State Superintendent Ryan Walters held a press conference to discuss Tulsa Public Schools’ accreditation status. Walters said Monday that the district trails the state in reading proficiency by roughly 8 percent. He demanded the district improve the scores.
"Tulsa Public Schools, by the end of this academic year, should at least be at the state average for reading performance. They should at least be at the average," Walters said.
In recent weeks, Walters has threatened to remove TPS's accreditation claiming significant financial mismanagement within the district. He's also calling for the district Superintendent, Deborah Gist, to be removed from leadership.
Walters and the State School Board will vote on TPS’ accreditation Aug. 24.
Survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre are hoping to have their case heard in state Supreme Court.
A group of attorneys representing the last remaining survivors of the 1921 Massacre held a press conference detailing their appeal to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.
Last month, a Tulsa District Court Judge dismissed a lawsuit from the survivors against the city for aiding the white mob that attacked Black Wall Street.
Damario Solomon-Simmons is the lead attorney representing the survivors and the founder of the non-profit Justice for Greenwood Foundation.
“They’ve been waiting just like every other victim and survivor of the massacre for just an opportunity to have their day in court," said Solomon-Simmons.
Solomon-Simmons believes his team has a solid case for the appeal based on Oklahoma’s public nuisance laws.
Voters in 14 Oklahoma counties will head to the polls today for elections on school bonds, municipal propositions and more.
Tulsans will consider a capital improvement funding package worth $814 million dollars via a temporary sales tax that's already in place. The money will go toward a slate of maintenance issues.
In Chickasha, voters will consider a half-cent sales tax bump and a water rate increase to pay for a new water treatment plant. The city says the current facility is at risk of QUOTE "catastrophic failure," and needs to be replaced.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can check your polling location and view a sample ballot at elections.ok.gov.
Gentner Drummond has received nearly a quarter million dollars in campaign contributions this year. The Attorney General’s fundraising tops other state officials.
Oklahoma’s Republican Attorney General raised about 225,000 dollars so far this year. Most of those campaign donations came from individuals - both Democrats and Republicans The Oklahoman reports.
Drummond’s fundraising numbers are high compared to other state officials’. For example superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters received one campaign donation this year - $250 from a North Carolina man.
Drummond closed out June with more than $502,000 in his campaign account.
Oklahomans elected Drummond last year. His term as Attorney General will end in 2027. He could run for re-election or consider a run for governor in 2026, as Kevin Stitt will be term-limited.
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