Latest news with #JanelleStecklein
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma school district slashes nearly 360 jobs in ‘streamlining measures'
An Epic Charter Schools sign advertises a location near Interstate 35 north of Oklahoma City. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) Epic Charter Schools, one of Oklahoma's largest school districts, announced mass layoffs Tuesday, resulting in 357 job losses. In a move the district called in a statement, 'significant streamlining measures,' Epic has not renewed contracts for 83 teachers and 274 administrators for the next school year. That accounts for about 6% of teachers and more than one-third of administrators. It will also close its in-person learning centers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and discontinue breakfast and lunch services. Epic Superintendent Bart Banfield said in a statement the school was committed to 'supporting those impacted with compassion and transparency.' 'We are grateful to every member of the Epic team for the passion and care they bring to our community,' Banfield said. 'This transition is about preserving and strengthening our ability to serve students for years to come.' In an email obtained by StateImpact, staff were told by Epic they would lose access to Epic systems and facilities 'shortly,' and benefits, including healthcare, which will terminate at the end of the month. Staff are also required to return all Epic property before June 9. In another staff email obtained by StateImpact, Epic said it would discontinue its Chinese and Latin course offerings and outsource and charge students $275 for German and French courses unless they have completed German I or French I during the previous school year. Epic also announced in the email students will no longer have access to one free concurrent college course. Going forward, students must purchase all courses through the Learning Fund, which is a $1,000 allocation Epic provides for each student. English language arts (ELA) and math are also affected. Epic's ELA+ will be discontinued, and Math+ will only be offered to students in grades 6-12 rather than 3-12. The courses provide live, virtual instruction to students two to three times a week. AP courses will also now be outsourced, and students' Learning Fund will be charged $100 for 'specialty' courses. The move follows cuts in October of nearly 150 Epic employees. At the time, Epic said it had overestimated the number of students who would enroll by about 4,000. This article was originally published by StateImpact Oklahoma. StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma's public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill putting restrictions on petition process heads to Oklahoma governor
Gov. Kevin Stitt laughs when answering a question during a press conference on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent Gov. Kevin Stitt a measure that would make it more difficult for residents to put things on the ballot. Critics said the measure is an unconstitutional legislative power grab, while supporters said it is necessary to ensure more input from rural counties and prevent fraud. Currently, state law requires 97,263 signatures to get statutory changes before the voters and 172,993 for constitutional amendments. There are no restrictions on where the signatures are collected. But Senate Bill 1027 would put limits on how many signatures could come from counties. For a statute change, no more than 11.5% of votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election could come from a single county. That signature threshold increases to 20.8% for a constitutional amendment. 'This forces them out to 18 to 20 different counties,' said Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, the bill's author. 'It doesn't even force them out to all 77 counties. We're just asking that you go to 18 to 20 different counties to gather these signatures and get various opinions on whether or not this is something you want to do.' Oklahoma has more than 2.3 million registered voters, of which 1.15 million voters cast ballots for governor in the 2022 general election, according to the Tulsa-based Oklahoma Policy Institute. The bill's requirements would exclude 2.2 million registered voters, or 94.4% of them, from signing a petition for statutory changes, according to the organization. It would exclude 2.1 million registered voters , or 89.8% of them, from signing a petition for constitutional amendments, according to the organization. The measure would prohibit the payment to circulators based on the number of signatures collected. It would require sources of payment to circulators to be disclosed and bar out of state interests from donating. Bullard asked why Oklahomans would want 'massive liberal organizations coming in here and shoving this stuff down your throat.' It would require petition circulators to be registered Oklahoma voters. Finally, it would require a political appointee, the Secretary of State, to approve the gist, the brief summary of the ballot measure that voters see at the top of the signature sheet. Critics say the process has been used to get needed reforms on the ballot, such as Medicaid expansion, medical marijuana legalization and criminal justice reform, when lawmakers declined to act. The bill will 'suppress and subvert what we used to know as democracy,' said Sen. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa. Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, called the measure 'a power grab.' 