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(TULAS, Okla.) — The Oklahoma state school board voted unanimously on Thursday to upgrade the status of Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) to “accredited with deficiencies” amid fears the largest school district in the state – with more than 33,000 students – could have lost its accreditation status during the second week of the 2023-2024 school year.

The vote to upgrade the school district’s accreditation status comes after Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist announced her resignation on Tuesday amid a battle with Republican officials in the state, including Gov. Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters.

“Let this be the beginning of the time clock. It starts right now. Tulsa has been given an opportunity to correct themselves and to be very clear, I will not let this district fail,” Walters said during the meeting on Thursday. “If they do not fix these problems, I will. The clock has started. There will be accountability. This district will not be allowed to fail.”

Walters welcomed Gist’s resignation on Thursday and called for new leadership.

ABC News has reached out to Tulsa Public Schools for comment.

Gist said in a statement on Tuesday that her departure “offers the best chance for control of our schools to remain where they belong, in Tulsa with our elected Board of Education and aligned with the values of our community.”

Gist is set to depart her role as TPS superintendent on Sept. 15 as Ebony Johnson serves as interim superintendent.

Walters previously accused TPS of mismanaging funds and criticized leadership for poor performance on reading and math scores, claiming that more money is spent on administration than in the classroom.

He called for monthly reviews of TPS performance on reading and math, and plans to address alleged financial mismanagement at TPS. ABC News reached out to Walters for further comment.

Before her resignation Gist, a former commissioner of education in Rhode Island, pushed back against Walters’ criticism and said the school board approved a strategic plan that would hold the district “accountable for our educational outcomes,” according to ABC affiliate in Tulsa, KTUL.

The school was demoted to “accreditation with warning” by the school board in July 2022 for allegedly violating HB 1775, an Oklahoma law signed in May 2021 by Stitt that bans the teaching of critical race theory in the state, according to KTUL.

According to the Oklahoma Department of Education (ODE), there are five possible rankings of school districts in the state in the order that follows: accredited with no deficiencies, accredited with deficiencies, accredited with warning, accredited with probation and non-accredited – which means the district would no longer be recognized by the state Board of Education and would lose its funding. If a district loses accreditation students would have to enroll in schools outside the district.

According to the Public School Review (PSR), which evaluates public schools across the country based on a variety of criteria including performance and diversity, the Tulsa Public School District is ranked #505 out of 537 school districts in Oklahoma based on the combined math and reading proficiency testing data for the 2020-2021 school year.

Per PSR, the district also ranks in the top 1% for size and diversity, with 77 schools collectively made up of 78% students of color, including 38% Hispanic, 22% Black and 5% Native American.

In her letter of resignation, Gist accused Walters of singling out TPS and targeting the diverse school district.

“It is no secret that our state superintendent has had an unrelenting focus on our district and specifically on me, and I am confident that my departure will help to keep our democratically-elected leadership and our team in charge of our schools–this week and in the future. So I’m stepping away,” she said.

“Tulsa is a community on the reservations of the Cherokee, Muscogee and Osage Nations, and is home to descendants of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Our collective history of unrepaired harms is shameful, and depriving Tulsans of their collective voice over their schools would only add insult to injury,” she added.

Meanwhile, Walters welcomed Gist’s resignation and said in a statement obtained by ABC News that TPS “needs a dramatic change in leadership.”

“From day one, I called for the removal of Gist in order to get the district on a path to success. I am optimistic that this is a step in the right direction, that TPS and the community takes their situation seriously,” he said. “Financial transparency and academic outcomes must come next.”

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(EAST POINT, Ga.) —  body found at a garbage collection station in Georgia Thursday is believed to be missing 2-year-old J’Asiah Mitchell, whose father reported the child had been kidnapped during an armed robbery last week. The toddler’s father was charged with lying about the robbery to police and has been identified as a suspect in the child’s death.

The identity of the child has not yet been confirmed as Mitchell, the East Point Police Department said. The medical examiner will officially identify the body.

“We have not confirmed the identity of the child J’Asiah Mitchell; however, there is high probability based on the circumstances surrounding this case,” police said in a statement.

The body was found at the East Point Transfer Station on Thursday, according to police.

Mitchell’s father, Artavious North, 23, has been identified as a suspect because he was the last person to see the child. Mitchell was reported missing on Aug. 16.

