Candidate James Taylor issued a news release Wednesday saying he will audit administrative spending “across Oklahoma’s education system to identify opportunities for greater efficiency while respecting local control.”
Asked to clarify, campaign communications director Lane Brown told StateImpact the candidate supports a full audit of spending at the state department and would encourage all districts to “take a serious look at administrative spending.”
According to the department, it has decreased full-time employees by more than 30 positions since July 2025.
Lane said the proposed audit’s purpose would be to identify “inefficiencies,” not necessarily to further reduce staffing.
Oklahoma school districts are required by law to complete audits annually. Districts also submit administrative costs to the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System. Reports from all districts are available on the state’s website.
According to state law, the allowable spending for administrative services depends on the average daily attendance of a school district.
Districts with an ADA of more than 1,500 students must limit administrative spending to 5% of total expenditures. Districts with an ADA between 500 and 1,500 are limited to 7%, and districts with an ADA of 500 or fewer students are limited to 8%.
“If our findings identify unnecessary administrative spending or opportunities to improve efficiency, I will advocate for those reforms and present my recommendations to the legislature,” Taylor said in the release.
Taylor, a history teacher at Little Axe Public Schools and Norman pastor, faces opponent Robert Franklin, a 44-year educator and school administrator, in the Aug. 25 Republican runoff.
The winner of the runoff will face Democratic candidate and Tulsa Public Schools board member Jennettie Marshall in the Nov. 3 general election.
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