StateImpact Oklahoma
309 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsStateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. StateImpact Oklahoma is a collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU.
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Episodes
Oklahoma prison chief discusses Covid-19 testing in state prisons
April 30, 2020 14:00 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBThe Oklahoma Department of Corrections decides which prisoners to test for Covid-19 on a cases by case basis. So far, two prisoners have tested positive for Covid-19.
COVID-19 is changing the way Oklahoma schools are educating English learners
April 23, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 4.27 MBA brief summary of this episode
Oklahoma school districts conduct distance learning without the internet
April 09, 2020 20:41 - 4 minutes - 4.28 MBMonday was a new kind of first day of school in Oklahoma: the first one back since schools shuttered after spring break to combat the spread of COVID-19. Many school districts are turning to the internet to conduct instruction. But for 167,000 Oklahoma students that isn't an option. So, school districts are getting creative to deliver the instruction to kids.
Oklahoma drug court judges are afraid saving people from Covid-19 might mean losing some to addiction
April 03, 2020 05:03 - 4 minutes - 4.1 MBOklahoma drug courts are adapting to reduce physical contact during the coronavirus pandemic, but they say they're paying a price. Social distancing is disrupting and routines human connections that give stability to people fighting addiction.
How the University of Oklahoma moved its classes online
March 26, 2020 19:58 - 4 minutes - 4.24 MBA brief summary of this episode
Oklahoma schools and jails brace for the COVID-19 pandemic’s spread
March 19, 2020 21:34 - 4 minutes - 4.25 MBOklahoma schools and county jails are looking for ways to keep the coronavirus pandemic at bay.
Loosening gun regulations may put more firearms in Oklahoma classrooms
March 12, 2020 15:00 - 4 minutes - 3.71 MBBecause nobody with the state is keeping track, it’s difficult to know how many school districts across Oklahoma have armed teachers. Despite that, state lawmakers want to loosen regulations on training requirements for teachers armed in schools. They hope, ushered in by a piece of legislation currently under consideration, fewer regulations will lead to more guns in schools.
Oklahoma Lawmakers consider a raise for hundreds of prison employees skipped over last year
March 05, 2020 12:00 - 4 minutes - 4.07 MBState officials want to help hundreds of corrections employees who didn't get a raise last year. It's unclear if a bill that could fix the problem will be approved.
Oklahoma colleges get creative to support mental health treatment as need grows
February 27, 2020 17:00 - 4 minutes - 3.88 MBWith 80 percent of college students reporting anxiety or depression, schools have to find a way to help students. StateImpact's Robby Korth spends time in Stillwater and Norman to see how Oklahoma's two biggest universities are approaching mental wellness for their students.
Oklahoma leaves behind top incarcerator title but prison population may keep growing
February 26, 2020 23:00 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBOklahoma has reduced it’s imprisonment rate but the criminal justice experts say they expect the prison population to continue growing in the next six years.
$13 million in limbo while Stitt, tribes battle
February 13, 2020 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.98 MBCompacted tribes are sending their gaming money to the state of Oklahoma, where it will be held while courts decide on tribal-gaming compacts. StateImpact’s Robby Korth and KOSU’s Kateleigh Mills talk about what will happen to the money and who might be affected.
How Oklahoma's identification of gifted Native students could serve as a national model
February 06, 2020 16:30 - 4 minutes - 3.87 MBMinority students are far less likely to be recognized and included in gifted and talented programs across the country. But in Oklahoma, Native American students are recognized in the same numbers as white students. StateImpact’s Robby Korth visits a program in Tahlequah to ask why getting into gifted and talented classes is so important.
Issues to watch during Oklahoma's 2020 legislative session
January 30, 2020 18:00 - 4 minutes - 3.93 MBStateImpact reporters combed through 4,500 pieces of legislation. Here are some trends they found.
Oklahoma prisoners struggle to find stable housing after release
January 24, 2020 00:18 - 4 minutes - 3.95 MBStable housing options are limited for people leaving Oklahoma prisons. People running transitional housing options that offer a temporary residence where people can get on their feet say they can't completely meet the demand.
Here's what happened to $829 million Oklahoma was awarded to treat opioid addiction
January 16, 2020 07:21 - 4 minutes - 3.84 MBOklahoma is entitled to $829 million from settlements with drug companies or court orders. But so far, none of the money has been spent on opioid addiction treatment. Here’s where the money stands for each company or group.
Shorthanded mental health groups prepare for high caseloads after nation’s largest commutation
January 10, 2020 01:54 - 4 minutes - 4.14 MBFollowing the nation's largest commutation, the state and community nonprofits are preparing to help several hundred people released from prison in the same day.
Rural Oklahoma parents, teachers gear up for four-day school week fight
December 19, 2019 16:00 - 4 minutes - 3.96 MBFour-day school weeks have become a popular recruiting tool for cash-strapped rural school districts across Oklahoma. But new rules created because of changing state law mean that the shortened school weeks could end. Parent and teacher activists are taking a fight to the capitol to try to save the four-day school week across the state.
