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The Oklahoma House of Representatives on Tuesday released an online dashboard for the public to compare each chamber’s budget proposal and agency requests. Each allocates more than $3.8 billion for the state Department of Education.

House Speaker Charles McCall, who is pushing for a quarter-percent personal income tax cut, proposed a mostly flat budget for education.

“The historic education funding that was injected into public education last year, you’ll find that reoccurring in this budget,” McCall said.

The Senate plan includes a $100 million boost to fund stipends for school support personnel, plus $2.65 million to pay student teachers. The state began paying student teachers in 2021-22 using federal COVID-19 relief dollars, but those funds are set to expire.

Neither chamber’s proposal dedicates funding for Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters’ Back to Basics plan. Walters proposed spending a combined $16 million on that plan, which included paid tutoring, bonuses for teachers whose students demonstrate growth and a screener, an online reading assessment program.

The Department of Education in February began requesting bids for a statewide reading screener, estimated to cost $4.5 million, even though the Legislature has not agreed to fund it.

Negotiations continue with the governor until they agree on a final budget for the state. The budget transparency portal is linked on the homepage of the House website. Questions, comments, story ideas? Please reach out via email or direct message.

— Jennifer Palmer

Recommended Reading

• More than 130 staffers have left the Oklahoma Department of Education since Superintendent Ryan Walters took office. Resignation letters obtained by The Oklahoman attribute resignations to specific meetings and policy changes. [The Oklahoman]
• Book bans in public schools surged in the first half of the school year, according to a new report by PEN America. The rise in book bans is driven by conservative groups and new laws and regulations. [The New York Times]
• Class sizes are expected to increase at Oklahoma City Public Schools, the state’s second largest district. The end of the Elementary and Secondary School Relief Fund support means fewer educators in district schools next fall. [NonDoc]

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