'America First Test' for teachers from New York, California - What is it? Why is it?

Oklahoma will require teachers coming from New York and California to pass a test to combat what it calls "woke indoctrination" before being hired, according to the state's public schools superintendent. Its America First Test is designed to filter out teachers with views contrary to Oklahoma values, said Ryan Walters, the state superintendent. It is meant to ensure that educators promote American exceptionalism and help protect against what he called "radical gender ideology."

"If you come to Oklahoma, you will abide by our state law; you will abide by our standards and teach those in the classroom," Walters, a Republican, said in an interview Tuesday.

The test, designed by PragerU, a conservative nonprofit, is the latest attempt by education officials in Oklahoma to push the state's education system to the right.


Critics of Oklahoma's decision argued that the test was more a means to garner attention from the president and his supporters than effect real change. Historically, only a handful of teachers each year move there from New York and California.

"His priority should be educating students," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, one of the country's largest teachers unions, "but instead, it's getting Donald Trump and other MAGA politicians to notice him."

The test may also face legal hurdles. In the last 14 months, Walters has also ordered all public schools in the state to teach the Bible and proposed rules that would require schools to collect the citizenship data of students.

The state board of education has proposed lessons on "discrepancies" in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, and Oklahoma also hoped to open the country's first religious charter school, until its plan was halted by the Supreme Court in May.

Walters floated the idea for the exam at a state education board meeting in July, but he didn't provide many details.

This week, the state's education department released the first five questions of the 50-question, multiple-choice test.

Some addressed religion, a central focus of the department's officials: "Why is freedom of religion important to America's identity?" (Answer: "It protects religious choice from government control.") Some were more of a pop quiz: "What are the first three words of the Constitution?"

Walters said the exam would be implemented within the next two weeks.

New York and California were singled out because, he said, their norms -- particularly on gender and American exceptionalism -- were opposite that of Oklahoma's.

"Completely a 180," he said, adding that Connecticut, Illinois, Minnesota and others could soon join the list.

PragerU, which creates videos on political and economic topics and helped Oklahoma write its history standards, declined to provide more questions from the test. It said in a statement that the exam's goal was "to ensure that teachers coming from progressive states are literate in basic American history, civics and common sense."

Critics have said the exam would hurt Oklahoma's ability to attract and retain educators at a time when the state already pays below-average salaries, despite recent salary increases.

The education department said it could not say how many teachers recently moved to Oklahoma from New York or California and would be required to take the test.

According to data from the commission, the number is likely very small.

The agency has data on teachers who apply for certification in Oklahoma using an out-of-state exam. Since 2020, the agency has reviewed 573 out-of-state applications, of which 19 were from California and New York.

In most years since 2020, out-of-state applicants generally came from neighboring states such as Texas, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas.

James W. Fraser, an emeritus professor of the history of education at New York University, said that states often impose additional testing or certification on out-of-state teachers to give preference to local educators. He called Oklahoma's choice to target two states "very unusual."

He said it would likely further segregate education along regional lines, and add to a situation in which "young people are increasingly unable to talk to each other and understand each other."

FAQs

Q1. Who is USA?
A1. President of USA is Donald Trump.

Q2. What is this America First test?
A2. The agency has data on teachers who apply for certification in Oklahoma using an out-of-state exam. Since 2020, the agency has reviewed 573 out-of-state applications, of which 19 were from California and New York.