Walters’ budget request includes $3M annually for Bibles
Superintendent Ryan Walters presented his agency’s budget request to the Oklahoma Senate last week, and the ask included $3 million annually for Bibles for public school classrooms.
The Oklahoma Department of Education is asking for $3.9 billion overall for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1.
It was unclear from the presentation how purchasing Bibles will further the agency’s goals, which include increasing the number of students in early childhood education and improving Oklahoma’s ranking on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as the Nation’s Report Card.
Walters didn’t explain at the hearing why he wants the $3 million to recur each year.
Last fall, the agency canceled a vendor search to supply the state with 55,000 King James Bibles for $3 million — more than enough for the 43,000 classroom teachers in the state.
And in November, the Department purchased 500 Trump-endorsed Bibles for Advanced Placement government classrooms at a cost of $45 each, plus $600 for shipping, records show. (Paperback Bibles are readily available for $3 each, and there are free apps, too.)
In his budget request, Walters is also asking for $24.3 million for agency administration, a $5 million increase over the current year. He told the Senate committee that category includes legal services. His Bible mandate is being challenged in court, and purchases with state funds could draw additional legal action.