Une enseignante qui a reçu une bonus mille dollars a déjà utilisé l’argent et a déclaré qu’elle n’était pas en mesure de le rembourser.
Selon un rapport, plusieurs enseignants dans l’État d’Oklahoma sont demandés de rembourser jusqu’à $50,000 en bonuses qui ont été déduits dans un effort pour embaucher des enseignants.
Oklahoma Watch reported that at least nine teachers are being asked to return bonuses of $15,000 to $50,000 paid out by the state’s Department of Education as recruitment bonuses.
According to Ryan Walters, Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State, the “clawback” was a critical element of the bonuses and contractual terms that were approved by teachers and the state.
“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 said in a memo obtained by Fox News Digital to the Oklahoma State Legislature and its leadership. “From the beginning, the program was designed with a rigorous and ongoing audit process in mind. The verification process for eligibility is an ongoing process.”
Walters a poursuivi en disant : “SDE discovered during the audit process that several teachers misrepresented their experience and qualifications. SDE travaille avec these enseignants et le gouvernement fédéral pour trouver des moyens d’assurer la responsabilité des fonds impôtés tout en maintenant les enseignants dans les salles de classe dans certaines des zones les plus précaires. We are looking into every possibility to ensure that teachers honor the intention of the contract they signed while ensuring accountability for taxpayers.
The state is requesting some teachers return their bonuses as its ongoing audit process found some did not qualify for the program and others were overpaid. “Beyond requiring accurate representation of teachers’ eligibility, one of the stipulations of the contract is that teachers must remain in Oklahoma classrooms for five years, and so we will be conducting ongoing verification of that standard and will claw back funds for teachers that leave early,” the memo read. Walters blamed media outlets for the backlash his office was receiving. “The press has jumped the gun on their reporting, excluding vital details on the contracts and our auditing system,” Walters wrote in the memo. “The fact of the matter is that over 500 teachers were recruited to Oklahoma classrooms
He also clarified the program “has been the most successful teacher recruitment initiative in state history.” “I am extremely proud of the work my staff put into designing, launching, and implementing this program in such a quick turnaround,” Walters added.
According to Oklahoma Watch, a total of $185,000 was paid out to teachers who did not qualify, and $105,000 was overpaid to teachers who qualified for a lesser amount. Before the memo was sent, the repayment demands had Oklahoma’s education agency drawing fierce criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
“As a former teacher, I cannot imagine the anxiety something like this would induce – to be deemed eligible and to receive a large bonus in my bank account, only to be told months later I must return it,” state Rep. Rhonda Baker, a Yukon Republican and chair of the House Common Education Committee, told The Associated Press. “It was up to the State Department of Education to provide proper oversight in the vetting and approval of the bonus recipients.”
One teacher with four young children and a fifth on the way told The Associated Press that she initially qualified for a $50,000 bonus and used the money to finish home improvements and buy a new car for her growing family.
Then she received a letter from the Oklahoma State Department of Education requesting she repay the funds, quickly. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “I don’t obviously have the money to pay it back by the end of February,” Kristina Stadelman said. “I came home the day I found out and just cried for two days straight.” According to the National Education Association, the average teacher pay in Oklahoma is about $54,800, which ranks 38th in the country. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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