Oklahoma Watch, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma, will host a public forum on Wednesday, Oct. 17, in Tulsa about State Question 801, which relates to school taxes and spending.
SQ 801 would allow school districts to spend “building fund” property taxes on operating expenses, such as salaries for teachers and other staff. Would this give schools a needed flexibility to address their specific needs, or would it mainly benefit districts with higher property-tax values and thus increase inequities? The forum is intended in part to provide clarity on how schools are funded.
Featured panelists will be Shawn Hime, executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association, and Jennifer Monies, executive director of Oklahoma Achieves, an education initiative of the State Chamber of Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Watch-Out forum, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Central Center in Centennial Park, 1028 East 6th Street in Tulsa. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register online.
Oklahoma Watch Executive Editor David Fritze will moderate the discussion. Audience questions will be allowed during the second half of the program.
About the Panelists
Shawn Hime joined the Oklahoma State School Boards Association as executive director in 2014. Before joining OSSBA, Hime served for six years as superintendent of Enid Public Schools. He is a former Oklahoma State Department of Education assistant state superintendent and also worked as a teacher and administrator in Ardmore Public Schools and other districts.
Jennifer Monies started as executive director of Oklahoma Achieves in July 2014. She has an extensive background in communications, policy development and coalition-building. Previously, she was press secretary and senior advisor to Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman. Prior to then, she served as senior vice president of communications and marketing for the State Chamber and communications director for two Oklahoma House speakers. She was a political reporter for The Oklahoman and Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C.