Articles
-
Budget & Tax, Economy
State unemployment fund drained by pandemic
An unprecedented surge in unemployment claims caused by this year’s COVID-19 shutdown, combined with major fraud, has drained Oklahoma’s unemployment insurance trust fund and requires an increase in associated taxes on employers.Ray Carter | October 21, 2020
-
Health Care, Good Government
Stitt rated a four-star governor on economy
Gov. Kevin Stitt has been rated a four-star governor in a new report that evaluates all 50 governors on their economic stewardship, but the report warns that Medicaid expansion will make continued financial prudence much more challenging for Stitt.Ray Carter | October 20, 2020
-
Education
Hofmeister, board routinely waive school finance penalties
The State Board of Education, chaired by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister, recently voted to impose more than $11 million in “clawback” penalties on Epic Charter Schools for alleged improper coding of administrative costs on state finances reports.Ray Carter | October 15, 2020
-
Education
Review process launched into Epic’s charter
Members of the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted Tuesday to begin a months-long administrative process that could potentially result in termination of the board’s contract with Community Strategies, Inc., the governing board for Epic One-on-One Charter School.Ray Carter | October 13, 2020
-
Education
Medical officials favor school reopening
Roughly one-quarter of the way through the school year, the debate over in-person instruction continues with some districts continuing to severely curtail classroom lessons while other districts remain fully online due to alleged concerns about COVID-19.Ray Carter | October 13, 2020
-
Education
Epic ordered to repay $11 million
Members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education have ordered Epic Charter Schools, a virtual K-12 provider, to repay $11.2 million to the state.Ray Carter | October 12, 2020
-
Education
Epic parents vote with their feet, shrug off controversy
As Epic Charter Schools continues to battle perceptions created by a critical financial audit, it seems that parents are equally eager to vote with their feet by enrolling their children in Epic.Mike Brake | October 9, 2020
-
Law & Principles
State retains environmental oversight—for now
The federal Environmental Protection Agency has approved Gov. Kevin Stitt’s request for the state of Oklahoma to retain regulatory oversight of lands now considered part of Indian reservations when those properties are not owned by a tribal government.Ray Carter | October 8, 2020
-
Education
Audit dings Department of Education’s school-finance oversight
Ray Carter | October 7, 2020
-
Education
Did state audit recommend illegal action?
A recently released special investigative audit of EPIC Charter Schools, an online K-12 provider, says the school failed to make appropriate payments into the Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma for some employees. But documents provided by EPIC in response indicate the actions recommended in the audit violate state law and regulations.Ray Carter | October 7, 2020