Fallin Executive Order Surprises State Department Of Education

There's still no budget solution at the state capitol, and the governor is now coming up with her own solution to save the state money.

The governor has issued three executive orders.

11/21/2017 Related Story: Executive Order Targets Oklahoma Public Schools

One would cut out promotional or swag items, which she says will save $58 million a year.

Two other executive orders would consolidate administrative costs for higher education and for K-12.

As for the last one, the governor says by September 1st of next year, she wants the Board of Education to make a list of all school districts that spend less than 60 percent of their budget on instructional costs.

Then those districts will have to come up with a plan to consolidate administration costs or annexation.

The State Department of Education says they were surprised by this and were not consulted.

In a scathing statement, the State School Boards Association said in part: 

"Calling for school consolidation is simply a distraction designed to score political points . . . telling our schools to again turn over the couch cushions in search of pennies isn't leadership."