Several teachers in Oklahoma are being asked to repay bonuses of up to $50,000 for teacher recruitment efforts, according to a report.
At least nine teachers are being asked to repay hiring bonuses ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 that the state Department of Education paid them, Oklahoma Watch reported.
Ryan Walters, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, said the “clawback” is a core element of the bonus and a term of the contract agreed upon by teachers and the state.
In a memo to the Oklahoma State Legislature and its leadership obtained by Fox News Digital, Walters said: “The Teacher Signature Bonus Program utilizes necessary safeguards and complies with the terms of the contract regarding the use of federal funds. It is working as intended.” “From the beginning, this program was designed with a rigorous, ongoing audit process in mind. The qualification process is an ongoing process.”
Mr. Walters continued, “During the course of the audit, SDE discovered that several teachers misrepresented their experience and qualifications. “We are working on options to keep them in the classroom while ensuring accountability for taxpayer dollars.” We are considering all options to ensure that we honor the intent of the contracts our teachers sign, while ensuring accountability to taxpayers. ”
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Oklahoma Public Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters speaks during a special meeting of the State Board of Education on April 12, 2023 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
The state is requiring some teachers to receive bonuses after an ongoing audit found that some teachers were not eligible for the program or that some teachers were overpaid. I’m asking for a refund.
“In addition to requiring accurate representation of teacher qualifications, one of the provisions of the contract is that teachers must remain in an Oklahoma classroom for five years, so we “We will continue to conduct ongoing reviews and restore funding to teachers who took early retirement,” the memo said.
Walters blamed media outlets for the backlash his office received.
“The media jumped on the story, leaving out important details about the contract and audit system,” Walters wrote in the memo. “In fact, through this program he has recruited more than 500 teachers into Oklahoma classrooms.”
Some teachers were ineligible for the program and received excessive compensation, auditors alleged. (St. Petersburg)
He also declared the program “the most successful teacher recruitment effort in state history.”
“I am extremely proud of how quickly our staff worked to design, launch and implement this program,” Walters added.
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Teachers who did not qualify were paid a total of $185,000, and teachers who did not meet qualifications were overpaid by $105,000, according to Oklahoma Watch.
Before the memo was sent, the Oklahoma Education Department had drawn heavy criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers over its repayment demands.
“As a former teacher, I can’t imagine the anxiety something like this causes. Being deemed eligible and receiving a large bonus in your bank account, only to be told months later that you have to pay it back. ,” said state Rep. Rhonda Baker. Yukon Republican and chairman of the House Common Education Committee also told The Associated Press. “It was the responsibility of the state Department of Education to properly oversee the vetting and approval of bonus recipients.”
“As a former teacher, I can’t imagine the anxiety something like this would cause,” Oklahoma Rep. Rhonda Baker said of the state’s requirement for some teachers to return their bonuses. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
One teacher with four young children and a fifth on the way told The Associated Press that she was initially eligible for a $50,000 bonus and would use the money to finish renovations on her home and support her growing family. He said he used it to buy a new car.
She then received a letter from the Oklahoma State Department of Education requesting that the funds be returned immediately.
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“It’s clear that we don’t have enough money to pay it off by the end of February,” Christina Stadelman said. She said, “The day I found out, I went home and cried for two days in a row.”
The average teacher salary in Oklahoma is about $54,800, ranking 38th in the nation, according to the National Education Association.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
