© 2024 KGOU
News and Music for Oklahoma
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Report: Oklahoma Districts Would Get $370M For Teacher Salaries If Sales Tax Passes

classroom floor
Jacob McCleland
/
KGOU

Figures released Tuesday by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association show about $370 million would go toward teacher recruitment and retention if voters approve State Question 779 this fall.

Supporters say the 1 percent sales tax proposal would generate $615 million per year for common and higher education. Part of that money would be used for a $5,000 teacher pay raise.

Credit Oklahoma State School Boards Association

The district-by-district breakdown indicates Oklahoma City Public Schools would receive about $26 million in total revenue (with $22 million for teacher salaries). The rest would go to academic initiatives.

Edmond would get about $13.5 million ($11.7 million), and Norman would get just under $10 million ($8.5 million).

From The Oklahoman’s Tim Willert:

“It's all about recruiting and retaining the best and the brightest to be in front of our kids every day,” Norman Public Schools Superintendent Joe Siano said. “Should this initiative pass, it will make a significant difference in our ability to keep those bright, creative teachers in our state and in our schools.”

Tulsa Public Schools would also receive nearly $26 million, The Tulsa World’s Andrea Eger reports:

Shawna Mott-Wright, vice president of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, said in addition to increasing teacher salaries, the dollars represent the potential to restore some support staff positions who assist teachers and students. “In addition to making our teacher salaries more competitive in the region, we could bring back some of the school supports for classrooms, like library assistants and assistant principals who have been cut,” Mott-Wright said. “If you cut all of the support out of schools, now I’m doing my job (as a teacher), plus that much more. That hurts students.”

An OSSBA survey earlier this month indicated Oklahoma districts are trying to fill more than 500 teaching positions, even though budget cuts have forced the elimination of 1,500 teaching jobs in the past year.

Read the Full District-by-District Breakdown

KGOU is a community-supported news organization and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.

Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
More News
Support nonprofit, public service journalism you trust. Give now.