Oklahoma You have permission to edit this article. Districts can decide if they want to give staff a one-time pay increase of $1,200 or a one-time increase in an amount based on performance or the need to retain staff. Stitts budget also proposes squirreling away an additional $100 million into state reserve accounts. Support Nurias work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com. This probably isnt the year for an additional pay raise on top of what happened last year, Mazzei said. Have a story idea for Nuria? It's a reporting project and collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU, with broadcasts heard on NPR Member stations. $2 million for Lt. Gov. Oklahoma teacher say $2,500 pay raise not enough Franke, an educator of 20 years, said shed be happy with $2,500 as long as it goes into the Oklahomas minimum The declines were 80% in Oklahoma, 67% in Michigan, 62% in Pennsylvania, 61% in Delaware, 60% in Illinois, 55% in Idaho, 54% in Indiana and New Mexico, and 51% in Rhode Island. Bordering states of Texas, Colorado and New Mexico pay more on average than Oklahoma, while Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas pay less, the state agency reported. She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. "The metrics used to determine merit-based pay are controversial and inequitable," OEA President Katherine Bishop said. SB 1048 identifies certified personnel as defined by 70 O.S. Teachers with 10 through 14 years' experience would receive a $5,000 raise. The downward trend comes against a background in which Oklahomas public schools were already producing some of the worst academic outcomes in the nation even after the recent infusion of state funding through tax increases and federal COVID-19 bailout funding. UPDATED: Teacher Pay Raise & Retirement FAQs | Oklahoma State The starting annual salary for an Oklahoma teacher is $38,074, and the average salary is $54,762, according to theNational Education Association. The Legislature also boosted overall funding of public schools, allowing districts to use the extra funds for teacher compensation if they chose. The Senate committee unanimously passed another of Pughs bills that would grant 12 weeks of paid maternity leave to full-time public-school employees. The incentives would range from $2,500 to $10,000 and would be in addition to the minimum salary schedule, according to the proposal. How is the pay raise funded? SB 1048 appropriates $58,858,503 to be used for the purpose of providing an increase in compensation for certified personnel. This funding comes from the total amount appropriated to the financial support of public schools from the General Revenue Fund in the General Appropriations Bill, HB 2765. He previously served as senior Capitol reporter for The Journal Record, media director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman. Previous pay raises for all educators have proven to increase quality candidates to the profession.". Some state lawmakers have suggested pay raises for all teachers. Oklahoma teachers have been given raises over the last four years totalling more than $7,000. But it isnt possible without your support. , Education, Tax hikes, pay raises, fail to stem Oklahoma teacher shortage. Gov. One of Stitts top priorities is improving the states AA- credit rating, which calls for a conservative budgeting approach, Mazzei said. 15. Hofmeister is the Democratic nominee for governor and the top challenger to Stitt, a Republican, in the Nov. 8 general election. Every day we strive to produce journalism that matters stories that strengthen accountability and transparency, provide value and resonate with readers like you. Panel passes Oklahoma teacher pay raise bill Were trying everything we can to get young people back involved and keep older teachers in the system.. Senate Bill 482, if passed, would prompt the state's first wage increase in four years for Oklahoma teachers. $4.9 million for the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority for physician recruitment and equipment needs. But this week members of the Oklahoma Senate effectively admitted that plan has failed. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). I know that the Legislature wants to see high outcomes for students, and certainly the Legislature understands that we have to make a priority with kids and their education, Hofmeister said after Thursdaysboard meeting. A districts salary averages are affected by both its salary policies and the experience level of its teachers. Search by district or county. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. "How bad do things have to get for us to use the money that weve got in the savings account for the needs of the people of Oklahoma?" An Oklahoma lawmaker is pushing for a teacher pay raise to combat the states teacher shortage. StateImpact Oklahoma isa collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU. You have permission to edit this article. Educators in New Mexico, Texas and Colorado already earn more on average than teachers in Oklahoma. Fish, Oklahoman, Oklahoma Supreme Court rules school districts, not governor, should decide mask mandates, Superintendent election a 'battle' for future of Oklahoma public education, some teachers to be paid $100,000 or more, Epic Charter School changing how it takes attendance after state investigation, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. At the end of the 2020 state budget year, Oklahoma school Lawmakers approved an average teacher pay raise of $6,100 in 2018 and added another $1,200 in 2019. We are anticipating a large number of positions to be open in the next two or three years, and the colleges of education will tell you we are not seeing a big increase in the number of individuals or young people going into education, Pemberton said. Will the OSDE tell districts how much to spend on pay raises? 18. Oklahoma must address its teacher shortage and compete with surrounding states that also are mulling pay increases, Pugh said. Oklahoma schools don't have enough support staff to meet needs, and their salaries are far too low averaging just $21,583 a year. No. