OKLAHOMA CITY — State lawmakers are making a record investment in public education this year and implementing new school choice policies.
Gov. Kevin Stitt is expected to sign into law this week an education package that earmarks $625 million more in recurring revenue for public schools to provide teacher pay raises, increase Redbud schools funding, and help rural and economically disadvantaged districts through tweaks to the state’s school funding formula. Another $160 million in one-time funds dispersed over three years will allow the state to launch pilot programs aimed at improving school safety and childhood literacy.
People are also reading…
The increase in public education funding is tied to a new program that will allow parents whose children attend private school to collect tax credits of up to $7,500 per child. The tax credits will cost the state $150 million next year and $250 million in three years.
How will the tax credits work? Who will qualify for teacher pay raises? The Tulsa World answers your questions.
State leaders called this education plan “historic.” Is it really?
The new money for public schools is the largest common education funding increase in state history, said Shawn Hime, executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.
“It’s really game changing for public education,” he said.
Over the past six years, state leaders have put an additional $1.5 billion into funding public schools, a 59% increase, Hime said.
Who will qualify for teacher pay raises?
All certified employees in Oklahoma public schools will see their pay increase.
That includes teachers, librarians, counselors, principals and school nurses. The pay raises will also apply to educators employed through the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, Office of Juvenile Affairs and state Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
How much are the pay raises?
Educators will receive pay raises based on their years of experience. The average pay increase will be $4,766, according to the OSSBA.
The raises are:
$3,000 for educators with four or fewer years in the classroom.
$4,000 for educators with five to nine years of experience.
$5,000 for educators with 10 to 14 years of experience.
$6,000 for educators who have taught for 15 or more years.
OSSBA estimates about 50,000 school employees will receive some sort of pay raise. The pay hikes will take effect for the 2023-2024 school year.
Where will Oklahoma rank in regional teacher pay after these raises take effect?
The pay raises will bring Oklahoma’s average teacher salary up to $60,307, but the state is likely to remain ranked fourth in average teacher pay within a seven-state region.
These pay raises won’t be enough to push Oklahoma’s average teacher salary above the average in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas.
The only unknown is whether Arkansas will surpass Oklahoma in the rankings now that state leaders there approved a teacher pay raise on top of increasing to $50,000 the minimum salary for teachers.
How will the school choice tax credits work?
Oklahoma families could soon be eligible for a refundable tax credit if they homeschool a child or send their child to private school.
The private school tax credits will vary based on household income. A parent or legal guardian can claim the tax credit for each child attending private school.
The private school refundable tax credits are as follows:
$7,500 for households earning $75,000 or less annually.
$7,000 for households earning $150,000 or less.
$6,500 for households earning $225,000 or less.
$6,000 for households earning between $225,000 and $250,000.
$5,000 for households earning more than $250,000.
Preference will be given to the families making $150,000 or less.
The total amount of tax credits will be capped at the following:
$150 million for tax year 2024.
$200 million for tax year 2025.
$250 million for tax year 2026.
Parents who homeschool their children could seek a $1,000 tax credit per child. The homeschool credits will be capped at $5 million annually.
Who will oversee the tax credit program?
The Oklahoma Tax Commission will be tasked with creating state agency rules to administer the tax credit program.
Taxpayers will have to apply for the credit that will be granted upfront in two installments, with each amounting to half of the expected annual private school tuition and fees.
Applicants will have to submit an affidavit from the private school confirming the enrollment of their child in order to receive a tax credit for the fall and spring semesters.
Taxpayers will also be required to submit to the Tax Commission receipts of qualified expenses, such as private school tuition, textbooks, tutoring or fees for college admission tests and advanced placement exams.
If the credit exceeds the tax imposed, the excess will be refunded to the taxpayer.
What if someone wrongfully claims the tax credit?
The Tax Commission will be able to claw back the credits if an audit finds a taxpayer claimed a student who no longer attends private school or if they claimed the credit for ineligible expenses.
How many kids currently attend private schools?
About 37,644 students already attend Oklahoma private schools. That’s roughly 5% of all children in K-12 schools, according to Private School Review.
What is the average cost of private school tuition in Oklahoma?
Private school tuition in Oklahoma costs, on average, $6,678 per year, according to Private School Review.
The group says Global Christian Harvest School in Ardmore has the lowest annual tuition at $2,000, while Casady School in Oklahoma City costs the most at $23,225 per year. Annual tuition at Tulsa-area private schools range from $2,675 at Rejoice Christian School in Owasso to $15,250 at Cascia Hall Preparatory School, according to the group.
How many kids are currently homeschooled?
Approximately 22,866 Oklahoma students are homeschooled, according to the Coalition for Responsible Home Education.
Does this education plan fund any new programs?
Lawmakers earmarked $150 million for a three-year pilot program to improve school safety. Each school district will receive approximately $96,000 to upgrade their security infrastructure and hire school resource officers.
The State Department of Education will receive another $10 million to create a literacy instructional team that will travel across the state to help students who are struggling to read.
In a first, the state will also offer teachers six weeks of paid maternity leave, which is estimated to cost about $12 million per year.
What is the Redbud Fund that will get increased funding?
Lawmakers created the Redbud Fund in 2021 to direct a portion of the state’s medical marijuana revenue to districts and brick-and-mortar charter schools that receive below-average property tax dollars for construction and maintenance of school facilities.
How much will Redbud funding increase?
The amount of Redbud funds flowing to schools will roughly triple, going from $40 million this year to $125 million next year, said Hime, the head of the OSSBA.
The funding increase means about 100 additional districts will qualify for Redbud grants.
“More schools qualify and then all the schools that qualified before will get more money per student, which means they’re able to plan for more renovations and building projects,” Hime said.
About 78% of districts will receive Redbud funds next year, said House Speaker Pro Tem Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow.
