OKLAHOMA CITY — Republicans in the Oklahoma House of Representatives unveiled a $500 million education plan last week that would increase school funding and teacher pay and earmark millions for schools who receive below-average funding from local revenue streams.
The plan, authored by House Speaker Charles McCall, also includes a $5,000 tax credit for parents who choose to send students to private schools and a $2,500 tax credit for homeschooled students.
The plan, however, doesn’t include a voucher system or educational spending accounts, touted by state school chief Ryan Walters.
“This plan works for every education stakeholder in our state,” McCall said in a media statement. “First and most important, it works for students and supports strong parental involvement in a child’s education. We know the key to future success is a great education, and House Republicans are committed to ensuring each student can attend the school that best meets their needs.”
McCall, R-Atoka, said his plan would continue “record-level” funding for the state’s public schools but wouldn’t erode funds for public schools or public school teachers.
McCall released the plan just days after both he and Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols said the House GOP wouldn’t support a voucher program or educational spending accounts because they could harm rural schools.
“The message we sent (about vouchers) last year was relatively clear,” Echols said in an interview with the Southwest Ledger last week. “The House is big on education funding, but the House is also very rural. I don’t think there is any way a voucher bill will pass the House.”
While Echols said he was “personally supportive of school choice,” he said any statewide school choice plan must also reflect the concerns of rural school districts.
“It’s (a school choice plan) going to have to apply to all schools but also take concerns of rural school superintendents into account,” he said. “I don’t think there is a path to pass a voucher inside the House.”
McCall said the House GOP plan “provides for less government intrusion” into local districts. He said the plan puts Oklahoma even with Florida and “just behind Texas” in per-pupil expenditure.
“This is a policy and funding plan that sets every kid up for success,” the speaker said.
McCall said the extra funding could only be used to increase the salaries of teachers and support personnel; programs related to science, technology, engineering and math; buy textbooks, curriculum and other instructional materials, including instruments or accessories for music or art courses, and technology for classrooms; increase the classroom capacity and additional institutional space for academic instruction if a school is at full capacity; fees for national tests, supper and after-school programs; and tuition and fees for concurrent enrollment coursework at state colleges and universities.
The plan is similar to a program being pushed by state Sen. Adam Pugh.
Pugh’s program, outlined in several bills, would allocate more than $400 million for the state’s education system.
That plan includes $15 million to provide scholarships to students who enter Oklahoma colleges of education, graduate and receive teaching certificates and develop a multistate teacher licensing program.
Pugh also wants $25 million for paid maternity leave for teachers, $50 million for school safety, more than $240 million for teacher pay increases, $60 million in changes to the state’s school funding formula and $11 million for an update to the State Department of Education’s data system.
Lawmakers have until the last week in May to review the plans.