Jennettie Marshall, a Democrat, is running for Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

She faces Republican Robert Franklin.

Marshall, who served on the Tulsa Public School Board representing District 3 from 2017 to 2025 according to BallotReady, said on her campaign website that she has spent her career in public service and advocacy for families and children.

Candidate information

  • Party: Democratic
  • Education: Doctorate in pastoral psychology, Integrity Seminary; master of religious arts in divinity, Integrity Seminary; master's in management, Southern Nazarene University; bachelor's in corrections, Langston University; associate's in political science and government, Tulsa Junior College; associate's in funeral service and mortuary science, Dallas Institute of Funeral Service

Experience and public service

Marshall said on her campaign website that she served 17 years as a probation and parole officer and case manager for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and three years as a child welfare investigator with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.

She also said she has been a pastor for more than 32 years, preaching and teaching in Tulsa and congregations across the state. Marshall said she is the founding pastor of Living Sanctuary Evangelistic Ministries and founded Reclaim Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity, in 1994.

Marshall said she serves as a chaplain for the Tulsa Police Department and for Supporters of Families with Sickle Cell Disease.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Marshall's responses to a BallotReady questionnaire and her campaign website. All statements reflect the candidate's own views.

Teacher pay and retention: Marshall said prioritizing increased teacher salaries to be competitive with neighboring states and the national average is vital to addressing Oklahoma's teacher shortage. She said she would champion initiatives to support and mentor new teachers to reduce turnover, rather than relying solely on signing bonuses. She also called for reducing excessive administrative burdens on educators and providing adequate classroom resources.

Education spending and transparency: Marshall said she would push for a top-to-bottom review of the Oklahoma State Department of Education to ensure it operates with maximum efficiency and transparency. She said taxpayer dollars should reach classrooms rather than being diverted to what she called "political operatives or unnecessary bureaucratic functions." She also said special education funding should reach the students who need it, with transparent and effective distribution.

Curriculum and accountability: Marshall said schools should focus on core academic subjects like reading, writing and math, areas where she said Oklahoma students are falling behind. She called for reviewing curriculum standards to ensure they are academically rigorous and free from political influence. She said accountability measures should focus on indicators that reflect student learning and growth.

Parental involvement: Marshall said parents are a child's first and most important teacher. She called for policies that promote communication between parents, teachers and administrators, and said parents should have easy access to information about their child's curriculum and academic progress.

Special education: Marshall said every student with an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, should receive the services outlined in their plan. She called for reducing caseload burdens on special education teachers so they can provide individualized attention.

This profile was compiled from the candidate's campaign website, BallotReady questionnaire responses and public records. Policy positions reflect the candidate's own statements. The Norman Chronicle did not interview the candidate for this article.