The House in February passed a bold education plan to increase funding for Oklahoma public schools by $500 million, including pay raises for every teacher. Included in the plan were tax credits for parents who want education options for their children.
I could get behind this plan because unlike some others proposed, this actually increased funding for our public schools instead of decreasing it. As a lifelong supporter and public school advocate, I will always fight for rural public schools, the lifeblood of our communities in northwest Oklahoma.
The House sent its plan to the Senate asking that chamber to vote on the legislation as is. If it passed, it passed. If it didn't, we were willing to come back to the drawing board. But ignoring this request, the Senate amended the bills, eroding by about $170 million the amount of funding that would have gone to public schools.
The Senate voted to eliminate all new funding for 32 rural school districts, reduce funding for 95% of school districts and significantly lower the investment amount for all schools. Under the Senate plan, 25 districts get more, while 492 (rural) districts get less. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!
Under the Senate plan, all but one school district serving children in House District 59 would receive less funding than under the House version.
While the Senate plan promised higher pay raises for some teachers, many would have been left without a raise. In addition, schools would have been shorted on the funding needed to pay for those raises, resulting in an unfunded mandate.
The slash in rural school funding is a dealbreaker for me and for House District 59 as it is for most rural districts.
Across-the-board teacher pay raises and additional perpupil funding were key for my schools. The Senate versions of these bills are unacceptable.
The speaker of the House asked the Senate to recall its amendments, but instead the leadership of that chamber has doubled down. The speaker can bring forward new legislation at any time, so it remains to be seen what will happen with this plan. My hope is that an agreement can be reached that is a win for every student, every parent, every teacher and every school.
Please remember, if I can help you with something, do not hesitate to reach out. You also can follow regular updates on my House Facebook page or call or email anytime at (405) 5577407 or Mike.Dobrinski@okhouse.go v.
In your service, Mike Dobrinski