The Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) on Tuesday released a much anticipated examination of certain spending programs by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (SDE). The Department and its leader, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters, have come under criticism by lawmakers and school districts for how those spending programs which include teacher pay raises in “off-formula” schools, school security resources, emergency inhalers for public schools, and other programs.
The Oklahoman’s Murray Evans and M. Scott Carter write during a hearing on the LOFT report, Walters blamed the media, school districts, “bad actors” and others for the issues raised in the report.
The LOFT report made recommendations of improved communication by SDE to both lawmakers and school districts, as well as, more attention to planning when the Legislature creates new programs for the agency to implement.
Read The Oklahoman story here.
