First Watch: Stuff You Should Know

Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, said he would introduce limits on Department of Education spending that would prohibit contracts such as the one the agency signed with Vought Strategies.

As Jennifer Palmer reported, Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters hired Vought Strategies to book media interviews and write op-eds for $200 per hour. The initial contract is for four months with three one-year extensions possible, for a potential total of at least $210,000.

But it could be substantially more. Vought’s bid for $5,000 per month, dated Nov. 9, was made part of the contract as an attachment. Also incorporated in the contract is a more detailed pricing proposal dated Nov. 14 totaling $5,000 per week.

The contract says the more recent version supersedes earlier versions.

Also significant was the revelation that there was no existing contract with Vought and no email from OMES telling the Department of Education they could continue using her services while a new contract was being developed. Education Department spokesman Dan Isett made both claims in March.

Isett did not respond to Oklahoma Watch’s request to interview the people involved in the contract. Vought did not return an emailed request for an interview or clarification on payments.

Palmer’s story also reveals the political ties between Department of Education officials and vendors who received controversial contracts.

It’s worth a read.

More worth reading:

Lawmakers Call for Dept. of Ed. Audit
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday called for a state audit of the potential mishandling of federal grant funds by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. [Tulsa World]

Nine More Teaching Certificates Suspended
The state board has suspended or initiated revocation proceedings for about 35 educators since January, but critics say the Oklahoma State Department of Education still has been too slow to act. [Oklahoma Voice]

Second Federal Lawsuit Challenges New Immigration Law
A second federal lawsuit was filed Thursday against a controversial Oklahoma immigration law. [Oklahoma Voice]

Oklahoma has more marijuana dispensaries than any other state, nearly twice as many as second-place California.

Ciao for now,

Ted Streuli