, if you’ve read this far and can guess location of this Thinker photo, lunch is on me:
