OKCPS Confirms Dr. Sean McDaniel As New Superintendent

The Oklahoma City school board has found its new superintendent, and it turns out, he was right next door. By a vote of 5-2, the board approved Mustang superintendent Dr. Sean McDaniel as the district's new leader.

Before the board took a vote on the next Superintendent for Oklahoma City Public Schools Tuesday, there was some discussion. Member Ruth Veales, who represents District 5, expressed concerns over the final candidates.

“I went back and I looked at what we said and that we wanted in a Superintendent,” she said. “I thought about what the community, the Northeast Task Force and my constituents expressed that they wanted in a Superintendent. A few very important things that they wanted was someone with the experience of having led and turned around schools in an urban district and someone that understood the culture of 82 percent of students of color population in the district was very critical. I did not see that in the final group of candidates.”

In the end, Veales said she would be totally committed to working with the new leader to turn things around in the district – Dr. Sean McDaniel.

“Anybody who can’t see that she has the biggest heart in the world for kids is missing something,” McDaniel said. “So I fully, fully respect what she had to say. It’s all fair.”

McDaniel comes from Mustang Schools and has 16 years of experience as a Superintendent.

He's set to start at OKCPS July 1st on a three year contract with an annual base salary of $240,000.

“I honestly believe that things are in place here that just need some connectivity now, just tightening things up and let’s begin moving at an accelerated pace,” McDaniel said.

Mustang Public Schools says its set to accept McDaniel's resignation Wednesday evening. Mustang School Board President Chad Fulton told News 9 the following: 

I’m going to be sad to see him go. I’m excited for him, but I’m also sad for our district. When he started in 2012, we were at 9,625 students. We’ve grown over 11,500 now, so we’ve been together through some growth times. He also helped pass a lot of bonds that were needed for the community. The community is definitely going to miss him. He’s a fantastic man, but also a great Superintendent.

Dr. McDaniel did an exceptional job here and OKCPS will have a great Superintendent. And I hope this will finally be the right the fit for them.

We have set on our agenda for Wednesday at 6:30 to accept his resignation. That resignation will run through June 30th.

The last Superintendent to stay at OKCPS for longer than most was Karl Springer. He also came from Mustang Schools.