LOCAL
Anna Colletto, Tulsa Flyer
Stitt’s announcement comes after Ryan Walters announced his resignation in late September. Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons
Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to tap retired CareerTech administrator and Lindel Fields, a Tulsan, to lead Oklahoma public education through January 2027. Stitt will visit Eisenhower International School on Thursday to “announce the future of Oklahoma education,” according to his office.
Fields previously served as superintendent and CEO of Tri County Tech, a Bartlesville technical college part of Oklahoma’s CareerTech system. From 2009 to 2021, he tripled the number of student enrollments at Tri County Tech and maintained a 93% average student retention during his last five years in the role.
The Tulsa World was the first to report Fields’ appointment. Since leaving the school, Fields has trained educators across Oklahoma — including the Tulsa Public Schools finance department — in workplace culture and leadership through his company Your Culture Coach.
Fields and his wife have one child enrolled in TPS.
TPS board member John Croisant doesn’t know Fields personally but told the Flyer he’s heard the upcoming superintendent is “apolitical” and dedicated to students.
“We as Oklahomans, we want our education system to do well, so I wish Lindel — or whoever becomes the superintendent in the next year — the best,” said Croisant, who is running as a Democrat for U.S. Congress.
Tara Thompson, Broken Arrow Public Schools spokeswoman, says she has “heard nothing but good things” about Fields.
“With (Fields’) background in education, he seems more than qualified for the role,” Thompson said. “We look forward to working with him over the next 15 months to improve education in our state.”
Fields will serve out the remainder of now-former State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ term following Walters’ sudden resignation announcement on Fox News last week. Many school districts and educators said the state needs stability following his controversial tenure of nearly three years.
“Oklahoma must move past political headlines and focus squarely on data-driven strategies that improve student outcomes and restore confidence in public education,” TPS Board Vice President Calvin Moniz told the Flyer. He praised the governor’s pick.
On Wednesday, Attorney General Gentner Drummond ordered an investigative audit of the education department under Walters’ leadership due to “new and ongoing allegations of misspending.” Drummond, a Republican running for governor in 2026, said he expects “prompt and thorough attention” to the matter.
Anna Colletto is the education reporter for the Tulsa Flyer. You can reach her at anna@tulsaflyer.org.
