StateImpact Oklahoma

StateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. It's a reporting project and collaboration of KWGS, KGOU, KOSU and KCCU, with broadcasts heard on NPR Member stations.

Oklahoma higher ed workers navigate gaps in paid parental leave: lawmakers say it’s time to fix that

A growing list of Oklahoma colleges and universities are offering their workers paid parental leave. But it’s still a minority. The momentum comes after Oklahoma mandated maternity leave for state employees and teachers last year. Lawmakers say it's time for the state to intervene for higher education workers.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
A growing number of Oklahoma schools are adopting digital hall passes for safety, student accountability

Oklahoma schools use technology apps to manage everything from attendance to grades to parent communications. And now, a growing number of districts are updating hall passes to the digital age. They say the new tech is helping them curb behavioral issues that have spiked since the pandemic.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
Convicted of murder as a teenager, Wayne Thompson hopes for a second chance at freedom

He was 15 when he killed his sister’s abuser. Even after years of good conduct, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board has rejected recommending him for release.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
Surgery during ‘rocket attacks’: Ukrainian doctors train at OU Health to provide reconstructive care

As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, Ukrainian physicians are tending to a historic volume of patients with complex head and neck injuries from missile attacks and rocket blasts. OU Health is teaching some of these surgeons reconstructive techniques they can take back home.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
'We’re ready for the fight': Southeast Oklahomans push back on proposed hydropower project

Many Southeast Oklahomans are gearing up to fight a proposed hydropower project that could displace hundreds of people. For this week's StateImpact Oklahoma in-depth, KOSU's Graycen Wheeler has more on the project and the response from residents and officials."Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
New investments in CareerTech aim to provide relief for booming waitlist, agency hopes for more

Oklahoma CareerTech oversees 29 technology centers across 60 campuses statewide. It takes about 500,000 yearly enrollments and offers courses to students in about 400 school districts and adults.And about 7,500 students are sitting on a waitlist to get in.To tackle the waitlist, the Oklahoma Legislature allocated $26.7 million in new one-time funds for the agency this year. The money was recently disbursed to schools and is now being used across the state for facility upgrades, expanded programming and more.CareerTech Director Brent Haken is grateful for the boost, but he cautions against considering it a windfall that would fully eliminate the waitlist. He plans to return to the legislature next year with the same pitch — that increasing base funding is the only way to fully reach the thousands of Oklahomans hoping for a spot in a CareerTech program.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
Help wanted: Oklahoma works to lower barriers to long-term care careers

Recruiting long-term care CNAs can be challenging, and fighting consistent turnover is costly. But groups in Oklahoma are finding ways to invest in these workers’ education and futures.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
Painting brighter futures: OKC schools partner with community for mediation, mentorship

Oklahoma students face many barriers to high school graduation, even more so since the pandemic. But educators at two Oklahoma City area high schools have teamed up with a new community organization to tackle root causes of student behavioral issues.Because of the efforts of educators and nonprofits, communities are finding solutions to help young people in Oklahoma City avoid violence and turn their lives around.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
How one rural hospital hopes to be an oasis in Oklahoma’s maternity care desert

The farther a woman has to travel to receive maternity care, the greater risk they have of maternal morbidity and adverse infant outcomes.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
From caves to caterpillars: How Oklahoma schools are working to beat the ‘summer slide’

“Summer slide” is the phenomenon of students losing ground academically during the summer break. It usually refers to learning loss in reading and math, though other areas of child development can be affected, like behavior.On average, students lose about 20% of their school-year gains in reading and 27% in math.StateImpact visited two Oklahoma schools that provide free, multi-week summer programming to see how districts hope to make a dent in learning loss.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
'This is going to kill us': Oklahoma nursing homes brace for new federal staffing mandate

Oklahoma nursing homes are preparing for staffing rules finalized in April by the Biden administration, meant to improve safety and quality of care in long-term care facilities.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
What to expect in the coming months as La Niña impacts Oklahoma's weather

Far out in the Pacific Ocean, the latest El Niño cycle is at an end, and La Niña is expected in the coming months. But what does that mean for Oklahoma’s weather?Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags