Oklahoma
Oklahoma Asks Some Teachers to Return Their 5-Figure Bonuses
With four young children and a fifth on the way, Kristina Stadelman was ecstatic after qualifying for a $50,000 bonus for taking a hard-to-fill job as a special education teacher in Oklahoma. She used the money to finish home improvements and buy a new car for her growing family. Then a letter arrived from the Oklahoma State Department of Education: It told her she received the money in error and must repay it, quickly. “I don’t obviously have the money to pay it back by the end of February,” Stadelman tells the AP. “I came home the day I found out and just cried for two days straight.”
The errant payments, first reported by Oklahoma Watch, and the repayment demands have Oklahoma’s education agency drawing fierce criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, some of whom say teachers shouldn’t be forced to give the money back. Average teacher pay in Oklahoma is about $54,800, which ranks 38th in the country, according to the National Education Association.
The bonuses were awarded under an Oklahoma program that’s intended to help recruit new teachers for the most difficult jobs to fill. Oklahoma Watch reported that at least nine teachers were asked to return bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $50,000. A total of $185,000 went to teachers who didn’t qualify for the program at all, and $105,000 was overpaid to teachers who qualified for a lesser amount, the outlet reported. Stadelman said the letter she received said she was ineligible because she’d been employed as a full-time special education teacher in another district last year; she said she indicated that on her application.
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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, who implemented the program, suggested in a memo sent Monday to legislative leaders that some of the errant bonuses were because teachers had “misrepresented their experience and qualifications.” He blamed the media for much of the fallout, writing they “exclud[ed] vital details on the contracts and our auditing system. Over 500 teachers were recruited to Oklahoma classrooms through this program.” Still, lawmakers from both parties have leveled fierce criticism at Walters and the agency. “It was up to the State Department of Education to provide proper oversight in the vetting and approval of the bonus recipients,” said state Rep. Rhonda Baker, chair of the House Common Education Committee.
(More teacher stories.)
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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