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Caitlin Lee
Caitlin currently serves as a Director of Policy and Implementation for EdChoice. In her work, she works with coalitions in key states to advance universal educational choice policies that empower students and their families.
She was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and raised outside of Sallisaw, Oklahoma. She graduated from Sallisaw Public Schools after attending both Sallisaw- Central Schools and Shawnee Public Schools. Caitlin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a second Interdisciplinary degree in Math and Physical Sciences from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma where she attended on a full academic scholarship.
After graduation, Caitlin worked in Weatherford Public Schools as a paraprofessional and as a legal secretary for an Oklahoma City law firm while taking graduate classes and studying for the LSAT. Always interested in state politics, she accepted a session-only position with the Oklahoma House of Representatives as a Legislative Assistant. After spending a session working with Representative Jadine Nollan, Caitlin began law school, but was quickly offered a full-time position with the Oklahoma House of Representatives as a Legislative Assistant and transitioned to attending law school part-time. After four semesters in law school, she realized her passion was policy and state politics, and practicing law was not in her future.
Caitlin spent time as the administrator of a medical research clinic, developing the practice from strictly an FDA trial facility to possessing its own infusion clinic, lab facilities and private practice. She went on to teach math at Union and Coweta Public Schools, before staying home to raise her twins, Maverick and Arlington. Prior to joining EdChoice, Caitlin had returned to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Favorite Quote
Favorite Teacher/Class
Ms. Nimmo Junior Year English. She was one of the first teachers to truly challenge me. Despite taking honors and AP classes, I had done well in school growing up. Occasionally a subject would be tough and require a bit of studying, but rarely did I feel pushed or truly challenged as a person. Even when I worked hard on something, Ms. Nimmo pushed me to do more. She expected more out of my work and as a person. To this day, she wants more out of me and for me. She challenges my ideas and pushes back. Ms. Nimmo was not a rubberstamp teacher. She taught me that mediocrity was failure.
High School Mascot
Black Diamonds
Favorite Pastime
I love reading. Bonus points if it is outside- Patio, beach, poolside, lakeside, in a hammock. Anything outside with my friends- board games, hikes, walks, just laughing at stupid jokes.
Inspiration for Joining the Educational Choice Movement
I moved my freshman year of high school to live with my grandparents after my mom’s divorce. They live in a small school, rural district I had attended from kindergarten until fourth grade. I was moving from Shawnee, a much larger district, and was in several advanced classes. Sallisaw-Central, was not able to offer me the same courses I was currently enrolled, and in truth, I would have been required to backtrack to have enough courses to meet the requirements to graduate high school. My grandparents fought the superintendent, who refused to grant my transfer initially, so that I could enroll in a larger district, Sallisaw, nearby. While my transfer was fought, my grandparents even delayed retirement, and explored private school options to put my education first. For several weeks during this time, I took correspondence coursework and homeschooled while my grandparents advocated for the opportunity to choose what was best for my education. I later taught public school and I believe there will always be a place for quality public school education. I was graded during my TLE each quarter upon my ability to differentiate instruction for my students within each classroom hour, whether it was a class of eight students, or a class of thirty-six students. As an educator I was responsible for reaching every student and finding a way to help them learn. It was not feasible, and it was heartbreaking. I realized it was broken. I wanted something better for my students then, and in the future. Now that I am a mom, to twins that are different in every way, including how they learn. I want better for them. I want the ability to choose what education is best for them. Even if that means what works for my son, is not what works for my daughter.