Top Educator’s New Chief Lacks Credentials

One state lawmaker today stated he was troubled by the hiring of staff who were demonstrably unqualified for their positions, most notably that of the new Chief of Staff to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Janet Barresi.

The Chief of Staff assists the State Superintendent of Public Instruction in directing the overall activities of the State Department of Education, and acts for and represents the Superintendent in her absence. The Chief of Staff also relieves the Superintendent of the routine administration of the Department of Education.

State Representative Wes Hilliard, D-Sulphur, referenced Oklahoma Code 8129 adopted by the State Board of Education which lists the minimum qualifications to be the Chief of Staff. According to the Board’s administrative rules, the Chief of Staff must have a master’s degree in education, a valid Oklahoma school administrator’s certificate, and eight years of successful full-time paid employment in public schools.

The new Chief of Staff, Jennifer Carter, does not meet any one of these three requirements.

“I mean no disrespect to Ms. Carter, as she in her own right has accomplished much in the academic and professional realm”, stated Rep. Hilliard. “However, she doesn’t have the credentials to be in the position she’s now in, and given her lack of experience I have grave concerns as to the even operation of the State Department of Education.”

Prior to being appointed as Superintendent Barresi’s Chief of Staff she served as Barresi’s political campaign manager. She established her own consulting firm in July of 2009, Jennifer Carter Consulting. From 2005 to 2009, Carter worked as an Assistant Insurance Commissioner for Government Relations at the state Insurance Department. In 2003 for almost two and a half years she was the Director of Legal Services for the Association of Professional Oklahoma Educators (APOE) where she lobbied on education policy at the Oklahoma Capitol. Carter holds a bachelor’s degree in Letters from the University of Oklahoma and a Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Comparative and International Law from the University of Tulsa College of Law.

Rep. Hilliard noted his concern of the many unqualified yet well-connected people who have recently received high paying jobs at state agencies based on political service, not on experience or expertise in the respective field.

“An outsider without the necessary credentials and experience in the field of education cannot be expected to shoulder this important responsibility. There’s a reason why the Board of Education adopted minimum qualifications for the Chief of Staff for the Superintendent of Public Instruction. I hope this serious issue is addressed and rectified so we can move forward on behalf of our students and our state.”

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