Oklahoma Teachers Ordered to Return Up to $50,000 in Mistaken Bonuses

Oklahoma teachers who received bonuses of up to $50,000 in error are being asked to repay the money, sparking criticism from lawmakers. The bonuses were part of a program to recruit teachers for hard-to-fill positions, but some were paid in error. Lawmakers are seeking to overhaul the program to prevent similar issues in the future. The state superintendent of public instruction suggested that some bonuses were paid due to teachers misrepresenting their experience and qualifications. This comes amid previous criticism of alleged misspending of public funds by the education department.