OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma public schools has 8,388 more students enrolled this school year, the state Education Department said Friday.
Total enrollment of students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 for the 2013-14 school year is 681,578, up from 673,190 last year and 27,036 more than five years ago, according to a news release.
"Because of this sharp growth in enrollment over the past five years, I have asked for additional funding for schools from the state Legislature," State Superintendent Janet Barresi said. "I'm pleased that even in a tight revenue year, Gov. (Mary) Fallin has proposed a significant increase for K-12 education."
Fallin has proposed a $50 million increase for common education in her fiscal year 2015 budget.
Barresi said additional funding isn't the sole answer, but that she is working to ensure that common education receives as much funding as possible "given fiscal realities."
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"I also continue to ask local school boards and administrators to do their best to get dollars to the classroom so our teachers are better equipped to teach this growing number of students," Barresi said.
