However, the Governor and legislative leaders stated publicly that the amount appropriated $58,858,503 was intended to fund ten months of a $1,220 pay raise, and they committed to fund it for twelve months next year. Phone: 405-528-2465. The downward trend comes against a background in which Oklahomas public schools were already producing some of the worst academic outcomes in the nation even after the recent infusion of state funding through tax increases and federal COVID-19 bailout funding. Gov. Mazzei said the governor is hoping to tackle broad tax code changes next year so he plans to shy away from approving new tax credits this year. Section 1 of HB 2765 and all of SB 1048 are effective July 1, 2019. The intent and expectation is for certified personnel, as defined in 70 O.S. House Bill 2765 and Senate Bill 1048, enacted and signed into law during the 2019 legislative session, establish requirements and opportunities for Oklahoma public schools (LEAs) to prepare for and disseminate annual salary increases to the certified personnel they employ. But by the 2019-2020 school year, the number of teachers fell to 3.2 million and by 2020-2021 to just over 3 million. Joshua Bleiberg, one of the paper's authors and a postdoctoral researcher studying school reform, told Vox, "There are so many different measures of teacher shortages, and there's no national standardized definition of what a teacher shortage is.". I know that the Legislature wants to see high outcomes for students, and certainly the Legislature understands that we have to make a priority with kids and their education, Hofmeister said after Thursdaysboard meeting. Pugh said he wanted to make sure that when a teacher has a baby, she does not have to make a choice to come back to the classroom before she is emotionally, mentally and physically ready to do so. First through fourth-year teachers would see $3,000 raises. 20. Hofmeister is the Democratic nominee for governor and the top challenger to Stitt, a Republican, in the Nov. 8 general election. The funding boost would account for the rising cost to operate a school and provide extra funds to raise pay for support staff, whose wages wouldnt increase fromthe teacher raise,Education Department officials said. Kevin Stitt will face Democrat Joy Hofmeister in the November general election for Oklahoma governor. The state's largest teachers union, the Oklahoma Education Association, said educator salaries should be competitive with the rest of the region. Pemberton said he hopes measures passed last year like the, Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Initiative Program. (Emphasis added). A working paper from Brown University's Annenberg Institute released in March 2022 cautioned that limited data had "led to considerable uncertainty and conflicting reports about the nature of staffing challenges in schools." The new state superintendent will present his budget request to House and Senate lawmakers in the following weeks. 3. Stitt expresses 'strong disagreement' with Oklahoma AG over Catholic charter school, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Oklahoma's new Teacher of the Year celebrates by gifting her tuition waiver to aspiring nurse, Meet the 2023 Ms. Inside/Ms. However, the minimum salary schedule did not change, and the salary increase provided through HB 2765 and SB 1048 does not place them on the Minimum Salary Schedule. Senate Bill 28 would give teachers $6,000 over 9 years, divided into three $2,000 raises. No. Kevin Stitts State of the State speech You can search the table by county or district. Both SB 1048 and HB 2765 have an effective date of July 1, 2019. Part of the increase, should lawmakers give the OK, would include a $100 million investment in kindergarten through third-grade literacy. Oklahoma must address its teacher shortage and compete with surrounding states that also are mulling pay increases, Pugh said. StateImpact Oklahoma isa collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU. Between 4,200 and 5,300 teachers left the classroom each year from the 2012-2013 school year to 2020-21, according to a 2021 report from the Oklahoma State Department of Education. As a result, the funding for increases will be distributed through the formula. As stated above, the expectation is for certified personnel, as defined in 70 O.S. Is this amount appropriated for the raise for 10 months only? 4. Who is required to receive a salary increase? There are 9,000 teachers that are currently eligible for retirement this year, said Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City. The expectation is that the total amount of pay raises will reflect an average across all certified staff of $1,220. New teachers in Texas start at $44,527. "If we don't get this part right it gets progressively more difficult when students can't read at the later levels," Walters said. There is hereby appropriated to the State Board of Education from any monies not otherwise appropriated from the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the sum of One Billion Four Hundred Seventy-eight Million One Hundred Five Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars ($1,478,105,700.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary for the financial support of public schools. Kevin Stitt's 2020 State of the State speech, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, a retired educator, introduced a bill in December that would give teachers a $2,000 annual raise for the 2023-2024, 2026-2027 and 2029-2030 school years. 