'It takes power away from everyday Oklahoma voters,' he said 'It silences the voice of everyday citizens.' Mann said the bill is likely unconstitutional and violates a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that says out-of-state money from corporations can be spent on elections and ballot initiatives. He said the artificial signature cap also discriminates against voters in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, whose residents combined make up 40% of the state's population, but can comprise only 23% of the total signatures collected. 'It violates the one person one vote principle,' he said.' Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said the measure establishes barriers that make it nearly impossible to get issues on the ballot. Bullard said the state Constitution says laws shall prevent corruption in the referendum process. 'Let me be very clear,' Bullard said. 'If you are willing to go to two or three counties to gather those signatures and completely willing to completely ignore 97.5% of the state counties, that's corruption.' The measure passed by a vote of 39-7. Stitt said Wednesday that he will review the measure before deciding whether to sign it. He said it is easier to get something on the ballot in Oklahoma than in other states, and lawmakers are trying to find a balance. It would become effective immediately with Stitt's signature. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma voters select new state senator, determine House candidate slate
A vote here polling place sign is pictured on Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Republican Bryan Logan will be sworn in on May 21 to represent Senate District 8. Logan, of Paden, on Tuesday defeated Democrat Nathan Brewer and independent Steve Sanford, both of Henryetta, in a special election. Logan garnered 62% of the vote and once sworn in will represent constituents living in a five-county area that includes Okmulgee, Okfuskee and McIntosh counties and portions of Creek and Muskogee counties. Logan, who is self-employed and a pastor at Paden Holiness Church, replaces Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, who resigned. In the Republican runoff for House District 71, Beverly A. Attebury garnered 66% of the vote, besting Tania Garza. Both are from Tulsa. Attebury faces Democrat Amanda Clinton of Tulsa in the June 10 special election. The post became vacant when former Rep. Amanda Swope, D-Tulsa, left to serve in the administration of Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols. In the Republican runoff for House District 74, Kevin Wayne Norwood garnered 51% to Sheila Vancuren's 49%. Both are from Owasso. Norwood faces Democrat Amy Hossain, of Owasso, in the June 10 special election. The seat became open when former Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, left to serve as deputy commissioner for Tulsa County Commissioner Lonnie Simms. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Committee advances bill nearly doubling rate for transporting youth in Oklahoma custody
The state's Office of Juvenile Affairs in Ada is pictured on Dec. 4. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — A Senate committee on Wednesday advanced a measure that would nearly double the reimbursement rate for transporting juvenile defendants. House Bill 1680 increases the reimbursement fee from $17 an hour to $32 an hour. The fee is paid by the Office of Juvenile Affairs to entities who transport their youth to the 11 facilities in the state, said Sen. Bill Coleman, R-Ponca City, the Senate author. The increased rate is expected to cost the Office of Juvenile Affairs about $124,800 a year, and the agency officials noted they would require an increase to their budget to pay for it, according to a legislative fiscal analysis. Coleman said the last time the rate was increased was in the 1990s. Supporters said the increase is needed because it costs substantially more to transport the youth today than it did nearly three decades ago. The measure passed the Senate appropriation's committee 23-0. It heads to the full Senate for consideration. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma voters narrow candidates for three vacant legislative seats, send some races to runoffs
Voters were urged to take an "I voted" sticker after casting their ballots on Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma voters picked winners Tuesday for three empty legislative seats. Bryan Logan defeated fellow Republican David Nelson to win the party's nomination for Senate District 8, which includes Okmulgee, Okfuskee and McIntosh counties and portions of Creek and Muskogee counties. The vacancy occurred when former Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, resigned last year. Logan faces Democrat Nathan Brewer and independent Steve Sandford in the May 13 general election. The race for House District 74, which represents Tulsa and Rogers Counties, is headed into a May 13 Republican runoff pitting Sheila Vancuren against Kevin Norwood. The winner faces Democrat Amy Hossain on June 10. The seat became vacant when Rep. Mark Vancuren, R-Owasso, took a job in Tulsa County government. The Republican nomination for House District 71 heads to a runoff. Voters will pick May 13 between Beverly Atteberry and Tania Garza. The winner will face Amanda Clinton on June 10. Clinton won the Democratic nomination. The seat, which covers Tulsa County, became open when former Rep. Amanda Swope, D-Tulsa, took a job in Tulsa city government. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
