According to a source, a number of instructors in Oklahoma are being requested to repay bonuses totaling up to $50,000 that were awarded as part of an effort to recruit new teachers.
According to a report by Oklahoma Watch, the state’s Department of Education is requesting that at least nine teachers refund payments totaling between $15,000 and $50,000 that were given out as recruitment incentives.
According to Ryan Walters, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, the “clawback” was a fundamental part of the contractual provisions and bonuses that the state and the teachers agreed upon.
In a memo that Fox News Digital was able to receive, Walters stated, “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 stated in a memo to the Oklahoma State Legislature’s leadership that Fox News Digital was able to get.
“A thorough and continuous audit procedure was taken into consideration when designing the program from the outset. The eligibility verification procedure is a continuous one.”
Walters went on: “SDE found that several teachers had fabricated their credentials and experience during the audit process. SDE is collaborating with the federal government and these educators to explore ways to maintain teacher presence in some of the places with the greatest need while guaranteeing accountability for taxpayer funds. We are looking into every possibility to make sure that educators uphold the terms of their contracts while keeping taxpayers accountable.”
