State Supt. Ryan Walters discusses free school lunches, teaching standards, & American Virtual Academy

The Oklahoma State Board of Education met on Thursday for its July meeting, where State Supt. Ryan Walters remarked on districts' providing free school lunches for all students, the teaching requirements and standards for educators in the state, and the opening of American Virtual Academy, a virtual private school that Walters says promotes patriotism and American values.

Watch the full press conference in the video player above:

Updates below

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters begins meeting to address free school lunches statewide:

"Why are we not covering kids' lunches?" Walters said. "We told the districts you're going to provide lunches for these kids."

Question on the discrepancy in the budget regarding school lunches:

"If they would spend the money they have for child nutrition, we don't need the full $40 million," Walters said. "They are sitting on child nutrition dollars that they are not spending."

Q: How many students are on free and reduced lunches, and how much would it cost to feed those students for the entire academic year?

"We've got million of dollars that come in... we've got district who are working with us privately to get this done," Walters said. "I don't have patience for districts who throw their hands up and go 'Nothing we can do,'

"We can find the cost with a record amount of funding they've been provided, to make sure that school lunches are prepared."

More on the discrepancy in the budget regarding the cuts to provide free school lunches for students:

Q: "I would like somebody at the OSDE to provide the math..."

WALTERS: "Happy to organize that..."

State Supt. Ryan Walters on teaching standards and requirements for educators:

"If you're coming from (New York or California), you will take a test to show that you align to our standards," Walters said.

Q: Part of a teaching requirement is to teach to the standards adopted by the state.... so why would it be different for teachers depending on where they were educated, or where you taught last?

"If you're coming from a state that has taught you to teach that there are 27 genders, they require you to do that... you've taught there for 10 years... before you face Oklahoma students, you should at a baseline level you should be able to agree and show that that's what you'll do (follow Oklahoma requirements)," Walters said. "The test will be straightforward and matter-of-fact."

State Supt. Ryan Walters announces American Virtual Academy in Oklahoma:

"They are a new private school that is focused on promoting patriotism and American values in our school system," Walters said. "Oklahoma is the most school-choice-friendly state in the country. We believe in promoting American values and patriotism in schools. They are now eligible.

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State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the State Board of Education are meeting to potentially revoke at least five teachers' certificates and their certificate numbers.

Walters says these teachers are accused of child abuse, child pornography or having a sexual relationship with a student.

One of the teachers involved in Thursday's discussion is Jacob Doshier, who was arrested earlier this year, and accused of sexually abusing a student.

SEE ALSO: Metro high school teacher facing second-degree rape charges

Superintendent Walters joined News 9 in May to discuss lifetime bans for teachers, saying under his leadership, the board is working to hold administrators accountable.

RELATED: OSDE issues multiple lifetime teaching bans for former educators

MORE: State Superintendent Ryan Walters addresses 'critical issue' impacting Oklahoma

“We are ending this practice of passing the trash in Oklahoma; the teacher will be held accountable," Walters said at the time. "We will make sure that we are working with law enforcement [so] that they are investigated and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Those that harbor them, those that don’t turn over the investigation, we will also come after their certificate too.”

The meeting is set to begin at 9:30 a.m.

This is the last meeting before the first day of school.

In the meantime, News 9 is still working to learn more about Walter's motion to the Oklahoma Supreme Court regarding his plan to introduce the Bible to Oklahoma classrooms.

RELATED: Ryan Walters asks Oklahoma Supreme Court to move forward with Bible initiative

Walters says he remains committed to making sure Bibles are in every classroom in the state this fall, and filed a motion with the Oklahoma Supreme Court, asking them to lift the stay to allow the purchase of Bibles for Oklahoma classrooms for the upcoming school year.

SEE ALSO: Are Bibles really required in Oklahoma public schools?

In the motion to lift the stay, Walters says that the Bibles are a part of the approved social studies curriculum for the upcoming school year.