North was charged last week with misdemeanor false report of a crime and felony making false statements, according to court records. North has a bond hearing scheduled for Sept. 1.

Since it was determined that there was no armed robbery, DeKalb police turned the case over to the East Point Police Department.

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(LAHAINA, Hawaii) — Maui County says it has filed a lawsuit against local electric companies over damage caused by the devastating Maui wildfires, including ones in Lahaina and Kula.

The lawsuit alleges that Maui Electric Company, Limited, Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaiʻi Electric Light Company, Inc., and Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. acted negligently by failing to power down their electrical equipment despite a National Weather Service red flag warning on Aug. 7.

The deadly wildfires that erupted on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 8 killed more than 100 people, burned thousands of acres and destroyed more than 2,000 structures.

The lawsuit alleges that the downed, energized power lines “ignited dry fuel such as grass and brush, causing the fires.”

At a press conference on Aug. 15, a representative for Hawaiian Electric said an investigation is underway as to what happened. When pressed about why power lines were not deenergized during powerful winds, the representative said that, unlike California, the state does not have a shut-off program, saying they are “controversial” and not universally accepted, and adding they create a hardship for the vulnerable and people with medical needs. She also pointed out that electricity powers the pumps that provide water to fight the fire.

An official cause of the fire has not been determined.

More than 1,000 people remain unaccounted for, according to officials.

“Maui County stands alongside the people and communities of Lahaina and Kula to recover public resource damages and rebuild after these devastating utility-caused fires,” Maui County said in a press release.

It continued, “These damages include losses to public infrastructure, fire response costs, losses to revenues, increased costs, environmental damages, and losses of historical or cultural landmarks.”

A class-action lawsuit was also filed last Saturday against Hawaiian Electric that alleges that the company “inexcusably kept their power lines energized” despite forecasts of high winds that could topple power lines and potentially ignite a fast-spreading blaze.

Jim Kelly, a spokesperson for Hawaiian Electric Industries, said at the time of that lawsuit: “As has always been our policy, we don’t comment on pending litigation. Our immediate focus is on supporting emergency response efforts on Maui and restoring power for our customers and communities as quickly as possible. At this early stage, the cause of the fire has not been determined and we will work with the state and county as they conduct their review.”

Hawaiian Electric provides power for 95% of Hawaii residents, according to the company’s website.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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(MONTGOMERY COUNTY, N.C.) — Authorities said they believe they’ve found the remains of 39-year-old Allisha Watts, a North Carolina woman who has been missing for over a month.

Watts’ boyfriend, James Dunmore, was arrested Thursday for murder, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

“This is not the outcome that we had been hoping for, but by finding Allisha today … I hope and I pray it brings some closure to family and friends moving forward,” Sheriff Pete Herron said at a news conference.

Watts was last seen in Charlotte on July 16. Two days later, police said Watts’ Mercedes was found in Anson County, southeast of Charlotte.

Watts’ sister, Stephanie Johnson, told ABC News the 39-year-old was last seen on July 16 with Dunmore, her boyfriend of one year. The couple met when Watts, who lives in Moore County, North Carolina, would drive to Charlotte to visit her cousin, who is Dunmore’s neighbor, Johnson said.

Johnson described her sister, who worked in the mental health field, as a “hard-working, independent, reliable, resourceful, loving, kind, attentive person.”

It was not immediately clear where in Montgomery County the remains were found. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Thursday that the “case is no longer considered a missing person investigation.”

“This is not what we prayed for,” Watts’ friend, Dorothy Brower, told reporters on Thursday. “She was found, but it was not how we wanted to find her. She doesn’t deserve what her fate became. Just to dispose of someone who is just one of the best persons you could meet.”

Brower said Dunmore’s “life would’ve been enhanced being with her — but it came to this. … I’m furious.”

“We miss her so much,” she said. “There’s a void.”

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(LOS ANGELES) — A gunman, who sources said is a retired police officer, allegedly killed three and wounded six others in a mass shooting at a popular Southern California biker bar.

The shooting was reported just after 7 p.m. PT Wednesday at Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon, and deputies responded within minutes, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Dispatchers could hear the gunfire in the background as deputies tried to find the shooter, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies then “contacted” an armed man and a “deputy-involved shooting involving multiple deputies occurred,” the sheriff’s office said.

