Sparks fly over dueling teacher pay-hike plans

The Senate previously gutted a $2,500 per teacher pay raise proposal — House Bill 2775 — sent from the House and replaced it with language that would provide raises ranging from $3,000 to $6,000, depending on experience.

But House staffers say more than 43,000 teachers in more than 400 districts would not get raises under the Senate plan.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said the Senate plan would provide raises only to teachers in 111 districts that pay the minimum teacher salary schedule, excluding the majority of teachers in the state.

The only Tulsa County school districts that would see raises under the Senate plan are Keystone and Liberty, according to House staff.

McCall said the House plan would provide raises for all teachers.

He said he would strip the measure of the Senate amendments and send it to a conference committee.

“The Senate plan is a ‘some win, most lose’ plan, and the numbers prove that fact,” McCall said.

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, fired back, accusing McCall of spreading misinformation and torpedoing meaningful education reform.

The Senate plan provides for raises for all teachers, even if they are off the state funding formula or being paid above the minimum salary schedule, according to Senate staff.

Treat said McCall needs to end the political games and rhetoric surrounding the proposals.

Treat said McCall’s latest misinformation is further galvanizing Senate Republicans and doing nothing to improve public education.

“The speaker is operating in a fantasy land,” Treat said. “For him to continue to spread misinformation is disingenuous at best.”

McCall’s ‘my way or the highway approach’ is not how the building operates, Treat said.

The House plan leaves out raises for certified personnel and does not include mental health counselors, reading coaches and specialists and other instructional support staff, according to Senate staff.

The Senate plan also would provide raises for educators from the Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Department of Corrections and CareerTech, according to Senate staff.

February video: Oklahoma House Republicans unveil teacher pay raise, school choice plans