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In February, Oklahoma House Republicans authored historic appropriations into public education through a two-part plan designed to provide educational freedom and opportunities for all Oklahoma students, parents, teachers and schools.
A month later, the Senate carelessly amended our proposed $500 million investment into Oklahoma’s public schools and butchered educational choices for parents. They turned an “everyone wins” plan into a “some win, most lose” plan.
House Republicans sent the Senate a plan that included a $300 million funding increase for public schools, with a cap of $2 million per school district, an additional $50 million to be distributed according to the Redbud Fund formula and $150 million for a minimum required teacher pay raise of $2500 per teacher across the state.
Rather than prioritizing all corners of the state, the Senate attacked rural public schools. Under the Senate plan, not every school district wins. They voted to eliminate all new funding for 32 rural school districts, reduce funding for 95% of school districts and significantly lower the investment amount for all schools. Under the Senate plan, 25 districts get more, while 492 (rural) districts get less.
With the Senate’s changes, 24 of 28 school districts in Senate District 20 combined would receive $5,336,534.87 less funding than the House’s proposal.
In addition to historic investments in every school, the House Education Plan included a $2,500 across the board required pay raise for teachers. However, under the Senate plan, not every teacher wins. The Senate declared that not every classroom teacher deserves a pay increase by only addressing the mandatory minimum. Under the Senate plan, some schools would be required to give a raise, but the Senate provides less and in some cases, no additional funding. These schools have been given an unfunded mandate by the Senate.
Under the Senate plan, not every parent wins. Through their votes, the Senate stated loud and clear that not every Oklahoma parent deserves the ability to choose the best school for their child.
House Republicans offered a $5,000 annual tax credit for parents of eligible students that attend private schools and a $2,500 tax credit for homeschooled students. However, the Senate cut the credit for homeschool students and destroyed the universal nature of the program, limiting the opportunity to attend a school of their choice to only certain families. Furthermore, the limit creates a marriage penalty and incentivizes families that hit the cap to divorce in order to qualify.
By limiting the tax credit to only certain families, the Senate has limited opportunities for students to attend the school that best fits their individual needs, preventing the next generation of Oklahomans from reaching their full potential.
Under the Senate plan, not every student wins. Their amendments leave Oklahoma trailing behind neighboring states and hinder educational freedom for all students, ultimately putting Oklahoma at a severe economic disadvantage and unable to compete on a national scale.
The Senate has indelibly trampled all over the House Education Plan and created a loss for Oklahoma, mostly on the backs of rural school districts. Their package no longer provides a win for every school, every teacher, every parent and every student in the state, and therefore will not be accepted by the House. Their short-sighted attack on rural education proves the House is the only body serious about investing in an education plan that works in all corners of Oklahoma.
House Republicans are only interested in an education plan that provides opportunity and funding for all Oklahoma students, regardless of where they live in the state, and the Senate’s amendments fail to deliver the results Oklahomans demand.
House Speaker Charles McCall, a Republican, represents House District 22 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.