Four people, including the suspect, identified by prosecutors as John Snowling, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Six others were taken to hospitals, including five people with gunshot wounds. Two of the injured were hospitalized in critical condition and the other four were considered stable.

Investigators believe Snowling was targeting his estranged wife, who was injured in the mass shooting, sources told ABC News.

The only woman hospitalized from the shooting was shot in the jaw and listed in critical condition, according to Providence Mission Hospital.

The second critical patient, an adult male, was shot in the chest, according to the hospital.

Of the four men admitted in stable condition, one was released Wednesday night and two others are expected to be released on Thursday, hospital officials said.

A motive for the attack remains unknown, authorities said.

Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock told reporters there were “upwards of 30 to 40 witnesses” whom deputies will be interviewing.

At least one weapon was recovered at the scene, authorities said.

ABC News’ Matthew Fuhrman and Jolie Lash contributed to this report.

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(LOS ANGELES) — Three people have been killed and several others wounded in a mass shooting at a popular Southern California biker bar.

The alleged gunman, identified by prosecutors as John Snowling, is also dead in the wake of the Wednesday evening shooting.

The incident was reported just after 7 p.m. PT at Cook’s Corner in Trabuco Canyon, and deputies responded within minutes, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Dispatchers could hear the gunfire in the background as deputies tried to find the shooter, the sheriff’s office said. Deputies then “contacted” an armed man and a “deputy-involved shooting involving multiple deputies occurred,” the sheriff’s office said.

Four people, including the suspect, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Six others, including five with gunshot wounds, were transported to a local trauma center for treatment. Two of the injured were listed in critical condition and the others were considered stable, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

It was unclear exactly how many people were inside the bar at the time, but the undersheriff said there were “upwards of 30 to 40 witnesses” whom deputies will be interviewing.

A motive remains unknown, authorities said.

“We have been made aware that the suspect may be retired law enforcement. We are working to confirm that information,” Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock told reporters.

At least one weapon was recovered at the scene, authorities said.

ABC News’ Matthew Fuhrman, Jolie Lash and Alex Stone contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The search for loved ones on Maui following the devastating wildfires has grown increasingly dire as the community grieves those lost in the blazes.

Between 1,000 and 1,100 individuals remain unaccounted for following the Maui wildfire disaster, as of Aug. 22. It’s a reduction from the roughly 2,500 others who had originally been reported as missing, as people have been reported safe, according to emergency response officials.

Residents and community leaders are bracing for the worst.

Former Lahaina resident Leila Torgerson has been holding out hope that she would find her mother, who was living in Lahaina, after the wildfires ravaged the historic town.

Torgerson hopes the nightmare she is experiencing is “one of communication errors” and not indicative of loss of life, as the weight of her mother’s absence grows heavy.

Officials have asked residents, and the world, to prepare for the impending outcomes of the search.

“We do expect to see a lot more loss of life,” Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told Honolulu ABC affiliate KITV on Tuesday. “It’s going to be tragic.”

So far, more than 110 people have been declared dead, with roughly 44 of the deceased identified.

How much progress have search teams made?

Officials say they have so far searched 100% of single-story, residential properties and are transitioning to searching multi-story residential and commercial properties.

More than 2,000 structures were damaged in the fires, and buildings have collapsed, so officials say equipment has been brought in to help search for victims in the destruction.

Green said the search of the remaining areas will take “at least a week, maybe two.”

Maui Police Chief John Pelletier told reporters that every single structure that’s been damaged by the fire has been or will be searched. He also acknowledged the possibility that not all victims will be counted.

“Two thousand people on 9/11 were not recovered,” he said. “We have an entire town that was destroyed.”

According to Maui officials, the number of people who remain unaccounted for is expected to fluctuate. More people may be reported as missing, and law enforcement may cross people off the list as they are found.

Call for DNA samples to identify victims

Officials are urging family members of those who are unaccounted for to submit DNA tests to link remains to family members via the local testing site, the Family Assistance Center in Kaʻanapali.

The ANDE Corporation, which is leading rapid DNA testing efforts, said the testing is being done right on the island of Maui — and won’t be used for other purposes.

A representative of the company behind the DNA testing said nearly three-quarters of the remains collected so far have generated searchable DNA results.

There have been 104 samples collected as of Aug. 22 from potential victims’ family members.

