Robert Franklin
What this job does: Runs the State Department of Education, which sends state money to public schools, licenses teachers, and sets what students should learn and how they are tested. A term is four years, eight years at most.
- Occupation
- Educator; teaches education leadership courses at OU-Tulsa
- Lives in
- Sand Springs
Background
- Spent the first 29 years of Franklin's career at Sand Springs Public Schools as a special education teacher, principal and district administrator. source: kosu.org
- Served as associate superintendent of student affairs at Tulsa Technology Center, retiring in 2024; began teaching education courses at the University of Oklahoma's Tulsa campus in 2024. source: kosu.org
- Served on the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board from 2018 to 2024, including four years as chair. source: kosu.org
- Holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies. source: newson6.com
- Inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 2024. source: kosu.org
- Won the Aug. 25, 2026 Republican runoff over James Taylor. source: newsfromthestates.com
In their own words
What the candidate says they will work on, from their campaign site or their answers to news-outlet questionnaires. We list it as stated and do not rate it.
- Address the teacher shortage and make teacher pay more competitive source: news9.com
- Early intervention in reading, literacy and numeracy; consistent screeners for learning gaps source: news9.com
- Add counselors, behavior technicians and regional support centers source: news9.com
- Lower class sizes source: kosu.org
- Partner with businesses and industry source: kosu.org
Look them up yourself
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Something wrong or missing? This profile was compiled from public sources on October 13, 2026. Every fact links to where it came from.