Joy Hofmeister

Joy Hofmeister

Joy Hofmeister (born September 7, 1964) currently serves as Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Hofmeister was sworn in as Oklahoma's 14th State Superintendent on January 12, 2015, after defeating the incumbent Republican candidate, Janet Barresi, in the primary election and Democratic candidate John Cox in the general election. Hofmeister was re-elected November 6, 2018, and sworn in for a second four-year term as State Superintendent on January 14, 2019. Hofmeister won re-election in 2018 after facing Democrat John Cox a second time as well as Independent candidate Larry Huff.During her first term as State Superintendent, Hofmeister directed the creation of "Oklahoma Edge," an eight-year strategic plan built on a foundation of four pillars, each underpinned by actionable strategies, six measurable goals and an equal number of initiatives to meet specific Oklahoma student needs and drive progress. The 218-page state plan, submitted to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), places an emphasis on the importance of serving individual learners and ensuring equity in public education. The conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute rated the Oklahoma ESSA accountability plan, included in "Oklahoma Edge," among the highest in the nation. On October 6, 2021, Hofmeister told the Tulsa World she was planning to change her party affiliation to the Democratic Party on October 7, with plans to run in the 2022 gubernatorial election.

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