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session to give Oklahoma public school teachers and support staff a raise starting in the 2023-2024 school year. The teacher pay raise bill will take effect on Aug. 1, and will do so regardless of any referendum petition. * An interlocal cooperative, or ILC, is an educational service organization than handles duties for a group of school districts or counties. The proposed budget appropriates Click or tap a column heading to re-order the table. We figured the amount that (the $5,000 raise)would cost and made that ask in addition, she said Thursday. That was the last survey taken by the organization prior to the first round of teacher pay increases. The current fiscal year budget appropriated enough for average teacher pay raises of $1,220 and state employee pay raises up to $1,440. Does the amount appropriated include district obligations? Pemberton said its up to the legislature to catch Oklahoma up. Legislative Democrats indicated they intend to fight against putting away more money in state savings accounts. That means ensuring weve got the people and that investment in the (teacher) workforce.. In fact, in many ways Oklahoma schools are flush with more cash than at any time in recent memory. Senate Bill 28 would give teachers $6,000 over 9 years, divided into three $2,000 raises. A Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that as of last November, resignations in educational work including teachers grew faster than in any other industry. Budget & Tax Its also the fourth lowest in the region. The new state superintendent will present his budget request to House and Senate lawmakers in the following weeks. By: Alex Cameron. Were trying everything we can to get young people back involved and keep older teachers in the system.. SB 482 would reset the starting minimum at $39,601. While HB 1010xx gave support professionals a $1,250 pay raise, it was well short of the $5,000 they asked for. Pugh said the cost of the measure would be $250 million. Oklahoma teachers have been given raises over the last four years totalling more than $7,000. Use the unsubscribe link in those emails to opt out at any time. In a 2019 English class at The Academy of Seminole, students write descriptive essays. Most of Oklahoma Watchs content is available for republication by other news media in print and digital form. That figure broke down just about evenly at the elementary and secondary education levels. 4. Who is required to receive a salary increase? Student achievement on state tests was lower in 2019 than in 2017. But this week members of the Oklahoma Senate effectively Whats not in the governors budget proposal. The plan could cost $150 million. For support staff and paraprofessionals, its a little more complicated: Senate Bill 25 would give districts $1,200 per support staff member. Oklahoma teacher say $2,500 pay raise not enough | News Between 4,200 and 5,300 teachers left the classroom each year from the 2012-2013 school year to 2020-21, according to a 2021 report from the Oklahoma State Department of Education. A reminder: This raise is permanent and recurring, and State Law prohibits a teachers salary from being reduced from one year to the next. Click or tap on a column hearing to re-order the table. Investigates: Oklahoma Still Losing Teachers Despite Pay Raises 26-103, to receive the salary increase, regardless of whether employed by an off-the-formula district, a charter school, or otherwise. At the graduate level, 13% of institutions had a significant drop in enrollment in 2021. Charter schools like this one are slated to reap the biggest benefits from a recent State Board of Education action to equalize funding between charter and traditional public schools. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The Oklahoma State Board of Education approved a proposal from State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters to base teacher pay raises on merit. Pemberton said he hopes measures passed last year like the Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Initiative Program combined with more legislative efforts this year will start attracting new teachers and retaining current teachers. An Oklahoma lawmaker is pushing for a teacher pay raise to combat the states teacher shortage. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently proposed boosting starting salaries for teachers in her state to $50,000. StateImpact Oklahoma reports on energy and the environment, education, health, criminaljustice, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. COVID appears to have increased the stress of an already stressful job. The aforementioned legislation makes clear that certified personnel, as defined in 70 O.S. Gov. The minimum and average salary amounts include benefits. Lawmakers discussed the teacher-shortage issue this week while debating Senate Bill 267, by Pemberton, which extends existing incentives to lure retired teachers back to the classroom. "Our students deserve educators who are compensated and respected as the professionals they are. The cost to the state would be $1.6 million, Pugh said. The minimum for a first-year teacher with a bachelors degree is now $36,601, a $5,001 increase over the previous minimum salary, which was set at $31,600 in 2008. Senate Bill 28 would give teachers $6,000 over 9 years, divided into three $2,000 raises. Walters' budget plan differs from the version his predecessor, Joy Hofmeister, put together. That bill is also assigned to the Senate Education Committee. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, a retired educator, introduced a bill in December that would give teachers a $2,000 annual raise for the 2023-2024, 2026-2027 and 2029-2030 school years. The $3.51 billion request would increase state education funding by about $330 million over current levels. The governor hopes to spark a discussion with legislators about how to spend those funds. The state minimum salary did not increase, and the language pertaining to the 2018-2019 pay raise that explicitly required the raise in addition to what the individual made in the prior year was not renewed. SB 1048 explicitly provides that $58,858,503 of what is appropriated to the financial support of public schools from the General Revenue Fund in the General Appropriations bill (HB 2765) shall be used for a salary increase, in addition to and not a replacement for the step increase provided in the state minimum salary schedule. There is no language in either bill requiring pay raises to begin September 1. 13. A high estimate of the cost to the state would be $25 million, he said. That means ensuring weve got the people and that investment in the (teacher) workforce., More:Superintendent election a 'battle' for future of Oklahoma public education. Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session to give Oklahoma public school teachers and support staff a raise starting in the 2023-2024 school year. First through fourth-year teachers would see $3,000 raises. More:Oklahoma Supreme Court rules school districts, not governor, should decide mask mandates. Six takeaways from Gov. The Education Departments budget request would remain the same no matter who wins in November, Hofmeister said, but the next superintendent could advocate for different policies. The average Teacher salary in Oklahoma is $53,527 as of January 26, 2023, but the range typically falls between $44,760 and $65,259. From his first year in office when he worked with the Legislature to deliver a $1,200payraise, to this years proposal topaythose in the classroom six figure salaries, GovernorStitthas been a tireless advocate for getting Oklahomateachers to be the highest paid in the region and looks forward to continuing that effort with the next state superintendent, Kate Vesper wrote in a statement to The Oklahoman. Teacher Pay When considering pay raise amounts, districts are encouraged to ensure that the average across all certified staff members equals a $1,220 increase. But Stitts budget guru hinted that offering retirees a 4% cost-of-living adjustment at a cost of $1 billion could be more generous than the state can afford next year. Are principals and other administrators required to receive a pay raise? 7. In that section of law, certified personnel is defined to mean a certified person employed on a full-time basis to serve as a teacher, principal, supervisor, administrator, counselor, librarian, or certified or registered nurse, but shall not mean a superintendent of a school district. The salary increase, like last years, will not include district superintendents. As a reporter for The Journal Record, Carter received 12 Carl Rogan Awards in four yearsincluding awards for investigative reporting, general news reporting, feature writing, spot news reporting, business reporting, and sports reporting. Particularly hard-hit were Midwestern and Rust Belt states, as well as seeming outliers such as Alaska and Florida, whose Department of Education outlined critical shortages in no fewer than eight subject areas going into the 2019-2020 school year. There was a problem saving your notification. The nearly $8.1 billion spending plan does not include an additional $163 million in one-time spending. At 88, Inhofe says he intends to still be involved in politics but admits to still suffering the long-term effects of COVID-19. Republican Gov. She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. The Edmond senator has suggested the state spend $241 million on his pay-raise plan and another $300 million on further education reforms. Pugh said he wanted to make sure that when a teacher has a baby, she does not have to make a choice to come back to the classroom before she is emotionally, mentally and physically ready to do so. When the salaries are adjusted for inflation, teachers are earning on average $2,179 less per year than they did a decade ago. Arkansas Gov. Workers at colleges and universities had the next highest level (35%). House Bill 2765 and Senate Bill 1048, enacted and signed into law during the 2019 legislative session, establish requirements and opportunities for Oklahoma public schools (LEAs) to prepare for and disseminate annual salary increases to the certified personnel they employ. The state last increased minimum teacher pay in 2019 with a The measure would move the starting teacher pay to$39,601 from $36,601. Oklahoma Budget FY 2020 Highlights SAVINGS $200 million in Oklahomas savings account, putting Oklahoma on the path to storing two months of expenses, more I have covered the Oklahoma Legislature since 1994. I want to see the numbers, said Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, chairperson of the House budget committee on education. Please follow these terms for republication: * Reporters bylines and photographers credit lines should be accompanied by Oklahoma Watch.. Between the 1999-2000 and the 2017-2018 school years, the number of full- and part-time public school teachers rose 18% to 3.5 million teachers, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of the funds appropriated in Section 1 of Enrolled House Bill 2765 of the 1st Session of the 57th Oklahoma Legislature, Fifty-eight Million Eight Hundred Fifty-eight Thousand Five Hundred Three Dollars ($58,858,503.00) shall be used for the purpose of providing an increase in compensation for certified personnel as defined by Section 26-103 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. We need to pay teachers more.. Senate Bill 482, by Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, would increase the minimum teacher salary schedule. The same expectation applies to districts that receive only the salary incentive aid and not foundation aid. But even then, Oklahomas again fallen behind neighboring states. Part of the increase, should lawmakers give the OK, would include a $100 million investment in kindergarten through third-grade literacy. OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma State Department of Education will include a $5,000 teacher pay raise in its annual budget request during the state board of education's upcoming meeting. Ray Carter is the director of OCPAs Center for Independent Journalism. Budget deal includes teacher pay raise - The Oklahoman Charter schools are not required to follow the minimum salary schedule. The plan differs from one approved by the State Board of Education in September when it voted to asklawmakers for a $5,000 raise for state teachers. No, while principals and other administrators could receive a raise under these provisions, they are not required to receive a raise. Governor, Senate, and House leadership announce FY 2020 The state Minimum Salary Schedule remains the same as the one passed in the 2018 Legislative Session. The earliest SoonerCare 2.0 could take effect would be in fiscal year 2022 because it will take time for the state to apply for the federal waiver and prepare for the expansion, he said. Because teacher retirement benefits are tied to the last three years of income, one impact of the teacher pay raises was to temporarily slow the pace of retirements while educators racked up credit for newly increased salaries. There is no language in either bill requiring pay raises to begin September 1.