It's been a tough year in many ways for Tulsa Public schools. Through it all Dr. Keith Ballard has maintained steady leadership and vision and for that, has been named the Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year. Read the TPS release below.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (May 14, 2012) – Dr. Keith Ballard, Superintendent of Tulsa Public Schools,  has been named 2012 Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year by the Oklahoma Association of School Administrators (OASA).  Dr. Ballard was chosen from superintendent finalists from across the state, Steven Crawford, Executive Director of OASA/CCOSA, has announced. 

 Superintendent Ballard will be recognized with the highest award presented each year to a school superintendent during the Annual Summer Conference hosted by the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA) to be held June 6-8 in Oklahoma City.  Dr. Ballard will be honored by his professional colleagues during the first general session on Thursday morning, June 7 at the Meridian Convention Center.  Approximately 900 Oklahoma school administrators are expected to attend the conference.

OASA Executive Director, Steven Crawford, congratulated Dr. Ballard.  “Superintendent Ballard has made a significant impact in education at the local, state, and national level.  He has dedicated his entire career to improving the quality of education in Oklahoma.  We congratulate him for being selected by his colleagues for the highest award in the profession,” Crawford said of the new state winner.

This year’s award recipient said he is honored to have been selected for the association’s top award.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected State Superintendent of the Year by my colleagues at CCOSA,” said Dr. Ballard of Tulsa Public Schools.  “It is so gratifying to receive such positive affirmation from one’s own peers, especially in light of the challenges that every superintendent in the state faces on a daily basis. There is no doubt in my mind that closing the achievement gap for children in Oklahoma has become increasingly difficult, especially due to reduced funding and other impediments facing Oklahoma superintendents in today’s environment.  On behalf of every child in Oklahoma who is deserving of an education and every educator and administrator in the state who is doing yeoman’s work to make it happen, I gladly accept this award. Thank you.”

To be chosen recipient of this award, the selection committee recognizes an individual who represents strong moral values; demonstrates a successful experience in top level educational administration; inspires and motivates people; promotes personal and professional growth in himself and others; and is an active participant in local, state and national professional organizations. 

Ballard, who has 40 years of experience in education, has been superintendent of Tulsa Schools for the past four years.  As superintendent, some of his major accomplishments have included passage of the largest bond issue in the history of the school district and state totaling $354 million, spearheading the creation of a five-year strategic plan, and he led the way for the school system to become one of 10 district finalists in the United States for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Teacher Effectiveness Initiative.  Under

Dr. Ballard’s leadership, the district has created stronger community collaboration and partnerships for the development of curriculum programs, funding initiatives, and professional development and ensuring an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every building. A teacher evaluation system has been created that has become the state’s preferred evaluation model, having been selected by 424 Oklahoma school districts to date.  Ballard led the way in the Spring of 2011 in the reorganization of Tulsa Public Schools, resulting in the closing of 14 schools under Project Schoolhouse and the realignment of grade levels.  Under his direction, Will Rogers High School was closed and transformed into Will Rogers College High School, which is showing early signs of success. 

 Ballard has demonstrated his leadership at the local school district level, in his community, and in his professional and civic responsibilities. Ballard is a member of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration, Oklahoma Association of School Administrators, American Association of School Administrators and Oklahoma Curriculum Improvement Commission. In the community, he is a member of the Downtown Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa Area United Way Board, Indian Nations Council of Boy Scouts Salvation Army Board of Directors, and Oklahoma Center for Community Justice Board of Directors.  He also served as President of OASA (1997-98) and President of United Suburban Schools (1996-97).

 Ballard’s entire career has taken place in Oklahoma. His previous educational experience includes executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, superintendent of Claremore Public Schools, and superintendent, teacher and several other administrative positions at Oologah Public Schools.  He started his career as a teacher in 1972 at Coweta Public Schools.  He has served as an adjunct professor for the University of Oklahoma, Oral Roberts University, Southern Nazarene University and Oklahoma State University (OSU).  He has presented at numerous conferences across the nation, and has received many awards.  In 2011, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame, and was recently named 2012 “Tulsan of the Year” by Tulsa People Magazine.  Ballard has also received the Don Newby/Ben Heel Award presented by Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry.  In April, he received the Excellence in Educational Leadership Award from the University Council for Educational Administration.

As the 2012 Oklahoma Superintendent of the Year, Keith Ballard will represent Oklahoma in the National Superintendent of the Year Program at the national convention of the American Association of School Administrators next Feb. 21-23, 2013, in Los Angeles.

The Oklahoma Association of School Administrators is under the umbrella of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration. CCOSA is an incorporated, not-for-profit organization located in Oklahoma City serving over 2700 superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, and central office administrators.