Building Knowledge, Building Opportunity
Oklahoma Center for Education Policy, University of Oklahoma
October 27, 2026 || Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.
Omni Hotel || Oklahoma City
The 2026 Oklahoma Education Policy Conference will convene on October 27, 2026, at the Omni Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City. Organized around the theme “Building Knowledge, Building Opportunity,” the conference will bring together policymakers, school leaders, educators, and parent groups from across the state to explore critical issues shaping education in Oklahoma.
The conference will feature literacy expert Natalie Wexler and former Oklahoma Secretary of Education Dan Hamlin delivering keynote addresses, as well as breakout panels on early literacy and math policies, teacher compensation, workforce development, school choice, and other important issues for our schools. Each one-hour session has at least 20 minutes reserved for audience Q&A and engagement.
Lunch is provided, and there is no cost to attend. Please register as soon as possible because space is limited.
9:30 a.m.
Adam Tyner, Executive Director, Oklahoma Center for Education Policy at the University of Oklahoma
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
9:45 a.m.
Natalie Wexler, Author of The Knowledge Gap
Natalie Wexler is an education writer and the author of Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—and How to Fix It. She is also co-author of The Writing Revolution. Her writing on education has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal.
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
11:00 a.m.
Arthur Kyle, Math Teacher, F.D. Moon Middle School
Melissa Provenzano, Representative, Oklahoma House of Representatives
David Vinson, Superintendent, Warner Public Schools
Michael Petrilli, President, Thomas B. Fordham Institute (Moderator)
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
Deven Carlson, Professor of Political Science, University of Oklahoma
Berry Schmelzenbach, Executive Director, Oklahoma Public Charter School Association
Elsie Urueta Pollock, CEO, Tulsa Honor Academy
Rebecca Wilkinson, Executive Director, Statewide Charter School Board
Kevin Eagleson, Reporter, NonDoc (Moderator)
Location: Route 66 Room
Brian Poncy, Director, School Psychology Program at Oklahoma State University
Ally Seifried, Senator, Oklahoma Senate
Niah Spriggs, Founder, I Believe Learners Academy
Corey Peltier, Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Oklahoma (Moderator)
Location: Piñon Room
12:20 p.m.
Daniel Hamlin, Dean of Education, University of Texas
Daniel Hamlin is Dean of the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin. Before joining UT earlier this year, Dr. Hamlin served as Oklahoma Secretary of Education and as a Presidential Professor of education policy at the University of Oklahoma. His research focuses on education policy and examines topics including school choice, school safety, family engagement, and the effects of education policies on students and schools.
Introduction and conversation led by:
Jennifer Monies, Senior Advisor, Oklahoma House of Representatives
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
1:30 p.m.
Chad Caldwell, Representative, Oklahoma House of Representatives
Graham Frey, CEO, Hallcraft School Studio
Megan Oftedal, Independent Consultant
Liesa Smith, Principal, Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences
Anna Colletto, Reporter, Tulsa Flyer (Moderator)
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
Cari Elledge, President, Oklahoma Education Association
Becky Gooch, Deputy Chief of Staff & Political Director, Oklahoma Senate
Jacob Kirksey, Professor of Education Policy, Texas Tech University
Michelle Seybolt, Executive Director, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability
Chad Aldeman, Columnist, The 74 (Moderator)
Location: Route 66 Room
Melissa Ahlgrim, Literacy Policy Program Director, Oklahoma State Department of Education
Kyle Hilbert, Speaker, Oklahoma House of Representatives
Shayna Levitan, Senior Policy Analyst, EdTrust
Laura Yeager, Principal, Frederick Elementary School
Beth Wallis, Reporter, StateImpact Oklahoma (Moderator)
Location: Piñon Room
2:45 p.m.
Michael Brooks-Jimenez, Senator, Oklahoma Senate
Rebecca Pellam, Professor of Teacher Education, Angelo State University
John Thompson, Social Studies Teacher (retired), Oklahoma City Public Schools
Natalie Wexler, Author of The Knowledge Gap
Andrea Eger, Reporter, Oklahoma Watch (Moderator)
Location: Oklahoma Station Room
Brian Beller, Director of Government Affairs, B&H Construction
Brent Haken, Director, Oklahoma CareerTech
Jimmy Martin, Assistant Superintendent, Moore Public Schools
Brianne Webb, Director of Corporate Work Study, Cristo Rey OKC
Camal Pennington, Councilman, OKC City Council (Moderator)
Location: Route 66 Room
Brent Bushey, CEO, FuelOKC
Matt Ladner, Fellow, EdChoice
Jason Perez, Superintendent, Deer Creek Public Schools
Adam Pugh, Senator, Oklahoma Senate
Nuria Martinez-Keel, Reporter, Oklahoma Voice (Moderator)
Location: Piñon Room
Past Conferences:
