OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Tuesday, State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced 61 science and math teachers have been recruited to rural public schools as a result of the Oklahoma State Department of Education's latest teacher bonus program. OSDE rolled out the Rural STEM Teacher Bonus Program in June in an effort to recruit more teachers to public secondary schools in rural areas for the 2024-25 school year. The program offered $15,000 to in-state certified math and science teachers, and $25,000 to out-of-state teachers. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Supt. Walters announces new signing bonus for rural schools after previous controversy "I am so excited that we have once again recruited excellent teachers to Oklahoma to work with our rural students in essential math and science disciplines," Walters said in the release. "This program is proof positive that innovative, free market solutions will tackle the most difficult problems faced by our rural schools and communities. I look forward to working with the Oklahoma Legislature in the coming year to expand pioneering and highly successful programs like this in our great state." According to the release, OSDE paid out bonuses to 41 in-state teachers and 20 out-of-state teachers hired across 55 school districts. The net bonus total was $1,115,000. OSDE also paid the federal payroll taxes on the teacher bonuses, bringing the department's total payments to just over $1.2 million. News 4 reached out to OSDE early Wednesday afternoon to ask which states the out-of-state teachers were recruited from and which districts or counties benefited the most from the bonus program. We are waiting to hear back.