Oklahoma’s vaping rules may tighten as scrutiny persists
December 12, 2019 21:24 - 3 minutes - 3.54 MBA push toward a healthier state by the Oklahoma governor may mean more vaping laws.
Oklahoma doesn't screen for dyslexia, the most common learning disability
December 05, 2019 17:00 - 4 minutes - 4.19 MBIn the classroom, no matter the support, living with dyslexia is simply a challenge. Oklahoma teachers are often blind to dyslexic students because of a lack of resources and direction for educating young people with the neurological learning disability. People with dyslexia often have trouble with word recognition, spelling and phonics.
Q&A: Researchers hope data can help Tulsa police avoid using force
November 21, 2019 16:00 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBResearchers from two universities asked Tulsa police for help understanding how U.S. police officers decide to use force on civilians. The university researchers believe their findings can help Tulsa police in their encounters with the public.
Life after being released in Oklahoma’s record commutation
November 14, 2019 23:41 - 4 minutes - 4.1 MBAfter being released in the nation's largest commutation on record, one man is picking up the pieces of his life. Warren Rawls wants to give up criminal life, find a job and be a father to his children. It's his sixth time leaving prison and he's determined it will be his last.
How Oklahoma’s new health laws will affect you, from short-term health policies to eye clinics
November 07, 2019 23:23 - 4 minutes - 3.93 MBAt the beginning of November, hundreds of new laws took effect in Oklahoma, including a big change to short-term health policies and new locations for eye clinics.
People with disabilities unsheltered in tornado alley
October 31, 2019 05:52 - 4 minutes - 3.97 MBDespite experiencing some of the most severe weather events in the nation, there are no state laws requiring storm shelters in Oklahoma. Public shelters have largely been closed - leaving people with disabilities without a safe option during storms.
As Oklahoma’s permitless carry law looms, Kansas may tell us what to expect
October 24, 2019 21:34 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBSome Oklahomans are afraid a new law that allows most adults to carry guns in public will be a public safety disaster. But, one sheriff from Oklahoma's northern neighbor Kansas, says a similar law hasn't been a problem for his state.
Advocates push Medicaid expansion in Oklahoma
October 17, 2019 05:14 - 4 minutes - 4.59 MBExpanding Medicaid in Oklahoma would extend health insurance to thousands of people - and an estimated $100 million dollar price tag.
Disagreements leave new Oklahoma criminal justice program in limbo
October 11, 2019 02:38 - 4 minutes - 4.48 MBA pretrial release program helped Rogers County decrease its jail population, but the program had to shutdown after disagreements over who to release led its staff to quit.
Five Oklahoma hospitals collapsed – what happened?
September 25, 2019 21:19 - 4 minutes - 4.51 MBAn interview with Lauren Weber, the Midwest correspondent for Kaiser Health News, regarding her reporting on a pattern of controversial businesses practices that lead to big profits for hospital management companies - and the closure or bankruptcy of eighteen rural hospitals.
Five Oklahoma hospitals collapsed – what happened?
September 25, 2019 16:18An interview with Lauren Weber, the Midwest correspondent for Kaiser Health News, regarding her reporting on a pattern of controversial businesses practices that lead to big profits for hospital management companies - and the closure or bankruptcy of eighteen rural hospitals.
What’s the best way to run a jail?
September 20, 2019 21:07 - 4 minutes - 4.54 MBOklahoma County government officials and civic leaders want change at the Oklahoma County Jail. Now, a group given oversight of the jail plans to change its management.
Oklahoma seeks to address lawyer shortage for abused and neglected children
September 06, 2019 02:54 - 4 minutes - 4.47 MBState law requires children taken into state custody in cases of neglect and abuse be given their own attorneys to advocate for their needs and protect their rights in court. Parents have a right to a separate attorney. But, it’s often hard to pair children with qualified attorneys. So the Oklahoma Supreme Court created a new task force to look for ways to improve the system.
Sovereign Community School Is Part of a Larger Movement
August 23, 2019 03:29 - 4 minutes - 4.34 MBSovereign Community School is new charter school in Oklahoma City with a focus on Native American culture and identity. It’s also part of a movement of tribes and tribal citizens using publicly funded, privately run schools to take control over the education of Native children.
Raising the Kindergarten Age In Oklahoma May Leave Some Children Out
August 15, 2019 00:46 - 3 minutes - 4.05 MBA controversial proposal in the Oklahoma state legislature would delay the age kids would be eligible to start kindergarten and put Oklahoma on-trend with dozens of other states. But some childhood experts say the trend may not serve Oklahoma kids well.
Raising the Kindergarten Age In Oklahoma May Leave Some Children Out
August 14, 2019 18:46A controversial proposal in the Oklahoma state legislature would delay the age kids would be eligible to start kindergarten and put Oklahoma on-trend with dozens of other states. But some childhood experts say the trend may not serve Oklahoma kids well.
Medical boards lack process for opioid complaints
August 09, 2019 01:03 - 4 minutes - 4.15 MBThe ongoing court case against opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson highlighted the role that doctors, and the medical boards who regulate them, have played in the continuing public health crisis.
State Officials: Impossible to Track Epic’s Alleged ‘Ghost Students’
July 26, 2019 00:50 - 4 minutes - 4.65 MBEpic Charter Schools is being probed by state and federal law enforcement for manipulating student and embezzling state funds. Will regulators be able to close the loophole Epic appears to be exploiting?
Pain meds as public nuisance? Oklahoma tests a legal strategy against opioid maker Johnson & Johnson
July 18, 2019 02:43 - 4 minutes - 4.5 MBThe first lawsuit in the country seeking to hold a pharmaceutical company responsible for the opioid crisis is currently awaiting a verdict in Oklahoma state court.
Requiring Schools To Teach Climate Change Risks Backlash In Oklahoma
July 12, 2019 02:20 - 4 minutes - 4.16 MBAs Oklahoma reconsiders what students should learn in science class, climate change is top of mind for some. But requiring public schools to teach kids about the subject could prompt pushback from legislators, school administrators and parents.
Feds may claw back millions from Oklahoma’s opioid settlement
July 05, 2019 07:45 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBThe federal government is seeking its slice of Oklahoma's recent $270 million settlement with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, and the bill could be millions of dollars.
Oklahoma dams near expiration dates as scientists predict more extreme weather
June 27, 2019 05:37 - 4 minutes - 4.12 MBOklahoma has more than 4,700 dams. At least 30 percent of these flood control structures are at the end of their 50-year design life. With climate change expected to bring more heavy precipitation, can they hold up?
In Oklahoma, lawsuit options limited when prisoners claim constitutional rights violations
June 20, 2019 23:06 - 4 minutes - 4.51 MBThe Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that the Legislature has the authority to block lawsuits against local and state governments operating jails and detention centers. The ruling follows legal actions the spawned after an Oklahoma man was badly beaten in a county jail.
Johnson & Johnson Profited From Both Sides Of Opioid Crisis Says Epidemic Expert
June 14, 2019 01:37 - 4 minutes - 4.52 MBThe first civil trial that could hold a pharmaceutical company accountable for the opioid crisis is in its third week in a Norman courtroom. The state is accusing drug giant Johnson & Johnson of downplaying opioids addiction risk, leading to the deaths of thousands of Oklahomans.
Oklahoma’s Higher Education Cuts Have Hit Harder At Regional Universities
June 07, 2019 07:04 - 3 minutes - 3.87 MBAs the state has cut funding for universities, they have responded by raising tuition. Regional universities and the students they serve have been uniquely affected.
Legislators leave criminal justice reform bills on the table as prison population grows
May 31, 2019 02:15 - 4 minutes - 4.49 MBDespite voter support for criminal justice reforms, lawmakers only passed one bill that could affect prison population growth frustrating Department of Corrections employees and agency budgets.
Legislators increase education funding, kick most health and criminal justice questions down the road
May 24, 2019 04:20 - 4 minutes - 4.17 MBStateImpact Oklahoma reporters followed legislators actions on education, criminal justice reform, Medicaid expansion and abortion.
‘Precedent setting’ opioid trial to begin in Oklahoma
May 17, 2019 02:51 - 3 minutes - 3.98 MBA case that could signal the outcome of a flood of litigation against opioid drug manufacturers begins May 28th in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma lawmakers scramble to make budget deal
May 10, 2019 22:44 - 13 minutes - 12.7 MBOklahoma lawmakers are facing a deadline to finish their work in the next three weeks. The most important duty before the 2019 legislature ends is crafting a budget for the 2020 fiscal year, which starts on July 1. But, so far, nothing has been released.
State standards leave gaps in county jail inspections
May 03, 2019 03:27 - 4 minutes - 4.47 MBThe Oklahoma Department of Health and the State Fire Marshal inspect local jails every year. Oklahoma law requires local jails to pass state inspections, but the inspections are only as effective as the rules they’re based on. Just because a jail passes inspection -- doesn’t mean it’s completely safe.
190425_Renewable Curriculum
April 26, 2019 03:34 - 4 minutes - 4.5 MBThe Oklahoma Energy Resources Board spends millions on science curriculum focused exclusively on fossil fuels. This year, two retired middle school science teachers created a competing curriculum for renewable energy.
Anti-abortion strategy splits Oklahoma lawmakers
April 18, 2019 05:38 - 4 minutes - 3.95 MBThe anticipated anti-abortion tilt of the U.S. Supreme Court has inspired state lawmakers to move to outlaw abortion entirely if Roe V. Wade ever falls. But the rush to regulate has exposed divisions among lawmakers who consider themselves staunch abortion opponents.
Sheriff revolt over county jail conditions shines spotlight on low funding
April 12, 2019 01:56 - 4 minutes - 4.51 MBA county sheriff and her staff quit after refusing a judge's order to bring prisoners back to a jail they called unsafe. The move shined a national spotlight on bleak conditions in the Nowata County Jail. The problems can be traced back to low funding -- a problem many Oklahoma sheriffs can are familiar with.