State Superintendent Ryan Walters said teachers who received bonuses in error from his administration might not have to return the money after all. (Photo by Brent Fuchs/For Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY — State Superintendent Ryan Walters said Wednesday errant bonuses his administration paid to educators might not have to be clawed back.
In a press conference he called to accuse reporters of lying about the situation, Walters said the Oklahoma State Department of Education is coordinating with the teachers who wrongly received signing bonuses to find another solution. He said that could include longer contractual commitments in exchange for keeping the money.
“There is a path forward that does not require a payback from those teachers,” Walters said.
But at least one affected teacher got no such promise, her attorney, Mark Hammons, said.
Oklahoma County teacher Kristina Stadelman heard from the state agency in the past two days, informing her a Feb. 29 deadline for repayment no longer applied, Hammons said.