5. Kevin Stitt, Joy Hofmeister speak after primary election wins. In a 2019 English class at The Academy of Seminole, students write descriptive essays. No, while principals and other administrators could receive a raise under these provisions, they are not required to receive a raise. StateImpact Oklahoma reports on energy and the environment, education, health, criminaljustice, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. Are there different reporting deadlines for this pay raise outside of already established personnel reports? In 2017, a survey conducted by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association showed there were 536 teaching vacancies that year. That means ensuring weve got the people and that investment in the (teacher) workforce., More:Superintendent election a 'battle' for future of Oklahoma public education. Its also the fourth lowest in the region. $3 million for the governors Quick Action Closing Fund, an economic development fund used to lure businesses and jobs to Oklahoma. But even then. Click or tap on a column hearing to re-order the table. Ray Carter is the director of OCPAs Center for Independent Journalism. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with Oklahoma Watch and Mailchimp to receive marketing, updates, and other emails from Oklahoma Watch. Fast-track transportation projects to improve rural, two-lane highways and high-volume urban interchanges by taking advantage of federal loan programs. He toldThe Center Squarehe hoped the pay raises would alleviate the state's teacher shortage. 11. Tucked within that decline were even deeper reductions in degrees conferred in specialty subjects such as science, mathematics, and foreign languages. Posted by SDEmedia on Mon, 06/24/2019 - 4:36pm. There was a problem saving your notification. At the graduate level, 13% of institutions had a significant drop in enrollment in 2021. This document is intended to assist LEAs in implementing the provisions of House Bill 2765 and Senate Bill 1048, specifically as they relate to salary increases for certified personnel during the 2019-2020 school year. What does it mean to give an average of $1,220? And officials expect the shortfall to grow significantly in the next few years. 12. The state last increased minimum teacher pay in 2019 with a $1,200 raise, added on top of the $6,100 boost approved in 2018. Some House lawmakers were angry when Walters presented Hofmeister's budget request, not his own, in a hearing at the Capitol on Tuesday. Please subscribe to keep reading. How will OSDE calculate underpaid teachers in FY 20? Educators in New Mexico, Texas and Colorado already earn more on average than teachers in Oklahoma. Walters' budget plan differs from the version his predecessor, Joy Hofmeister, put together. The plan differs from one approved by the State Board of Education in September when it voted to asklawmakers for a $5,000 raise for state teachers. Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. PublishedDecember 19, 2022 at 3:41 AM CST. In fact, the measures plainly state that the increases in salary are in addition to (i.e., separate and apart from) what may be reflected in the Minimum Salary Schedule. You have permission to edit this article. would give teachers $6,000 over 9 years, divided into three $2,000 raises. 26-103 as the target of the appropriated funds for pay increases. Stitt approves revised incentive package to lure major company, Incentive package tweaks are on fast track as multibillion-dollar company eyes Pryor site, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. How will districts be held accountable for giving the pay raise? Search by district or county. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, filed a bill for the NAEP results showed just 25.5 percent of Oklahoma 8th grade students were performing at grade level or better in that subject. The budget proposal includes $11 million to annualize the teacher pay raises appropriated this year. The nearly $8.1 billion spending plan does not include an additional $163 million in one-time spending. By December 31, 2019, school districts shall report to the State Department of Education the amount of increase in compensation each teacher received as a result of these funds. 19. The Oklahoma State Board of Education, with three new voting members sworn in, approved Walters' budget request on Thursday for the 2024 fiscal year. A survey by the RAND Corporation discovered that 90% of school districts had changed operations in one or more schools during the 20212022 school year because of teacher shortages. Kevin Stit. He did not say what student performance measures would be used as evaluating tools, nor how school districts would be expected to implement the program. StateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. "We have to keep these teachers.". This budget request is Hofmeisters last as state superintendent. she said. No. The request also includes a $66 million increase to the education funding formula, the chief source of public school funds. The measure also passed the committee by a vote of 21-0. Lawmakers approved an average teacher pay raise of $6,100 in 2018 and added another $1,200 in 2019. Oklahoma teachers have been given raises over the last four years totalling more than $7,000. At the end of the 2020 state budget year, Oklahoma school Will the OSDE tell districts how much to spend on pay raises? Every day we strive to produce journalism that matters stories that strengthen accountability and transparency, provide value and resonate with readers like you. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. The state minimum salary was increased at all years of experience and degree levels by an average of $6,100. An Oklahoma lawmaker is pushing for a teacher pay raise to combat the states teacher shortage. Raises would range from $2,500 to $10,000 on top of the state's minimum salary schedule, Walters said. SB 1048 requires school districts to report the amount of increase in compensation each teacher received by December 31, 2019, and requires the OSDE to make this data available on its website and in a report to the Pro Tempore of the Senate and Speaker of the House by February 1, 2020. 26-103, are to receive a salary increase in the 2019-2020 school year. Charter schools are not required to follow the minimum salary schedule. * An interlocal cooperative, or ILC, is an educational service organization than handles duties for a group of school districts or counties. Therefore, pay increases in the 2019-2020 school year must be in addition to the teachers step increase based on years of experience and degree level. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently proposed boosting starting salaries for teachers in her state to $50,000. 9 Investigates: Oklahoma Still Losing Teachers Despite Pay Raises. Kevin Stitt and the states top education official, Ryan Walters, said Oklahoma should offer incentive-based raises instead of an across-the-board increase for all teachers. Lawmakers approved an average teacher pay raise of $6,100 in 2018 and added another $1,200 in 2019. The Education Departments budget request would remain the same no matter who wins in November, Hofmeister said, but the next superintendent could advocate for different policies. "Our students deserve educators who arecompensated and respected as the professionals they are. Click or tap a column heading to re-order the table. Giving Oklahomas teachers a pay raise has been proclaimed as one of the highest priorities of legislators and I have worked for the Tulsa World since 1990. The state Board of Education on Thursday approved an overall budget request of $3.51 billion for the state Education Department, lower than Hofmeister's ask of $3.57 billion. In addition, Senate Bill 1048 is the budget limits bill for the State Board of Education. Oklahoma teachers earn an average of $54,000 a year, which ranks fourth among all bordering states. In order to meet these deadlines in a timely fashion, OSDE will calculate the amount of raise for each teacher based on the October 1 personnel reporting period and subsequently provide this information as required. A $150 million performance-based teacher pay raise plan from new state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters will advance to the Oklahoma Legislature, and so will a $100 million proposal to invest in reading instruction. However, it is not known exactly what jobs were lost and how many of those were teachers. 1. 8. In SB 1048, the OSDE is required to make a report of pay raises given in 2019-2020. Lawmakers discussed the teacher-shortage issue this week while debating Senate Bill 267, by Pemberton, which extends existing incentives to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. Oklahoma teachers have been given raises over the last four years totalling more than $7,000. The measure would move the starting teacher pay to $39,601 from $36,601. Teachers in the state earn an average of $54,096 a year. The Edmond senator has suggested the state spend $241 million on his pay-raise plan and another $300 million on further education reforms. If Pembertons bills pass, he said it wouldnt prohibit the legislature from implementing more raises in the future. Senate Bill 482, by Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would increase the minimum teacher salary schedule. Teachers in the public schools of Oklahoma shall receive in salary and/or fringe benefits not less than the amount specified in the following schedule. Teachers with 15 years of experience and more would receive a $6,000 raise. Debate in opposition to the bill centered on concerns that it could negatively impact the teachers retirement system. Panel passes Oklahoma teacher pay raise bill. Because teacher retirement benefits are tied to the last three years of income, one impact of the teacher pay raises was to temporarily slow the pace of retirements while educators racked up credit for newly increased salaries. Eventually, I would like to see us at the national average in teacher pay, as well.. 2. Stitts budget proposes funding $25.3 million in gubernatorial The intent is clear and the OSDE supports this expectation. First through fourth-year teachers would see $3,000 raises. A majority of the school districts in the state do not pay over the minimum salary schedule, he said. I know that the Legislature wants to see high outcomes for students, and certainly the Legislature understands that we have to make a priority with kids and their education, Hofmeister said after the state board in September agreed to pass her $5,000 raise request to lawmakers. In fact, in many ways Oklahoma schools are flush with more cash than at any time in recent memory. February 18, 2016 // Updated: May 2, 2019. Whats not in the governors budget proposal. All opponents were Republicans while those in favor consisted of the remaining Republicans