Oklahoma Lawmakers Call For Investigation Into Oklahoma State Department Of Education

Calls continue to grow for an investigation into financial and transparency practices at the State Department of Education.

A number of Republican lawmakers are raising questions about appropriated money for school security, maternity leave for teachers, Title 1 funding, and inhalers that were never paid out.

Budget leaders at the state Capitol say the money is all there. They say it's coming down to a lack of process and communication from OSDE. 

A 2023 law allowed teachers to get maternity leave and gave the funds to OSDE this July.

The legislature also appropriated $250,000 to put inhalers in every public school in the state, leaving the distribution process to OSDE.

“That process has not been created, and the money has not gone out yet,” said Sen. Chuck Hall.

Lawmakers are also questioning school safety and why money from a law to hire more school resource officers hasn't been utilized.