Southwest
Oklahoma asks teachers to return up to $50,000 in bonuses paid under new program
Several Oklahoma teachers are being asked to pay back up to $50,000 in bonuses that were doled out in a teacher recruitment initiative, according to a report.
At least nine teachers are being asked to return bonuses ranging between $15,000 and $50,000 that the state’s Department of Education paid out as recruitment bonuses, Oklahoma Watch reported.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters specified the “clawback” was a core component of the bonuses and the contractual terms that were agreed upon by the teachers and the state.
“The teacher signing bonus program is working as intended by utilizing the necessary safeguards and following the terms of the contract with regard to use of federal funding,” Walters said in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital to the Oklahoma State Legislature and its leadership. “From the beginning, the program was designed with a rigorous and ongoing audit process in mind. The verification process for eligibility is an ongoing process.”
Walters continued: “During the audit process, SDE discovered that several teachers misrepresented their experience and qualifications. SDE is working with these teachers and the federal government on options to ensure accountability of taxpayer money while keeping teachers in the classroom in some of the highest-need areas. We are exploring every option to ensure that teachers honor the intent of the contract they signed while ensuring accountability for taxpayers.”
MASSACHUSETTS FAMILIES DEMAND STRIKING TEACHERS RETURN TO SCHOOL IN LEGAL MOTION
Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters speaks during a special state Board of Education meeting, April 12, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The state is requesting some teachers return their bonuses as its ongoing audit process found some did not qualify for the program and others were overpaid.
“Beyond requiring accurate representation of teachers’ eligibility, one of the stipulations of the contract is that teachers must remain in Oklahoma classrooms for five years, and so we will be conducting ongoing verification of that standard and will claw back funds for teachers that leave early,” the memo read.
Walters blamed media outlets for the backlash his office was receiving.
“The press has jumped the gun on their reporting, excluding vital details on the contracts and our auditing system,” Walters wrote in the memo. “The fact of the matter is that over 500 teachers were recruited to Oklahoma classrooms through this program.”
Some teachers, auditors insisted, did not qualify for the program and were overpaid. (iStock)
He also clarified the program “has been the most successful teacher recruitment initiative in state history.”
“I am extremely proud of the work my staff put into designing, launching, and implementing this program in such a quick turnaround,” Walters added.
OKLAHOMA GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION SHOOTS FLAMES OVER 500 FEET INTO AIR, VIDEO SHOWS
According to Oklahoma Watch, a total of $185,000 was paid out to teachers who did not qualify, and $105,000 was overpaid to teachers who qualified for a lesser amount.
Before the memo was sent, the repayment demands had Oklahoma’s education agency drawing fierce criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
“As a former teacher, I cannot imagine the anxiety something like this would induce – to be deemed eligible and to receive a large bonus in my bank account, only to be told months later I must return it,” state Rep. Rhonda Baker, a Yukon Republican and chair of the House Common Education Committee, told The Associated Press. “It was up to the State Department of Education to provide proper oversight in the vetting and approval of the bonus recipients.”
Oklahoma Rep. Rhonda Baker commented on the state requiring some teachers to pay back bonuses, saying: “As a former teacher, I cannot imagine the anxiety something like this would induce.” (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
One teacher with four young children and a fifth on the way told The Associated Press that she initially qualified for a $50,000 bonus and used the money to finish home improvements and buy a new car for her growing family.
Then she received a letter from the Oklahoma State Department of Education requesting she repay the funds, quickly.
“I don’t obviously have the money to pay it back by the end of February,” Kristina Stadelman said. “I came home the day I found out and just cried for two days straight.”
According to the National Education Association, the average teacher pay in Oklahoma is about $54,800, which ranks 38th in the country.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
A man armed with a knife was shot by L.A. police officers responding to an assault with a deadly weapon call overnight, authorities said.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, officers with the Hollenbeck Division responded to an apartment complex in the 3000 block of Glenn Avenue in Boyle Heights at 1:45 a.m. Saturday after callers reported a male suspect was armed with a knife and had just assaulted someone in the complex.
