Jennifer Palmer of Oklahoma Watch

The Oklahoma Department of Education initiated a new vendor search to purchase materials containing Bible-infused character lessons for elementary-aged students.

The Education Department canceled its deal to buy 55,000 King James Version Bibles for schools, but an agency spokesman said they will issue a new request.

Just 10% of Oklahoma’s graduates met all four college readiness benchmarks (in English, math, reading and science) compared to 20% nationally.

Ryan Walters’ pursuit of an Edmond teacher’s certification exemplifies his priority is to score cheap political points, constitution be damned.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed limits on spending on public relations by State Superintendent Ryan Walters but instead issued a broader executive order stopping state agencies from sole-source contracts for public relations. It’s unclear if that executive order would not apply to any contracts the state Education Department has for public relations that were under scrutiny by lawmakers.

The size of the scandal alleged at the state’s largest online school befits the school’s name: epic.

The Oklahoma Department of Education hired Vought Strategies, a communications firm in Arlington, Virginia, to write speeches and op-eds and book Walters on at least 10 national TV and radio appearances per month. Some are questioning whether Walters is simply boosting his national profile at the public’s expense.

Stillwater Public Schools settled a lawsuit over teacher Alberto Morejon, who was convicted for sexting a student, but would not disclose details of the agreement.

An Oklahoma Watch investigation last year revealed a pervasive culture of harassment at an elite Oklahoma high school. The agency responsible for addressing those issues dropped the ball on performing inspections for 16 years.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education overpaid at least $290,000 in teacher bonuses and is working to claw back the money mere months after it was distributed. Nine teachers have been issued demands for repayment, and five additional teachers are under review.