OKC Schools Bet Big on the Future, Extend Superintendent Jamie Polk’s Contract and Boost Her Pay
The Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) district has made a definitive commitment to its leadership, with the Board of Education voting unanimously to extend Superintendent Jamie Polk’s contract. The decision, which came after weeks of community discussion and advocacy, secures Dr. Polk’s tenure through the 2028-29 school year and includes a significant pay increase.
The new agreement will see Dr. Polk, a first-time superintendent who took the top job in May 2024, receive a $25,000 boost to her yearly base salary, raising it to $275,000. While the move solidifies her role as the leader of the state’s second-largest district, the salary figure has become a talking point among community members and board officials alike.
Before the vote, there had been growing public calls for the board to offer Dr. Polk a more competitive compensation package. One board member, Mike Shelton, even suggested that the district “could have done better” on pay, stressing the importance of equal compensation for the work done. The context for this push is a regional comparison: the superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools, a slightly larger district, recently saw her base salary boosted to $290,000. Furthermore, Dr. Polk’s predecessor in OKCPS earned $419,000 in his final year, highlighting the compensation gap she faced at her initial hiring.
However, the unanimous nature of the contract extension speaks volumes about the board’s confidence in her performance. Dr. Polk has served in OKCPS since 2019, initially as the assistant superintendent of elementary schools, and she has been consistently credited with being a catalyst for positive change.
During her time as a senior administrator, her systematic, data-driven approach yielded tangible results in the district’s academic standing. Her efforts are cited as being instrumental in removing eleven schools from the state’s long-standing “F” list and making twelve additional schools eligible to exit state designation. These focused interventions, along with collaborative support systems, have created substantial gains on the district’s A-F State Report Card.
Beyond academic performance, Dr. Polk’s leadership has been credited with an increase in the retention of highly skilled educators—a critical success metric at a time when many districts across the state and nation are facing significant staffing shortages. Her commitment to creating equitable, data-driven structures for the more than 33,000 students in the district is the core reason the board chose to ensure her long-term presence.
With this new contract, the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education is signaling its full support for Dr. Polk’s vision and the positive trajectory she has set for the district. The extension ensures stability and continuity as the district continues to build upon its recent academic successes and navigate the challenges of leading a major urban school system. It’s a vote of confidence that positions the district for continued growth over the next four years.