RI Ed. Commissioner Gist in Running for Tulsa Superintendent Job

Rhode Island Education Commissioner Deborah Gist is reportedly one of two finalists for a superintendent job in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tulsa World reported that Gist is in the running for the job along with Tulsa Deputy Superintendent Millard House II.

The current superintendent in Tulsa is retiring on June 30.

Gist attended school in Tulsa as a child and went on to get a degree in early childhood education at the University of Oklahoma before starting her teaching career.

Though Gist has earned accolades for her efforts on school reform, the expansion of charter schools, a new fair funding formula and other accomplishments here in Rhode Island, she has struggled to find broad support from teachers. Gist has pushed for more stringent teacher evaluations that include student test scores, among other issues, and is blamed low morale among teachers.

Last month, the state Board of Education failed to give notice of its intent to renew Gist’s contract, which expires in June. That lack of action was based on the board’s decision to defer the decision to the new administration of Governor Gina Raimondo, which hasn’t specified whether Gist was the new governor’s preferred person or not.

Gist indicated last month that she would like to stay in Rhode Island. Despite the state Board of Education not giving notice of its intention to renew, officials said she could be offered a new contract.

Gist first became Rhode Island’s education commissioner in 2009.