OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Legislature plans to increase funding for K-12 classrooms, college facilities and CareerTech programs in a nearly $5.6 billion education budget deal.
The main driver of public school funding, the education funding formula, would increase by $25 million in fiscal year 2025 if the agreement is signed into law.
This is expected to be the second consecutive increase in Oklahoma public school funding. Last year, lawmakers added $500 million to the funding formula, including $286 million in teacher pay increases, along with other multi-million dollar initiatives.
The fiscal year 2025 deal, which lawmakers agreed to Wednesday, sets the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s budget at $3.86 billion. At first glance, this appears to be a cut from the previous $3.97 billion in appropriations, but the difference is explained by how the money for three-year pilot programs was distributed over multiple budget years.
Which education proposals did (and did not) make it into Oklahoma’s budget?
Not all legislative priorities have been definitively downgraded this year.
The Senate pushed for a one-time grant of $2,500 for all support staff who work in public schools, such as cafeteria workers, bus drivers and administrators. The House did not approve the $99.67 million cost.
The $25 million increase in the funding formula was a compromise, said Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City.
More: House and Senate GOP leaders reach agreement on budget – without income tax cuts
“We have continued our record investment,” said Treat. “We didn’t take our foot off the pedal on that.”
Last year’s education package included new funding for six weeks of maternity leave for teachers. This year’s budget agreement creates a revolving fund, separate from the maternity leave funding formula, that will receive $2.5 million annually and a one-time additional addition of $2.3 million.
The budget also allocates money to future teachers who are still in college, with $2.65 million for paid student tuition and $8.5 million for the Inspired to Teach grants.
A resolution on last year’s teacher salary increases
The agreement also resolves a conflict between the House of Representatives and the Senate over an issue involving last year’s pay raise for teachers.
The Legislature funneled money for teacher pay increases through the education funding formula, but about 40 school districts were at risk of being left out. These districts make so much in local tax revenue that they receive no state aid, meaning the funds for teacher pay raises would not reach them.
Leaders of the two legislative chambers disagreed on how to resolve the issue, but they agreed on the House’s preference for a $16.1 million one-time fund to reimburse affected schools. As it stands now, districts would have to come up with their own funding in coming fiscal years once the one-time fund expires.
Lawmakers plan to put $240 million into new engineering and science facilities at the state’s two largest colleges, the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. Other higher education institutions will get a share of a $350 million fund intended to address deferred maintenance at multiple government agencies.
Treat said the budget agreement “ensures that we meet these needs” for better maintenance.
“In our state, we’ve been good at building things,” Treat said. “We haven’t always been good at maintaining that. And so it’s much easier to get support cutting a ribbon than fixing an air conditioner.”
In an effort to shorten wait lists and admit more students, the 2025 budget adds $27.6 million to meet the growing demand for courses at CareerTech centers. The agency told lawmakers earlier this year that enrollment was up 9.5% and there was a waiting list of about 7,400 students.
CareerTech State Director Brent Haken asked for additional funding to hire more instructors for in-demand job training courses that fuel Oklahoma’s workforce.
“Some may see it as a growing government,” Haken said of the request during a Feb. 14 meeting with a Senate budget subcommittee. “What I see is that Oklahoma is growing. It increases our chances of doing a better job recruiting in this state. It provides more and more opportunities for people to live great lives, build hope in their lives and raise their families.”
Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. If you have any questions, please contact editor Janelle Stecklein:info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma VoiceFacebook AndTweet.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSDE has billions in its 2025 budget. How the money will be spent