and all Democrats. The teacher pay raise would cost the state about $110 million, but Pemberton said given the states $2.8 billion in revenue savings collections, its time to strike while the iron is hot., You need to put your priorities out front, Pemberton said. "Our students deserve educators who are compensated and respected as the professionals they are. That means ensuring weve got the people and that investment in the (teacher) workforce.. Oklahomas average starting pay of $38,074 is 13th lowest in the country, according to National Education Association. Gov. The state board approves the Education Departments budget ask every year. This is also consistent with statements made by the Governor and legislative leaders teachers are to receive a pay increase in the 2019-2020 school year. New Mexico is expected to surge to No. Oklahomacould reach the second-highest average in the region with$59,000, should the Legislature approve the $5,000 raise. She has won awards from both the Georgia Press Association and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters. The leader of the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, filed Senate Bill 482 to increase minimum salaries by $3,000 for teachers with under 15 years of experience and by $6,000 for educators with a 15-year career or longer. The proposed budget appropriates 26-103, to receive the salary increase, regardless of whether employed by a traditional public or public charter school. A $5,000 teacher pay raise proposal will advance to the state Legislature after passing a Thursday vote by the Oklahoma State Board of Education. It took three years to get there, but we had to start with lets put facts in front of our legislators, lets talk about what it would actually cost to keep teachers. At 88, Inhofe says he intends to still be involved in politics but admits to still suffering the long-term effects of COVID-19. The number of undergraduate education degrees conferred each year remained stable until the early 2010s, when a gradual decline soon led to fewer than 90,000 bachelor's degrees being awarded in the 2018-2019 school year. The vast majority of those funds would pass through the agency to public schools. Workers at colleges and universities had the next highest level (35%). The Governor and Legislature stated that teachers in districts not receiving state appropriations through the funding formula were not included in the cost estimate calculations. School districts seesawed between in-person, remote, and hybrid learning, forcing educators to adapt quickly to an environment often not conducive to learning, nor allowing them to provide the best educational model for students of all needs. The raise is Flat wages, heavy workloads, and the politicization of schools have been cited as some of the biggest influences behind these decreases. With the appropriation of $58,858,503 and an additional $74,790,265 in funds for operations through the funding formula, the OSDE believes districts will have sufficient funds to follow through with the intent of the Governor and Legislature. A reminder: This raise is permanent and recurring, and State Law prohibits a teachers salary from being reduced from one year to the next. The request then goes to the Legislature where lawmakers during the 2023 session will make the final decision on each state agencys allocation. StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahomas public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Read the reports and hear the stories onNPR member stations. But Stitts budget guru hinted that offering retirees a 4% cost-of-living adjustment at a cost of $1 billion could be more generous than the state can afford next year. This probably isnt the year for an additional pay raise on top of what happened last year, Mazzei said. We figured the amount that (the $5,000 raise)would cost and made that ask in addition, she said Thursday. The budget proposal does not include any funding for the governors proposed Medicaid expansion plan, SoonerCare 2.0. Better pay is vital for Oklahomas dwindling teacher workforce, Hofmeister said. Support Nurias work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com. Please follow these terms for republication: * Reporters bylines and photographers credit lines should be accompanied by Oklahoma Watch.. We need to pay teachers more.. The starting annual salary for an Oklahoma teacher is $38,074, and the average salary is $54,762, according to theNational Education Association. $50 million for technology improvements at state agencies. The state last increased minimum teacher pay in 2019 with a Does the amount appropriated include district obligations? Oklahoma schools don't have enough support staff to meet needs, and their salaries are far too low averaging just $21,583 a year. 7. The state Minimum Salary Schedule remains the same as the one passed in the 2018 Legislative Session. The measure passed the Senate Appropriations Committee by a vote of 21-0. WebTeachers Retirement System 301 NW 63rd Street, Suite 500 Oklahoma City, OK 73116-7921 Toll-free at 877-738-6365 (TRS-RET-OFOK) or in Oklahoma City at 405-521-2387. Districts can decide if they want to give staff a one-time pay increase of $1,200 or a one-time increase in an amount based on performance or the need to retain staff. Pemberton said its up to the legislature to catch Oklahoma up. She also questioned what sort of economic downturn it would take to justify tapping state reserves.