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.
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
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