State auditor finds Tulsa Public Schools mismanaged money, lacked oversight
'The audit is complete and the findings are significant, but you're not allowed to see it,' said State Auditor Cindy Byrd on February 11, 2025.
Two weeks ago, State Auditor Cindy Byrd held a press conference to release an audit over Tulsa Public Schools. However, lawyers for the district delayed the release by using an Oklahoma law.
Tulsa Public Schools files request for audit, denies allegations of misleading public
That meant the audit was tucked away, until Wednesday, when State Auditor Byrd finally released the results.
The audit and its findings date back to 2022 when Governor Stitt sent a letter to Byrd asking her to investigate TPS.
'At the request of two Tulsa school board members, today I am calling for a special audit of Tulsa Public Schools and the potential mishandling of public funds,' said Governor Stitt in July of 2022.
The governor's letter to Byrd said TPS received millions in COVID relief, but schools were closed for 300 days, which is longer than any district in the state.
He also requested that she look into concerns the district allegedly violated a law banning schools from teaching critical race theory.
Wednesday's audit found that TPS got over $80 million in relief funding from 2020 to 2023, and their investigation uncovered the district did use the funds correctly. However, Byrd said questions still arose.
'The invoices TPS submitted for reimbursement through ESSER did not detail the services rendered, questioning costs totaling $4.9 million,' said Byrd.
The other big question from the governor was the district's alleged violation of the state's critical race theory law.
Byrd said her focus was on the financial review of schools, not what students were learning.
'There is evidence that the district did incur some expenditures from vendors of prohibited concepts after House Bill 1775 became effective,' said Byrd.
Tulsa Public Schools responded to the audit's release.
'We've already, from the powerpoint presentation of the audit, we have submitted our questions and or wonderings and or inquiries and or artifacts to get the auditors office just to take a look at, and see if there could have been some misunderstanding there, or we need more clarity on some of these findings, we've already submitted, they've acknowledged they've received it, and we'll see what happens,' said Dr. Ebony Johnson, Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent.
With the findings, State Auditor Byrd said she hopes TPS can re-vamp how they operate and properly track funds within the district.
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