Arriving officers found the suspect in front of the residence, but he did not comply with officers’ commands to drop the weapon. He then advanced toward the officers and an officer-involved shooting occurred, LAPD confirmed.
“The suspect was struck by gunfire and remained non-compliant,” the LAPD Public Information Officer said on X early Saturday morning. “Officers deployed a 40mm foam round and ultimately took the suspect into custody.”
Video obtained by KTLA shows the man being loaded into an ambulance and taken to a hospital; officials said he was transported in stable condition, adding that his knife was recovered at the scene and booked as evidence.
No officers or community members were injured during the incident. The man’s name was not released.
Dangerous rip currents and high surf are forecast for Los Angeles County beaches, including the Malibu Coast this weekend.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous beach statement, warning of the potentially deadly beach conditions. The dangerous conditions are forecast to last from Saturday evening to Monday morning.
“There is an increased risk of ocean drowning,” the NWS forecast reads. “Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea. Waves can wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats nearshore.”
-
A guide to surviving rip currents from the National Weather Service (NWS)
Minor Beach erosion and coastal flooding is possible through the weekend. The flooding is most likely to occur during evening high tides from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Beachgoers are advised to stay out of the water and remain near lifeguard towers. Jetties and tidepools are also especially dangerous during the weekend forecast.
“Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks,” the NWS forecast reads.
Similar hazardous beach conditions are also in the forecast for Santa Barbara County. A high surf advisory is also in effect for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties this weekend, where 10 to 15-foot waves will be possible.
If you live or want to live in Los Angeles, the city controller has released a new dashboard highlighting some of the city’s most notorious problem rental properties, a tool designed to help renters avoid future headaches.
“This project comes at a time when tenants are reporting harassment and illegal evictions violating the City’s Rent Stabilization Ordinance, Just Cause for Eviction Ordinance and Tenant Anti‑Harassment Ordinance, but very few of the complaints end up leading to strong enforcement or real accountability,” L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia said in a media release Thursday.
The new Top 100 Problem Rental Properties dashboard includes a searchable database of all residential addresses with reported housing violation cases within the city of Los Angeles, a ranked list of the 100 addresses with the most violations and an interactive map.
“There has never before been an uncomplicated way for anyone to look up years’ worth of violations by address,” Mejia said in the release.
Data for the dashboard was compiled from multiple sources, including the Los Angeles Housing Department, Los Angeles City Planning and the L.A. County Assessor’s Office, according to the controller’s office.
The release also identified the top three addresses with the highest number of reported housing violations:
1. 636 1/2 North Hill Place, Chinatown
192 housing violation cases
2. 11700 West Wilshire Boulevard, Sawtelle
166 housing violation cases
3. 6650 West Forest Lawn Drive, Hollywood Hills
113 housing violation cases
“Our new dashboard is an easy‑to‑understand public tool that we hope will help renters and organizers document patterns of harm, as well as put pressure on both landlords and the City to act,” Mejia said. “Everyone deserves safe, stable and dignified housing.”
-
Maryland1 minute agoMaryland is resending thousands of mail-in primary ballots after a vendor mix-up – WTOP News
-
Michigan8 minutes agoSherman Lewis, Michigan State football All-American, ex-Lions OC, dies
-
Massachusetts13 minutes agoHundreds gather on Boston Common for mental health walk with NAMI Massachusetts
-
Minnesota19 minutes agoVideos show Stewart Trail Fire destruction near Two Harbors, Minnesota
-
Mississippi25 minutes agoWhy Mississippi State baseball pitching is struggling heading into SEC Tournament
-
Missouri31 minutes agoMan, 20, charged in Kansas City, Missouri, road rage shooting that critically injured woman, 19
-
Montana37 minutes agoRob McManus, Jenavieve Lynch win titles for Montana State at Big Sky Conference track and field championships
-
Nebraska43 minutes agoDangerous storm threat continues through Monday in Nebraska