Those in Maui who are seeking information regarding loved ones are being directed to the Family Assistance Center for more information.

Counselors at the center are interviewing family members of the missing to get information about their loved ones, which includes medical information, dental information, or other identifying information like where they may have lived or stayed. They’ll be given the opportunity for a DNA sample there, as well.

For more details, concerned parties can also call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Updated lists of people who are unaccounted for

Officials are looking to create an official and public list of those who are unaccounted for.

A team of local volunteers have an unofficial, regularly updated list of such people based on community reporting.

The spreadsheet is not designed for the amount of traffic it’s receiving, volunteers say, so the public is being asked to refrain from viewing unless you’re looking for a specific loved one. The spreadsheet can be found here.

The spreadsheet can be accessed via QR codes found on flyers circulating across the island. Volunteers say some individuals have been marking themselves as “found” after they discover their names on the list once they regain access to cellphone service, electricity and the internet, which had been knocked out amid the wildfires and heavy winds.

“Communications being down has made finding the unaccounted for very challenging,” volunteer Ellie Erickson told ABC News. “At this point, we have just, like, a whole town that is now unhoused and I think communication is hard for everyone. And especially if you already don’t have a phone or the relationships with family are sometimes complicated. All that makes the situation way harder.”

There is also a list specifically tracking people who were homeless or had insecure housing before the wildfires, who are still missing. The spreadsheet can be found here.

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(LOS ANGELES) — At least three people were killed and several others were wounded in a shooting at a popular biker bar in Southern California on Wednesday night. The alleged gunman is also dead, authorities said.

The incident was reported just after 7 p.m. PT at Cook’s Corner in the Trabuco Canyo area of Orange County, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies responded to the scene within minutes and confronted a male suspect armed with a gun. The suspect, who authorities say may have been a retired law enforcement officer, was shot and killed.

“At this point, the man believed to be involved in the shooting is deceased at the scene.” Orange County Undersheriff Jeff Hallock said during a press conference late Wednesday. “At least one weapon has been recovered at the scene and we have been made aware that the suspect may be retired law enforcement. We are working to confirm that information as we speak.”

Four people, including the suspect, were pronounced dead at the scene. Six others, including five with gunshot wounds, were transported to a local trauma center for treatment. Two of them were in critical condition while the rest were stable, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

The shooting and a possible motive remain under investigation. Agents from both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene, but the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is leading the probe.

It was unclear exactly how many people were inside the bar at the time, but the undersheriff said there were “upwards of 30 to 40 witnesses” whom deputies will be interviewing.

Trabuco Canyon is a small community located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, about 50 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

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(NEW YORK) — A mother was killed and her two young children were critically injured after their roommate attacked them with a hammer in their New York City apartment, police said.

Police responded shortly before 3 p.m. ET to the report of an assault in progress at an apartment in Brooklyn, according to New York City Police Department Chief of Patrol John Chell.

Officers found the three victims in the second-floor apartment in Sunset Park and they were transported to a local hospital, where the 43-year-old mother was pronounced dead, Chell said.

Her children — a 5-year-old boy and a 3-year-old girl — are “fighting for their lives” after the “brutal” attack, he said.

A suspect — who also lived in the apartment — was apprehended as he was trying to leave the apartment building and was placed under arrest, according to Chell.

The suspect and victims were not publicly identified. Police said the suspect has no relation to the victims.

A hammer was recovered at the scene, police said.

It is unclear what prompted the attack, said Chell, who called the incident “horrific” and a “senseless act of violence.”

The attack occurred in a three-bedroom apartment. The mother and her two children lived in one room, while the suspect and his 9-year-old son lived in another, Chell said. The third room is occupied by one person.

“We all have to pray for these young kids, these two young kids fighting for their lives,” New York State Assemblyman Lester Chang told ABC New York station WABC. “And I can only imagine what the father has to go through.”

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(NEW YORK) — The capital murder trial for Bryan Kohberger, the man accused of killing four Idaho college students last fall, will be delayed indefinitely.

Kohberger’s trial had been set to begin Oct. 2 — less than six weeks away — but will now be postponed after he waived his right to a speedy trial Wednesday afternoon in court. The judge accepted his waiver.

Kohberger defense attorney Anne Taylor said more time was needed to effectively present their case than would be possible by Oct. 2.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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