Schools ordered to pay back $3.5 million

(Stillwater-AP) -- Muskogee's public school district is appealing a ruling that says it must pay the state back more than $3.5 million. The state Board of Education voted unanimously today to with

Friday, January 21st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Stillwater-AP) -- Muskogee's public school district is appealing a ruling that says it must pay the state back more than $3.5 million. The state Board of Education voted unanimously today to with hold money from the district.

The board ordered that the district pay back more than $355,000 a year for the next decade to fix a mistake that gave the district millions more in state money than it deserved. The amount is to be deducted from the money the state sends Muskogee each year.

The state Education Department overpaid the district after a software glitch overstated the number of students who attend Muskogee schools. Muskogee's superintendent says the district shouldn't have to repay the money because the mistake was unintentional.