OKCPS superintendent Sean McDaniel unexpectedly resigns after nearly 6 years in post

Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Sean McDaniel unexpectedly resigned on Monday, leaving the state’s second-largest brick-and-mortar district searching for a new leader as it begins to ramp up work on projects approved as part of a $955 million bond package in November 2022.

The district announced McDaniel’s resignation in an email quoting Oklahoma City Public Schools Board Chair Paula Lewis. The news release contained no comment from McDaniel.

McDaniel didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

In his resignation letter obtained by The Oklahoman, McDaniel said an ongoing conflict with a current member of the Oklahoma City Public Schools board led him to resign. He does not identify the board member.

"As you know, a particular member of this Board and I have completely different views regarding individual board members' roles and responsibilities and mine in serving this District," McDaniel said in the letter. "For months, and in good faith I have tried to bridge that gulf through conversations with the board and with concessions I have been willing to make, but to no avail. I regret that our differing views of who should administer the District on a daily basis are now irreconcilable."

In the letter, McDaniel said he intended to serve as the district's superintendent until June 30.

When he was hired in July 2018, McDaniel said, "I'm a young pup, still, so I expect to be here for 10 years. I'm going to be here. I honestly believe that things are in place here that just need some connectivity now, let's tighten things up and let's begin moving."

Oklahoma City Public Schools has about 33,000 students and is second only to Tulsa among Oklahoma’s brick-and-mortar school districts.

OKC Mayor David Holt, Board Chair Paul Lewis offer praise for McDaniel's leadership, longevity

“The board will be determining next steps in the coming weeks, including initiating a search for a new superintendent,” Lewis said. “Our board believes in transparency and is committed to keeping our community informed as we move through this process. First and foremost, our responsibility is to ensure we are taking care of students.

“Dr. McDaniel has been a strong advocate for the teaching profession and public education. Through a partnership with the OKCPS Foundation, OKCPS has been able to build a teacher and leader pipeline to ensure we have a great teacher in every classroom and a great leader in every building. Dr. McDaniel also worked to build a strong leadership team to continue and guide the critical work of our district.”

McDaniel is the longest-serving Oklahoma City Public Schools superintendent since Arthur Steller, who held the job from 1985 through November 1992. Since Stellar left, McDaniel is one of only three people to last at least five years as the district’s superintendent.

"Six years is an eternity in the world of large urban school districts, and Sean leaves one of the strongest legacies in the long history of OKCPS," Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said. "For six years, he was consistent, reliable and always in tune with what our city needed from him and OKCPS. I can’t really think of a time I materially disagreed with Sean."

In October, the board amended McDaniel’s contract to award him an annual raise of $11,300, increasing his annual base salary to $278,300. Before resigning, McDaniel was the state's highest-paid school superintendent, according to an Oklahoma State Department of Education database.

But on Feb. 5, the board held a special meeting, at which the only agenda item was a closed session regarding "the evaluation and employment of the Superintendent." Before that, on Nov. 27, several board members went against McDaniel's recommendation by approving an application for a charter school that McDaniel opposed.

“The board is thankful for Dr. McDaniel’s service over the last six years and is so proud of the stability in leadership he brought to OKCPS,” Lewis said.

Among McDaniel's accomplishments as OKCPS superintendent was 'Pathway to Greatness' plan

During his tenure, McDaniel led the district’s “Pathway to Greatness” plan, which closed 15 schools and reconfigured 17 others in 2019. The plan also included an element that has allowed every district student in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade to be equipped with an electronic device to connect them to the internet, according to the district’s website. Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) centers also have been placed in every district elementary school.

Holt said McDaniel will be known as the superintendent "who took on the generational challenge of aligning the district infrastructure and services with the student population, a comprehensive effort known as The Pathway to Greatness. I just can’t exaggerate how challenging that could have been. There’s a reason it hadn’t been done before. Sean led our community through that incredibly complex journey. Who can forget the hours he stood in front of town halls and answered questions? It was really amazing."

McDaniel also helped the district gain voter approval for the bond proposal in November 2022.

“The results of the bond will be life-changing for our students and the progress being made in the area of workforce development was a result of Dr. McDaniel’s commitment to the students of OKCPS and the importance of building relationships with our business community,” Lewis said.

Before his time in Oklahoma City, McDaniel served for six years as the superintendent for Mustang Public Schools.

Not everyone who worked with McDaniel was a fan, however. Dan Isett, a spokesman for state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters, said Monday that "Superintendent Walters is hopeful OKCPS chooses a non-woke individual who prioritizes parental empowerment as the next superintendent."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC public schools superintendent Sean McDaniel resigns unexpectedly