OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — State Superintendent Janet Barresi acknowledges she's had to make tough decisions because of public education budget cuts, but she's urging school administrators to rise to the challenge and touting recent legislative changes to education.

The Republican elected in November delivered her first State of Education address Thursday morning to about 2,500 administrators and educators at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. Barresi replaced longtime Superintendent Sandy Garrett, a Democrat who served in the post for two decades.

Outside the convention center, several dozen teachers lined the street to oppose budget cuts recently approved by Barresi and the state Board of Education.

Holding signs that read "Barresi is Wrong" and "Save our Schools," protesters say they are particularly troubled by cuts to professional development programs for teachers.