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Oklahoma Moves to Require PragerU ‘America First’ Test for Teachers From California and New York

A finalized 50-question assessment with published sample items faces review by the state’s oversight commission.

FILE — Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, at his office in Oklahoma City, March 26, 2025. 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 Walters. (Desiree Rios/The New York Times)

Overview

  • Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters says the exam is intended to block “radical leftist ideology,” promote American exceptionalism, and guard against what he calls “radical gender ideology.”
  • The state has released the first five questions from the PragerU-designed test, including items on freedom of religion and the opening words of the U.S. Constitution, with rollout described as coming very soon.
  • The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability says it was not involved in creating the test and is evaluating its alignment with existing laws and regulations.
  • Union leaders and education advocates criticize the requirement as a partisan “MAGA loyalty test” that could deter applicants in a state already struggling to recruit teachers, and they signal potential legal challenges.
  • State data indicate the immediate impact may be small—since 2020, 19 of 573 out-of-state applicants came from California or New York—though Walters has said additional states such as Connecticut could be added.