This language is clear in mandating a raise in salary as a part of the base salary and not a one-time bonus or stipend. Oklahoma teachers earn an average of $54,000 a year, which ranks fourth among all bordering states. The number of students completing teacher education programs fell by more than one-third between 2008 and 2019, according to a 2022 report by the AACTE. Pemberton said its up to the legislature to catch Oklahoma up. Most state agency funding is kept flat under Stitt's budget proposal. But even then, Oklahomas again fallen behind neighboring states. Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. The teacher-shortage figure of 600 cited by Pemberton exceeds the shortages reported prior to the 2018 tax increases and pay raises. 2023 Oklahoma Council Of Public Affairs. Ray Carter is the director of OCPAs Center for Independent Journalism. Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. Whats not in the governors budget proposal. The requests will continue to the Legislature, which has the final say on state funding of education. NAEP results showed just 25.5 percent of Oklahoma 8th grade students were performing at grade level or better in that subject. Please follow these terms for republication: * Reporters bylines and photographers credit lines should be accompanied by Oklahoma Watch.. Lawmakers are open to the idea of merit pay, Pugh said, but weve got to raise the floor of educator salaries. The Quality Counts report also showed that only six states have a lower share of 18-to-24-year-olds enrolled in postsecondary education than the 48.7 percent enrolled in Oklahoma. The intention of the law makes clear that certified personnel, on average, should receive a $1,220 raise, to be annualized and continued in future years. There is no language in either bill requiring pay raises to begin September 1. Kevin Stitt claimed it could cause some teachers to be paid $100,000 or more, though this would fall on the extreme end of the bills capacity. 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. 1, but also incentivize them as they continue to grow," Walters said. Search by district or county. 8. More:Oklahoman finalist for National Teacher of the Year says cooperation is key to future. 2. The minimum and average salary amounts include benefits. State Superintendent Ryan Walters wants teacher pay raises tied to student performance, Oklahoman finalist for National Teacher of the Year says cooperation is key to future, said Oklahoma should offer incentive-based raises, suggested the state spend $241 million on his pay-raise plan, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Most of Oklahoma Watchs content is available for republication by other news media in print and digital form. The Edmond senator has suggested the state spend $241 million on his pay-raise plan and another $300 million on further education reforms. 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. In SB 1048, the OSDE is required to make a report of pay raises given in 2019-2020. Certified Personnel Pay Raise FAQs - Oklahoma State Therefore, pay increases in the 2019-2020 school year must be in addition to the teachers step increase based on years of experience and degree level. 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 At 88, Inhofe says he intends to still be involved in politics but admits to still suffering the long-term effects of COVID-19. Can a district include retirement payments for employees as part of the raise calculation? We are seeing moms step out of the work force altogether, Pugh said. Part of the increase, should lawmakers give the OK, would include a $100 million investment in kindergarten through third-grade literacy. The intent and expectation is for certified personnel, as defined in 70 O.S. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). State reserves sit at just over $1 billion after Stitt directed the state to save an additional $200,000 last year, an idea that was hotly debated. We already have a teacher shortage, now the pipeline is almost empty. Kevin Stitts State of the State speech 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. Effects on the number of teachers employed soon reflected the decline in teaching degrees awarded. "We have to keep these teachers.". Senate Bill 482 would raise the base salary for public-school teachers in their first four years of service by $3,000. Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. Teachers with 10 through 14 years' experience would receive a $5,000 raise. 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. After the October 1 personnel reporting period, OSDE will publish a report including the difference in pay for each teacher and an average pay raise amount for each district. Kevin Stitt and the states top education official, Ryan Walters, said Oklahoma should offer incentive-based raises instead of an across-the-board increase for all teachers. The governor also proposes doubling the capacity of the states Rainy Day Fund so it can hold up to $2 billion. In fact, the measures plainly state that the increases in salary are in addition to (i.e., separate and apart from) what may be reflected in the Minimum Salary Schedule. She is term limited after eight years in office. 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. The 2023 legislative session begins Feb. 6. New legislation enacted this year offers matching funds to raise the salaries of certain teachers who earn specific credentials and mentor other educators. "The metrics used to determine merit-based pay are controversial and inequitable," OEA President Katherine Bishop said. Oklahoma teachers earn an average of $54,000 a year, which ranks fourth among all bordering states. 1 in the region this year. By December 31, 2019, school districts shall report to the State Department of Education the amount of increase in compensation each teacher received as a result of these funds. The state's largest teachers union, the Oklahoma Education Association, said educator salaries should be competitive with the rest of the region. Should the Legislature agree to the increase, Oklahomas average teacher pay would rise to $59,000. New Kansas teachers make slightly more than their Oklahoma counterparts at $39,100. The plan could cost $150 million. We have to keep pace with the surrounding states, Hofmeister said. Charter schools are exempt from minimum salary requirements. The state board requested a total budget of $3.57 billion for Fiscal Year 2024. $6 million to reduce the Developmental Disability Services waiting list by 10%, or about 600 people. Oklahomacould reach the second-highest average in the region with$59,000, should the Legislature approve the $5,000 raise. That bill is also assigned to the Senate Education Committee. A majority of the school districts in the state do not pay over the minimum salary schedule, he said. 6. The request then goes to the Legislature where lawmakers during the 2023 session will make the final decision on each state agencys allocation. 5. I have worked for the Tulsa World since 1990. 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. Teacher Salary The raise is As stated above, the expectation is for certified personnel, as defined in 70 O.S. A $5,000 teacher pay raise proposal will advance to the state Legislature after passing a Thursday vote by the Oklahoma State Board of Education. Posted by SDEmedia on Mon, 06/24/2019 - 4:36pm. The National Education Association published figures in April 2022 showing the average teacher salary to be $66,397 for the 2021-2022 school year. The state minimum salary was increased at all years of experience and degree levels by an average of $6,100. Average salary is based on full-time equivalent teaching positions, which includes full- and part-time teachers. And he said the dramatic increase in teacher pay since 2018 has done little or nothing to attract new people to the teaching profession. The teacher pay boost would be Oklahomas first in three years, if lawmakers approve it. Ateachersminimum starting salary would, for the first time, exceed $40,000 in the state. Are charter schools required to give a pay raise? No. Oklahoma weighs competing pay raise plans for teachers In the decade preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, most states saw moderate to more significant drops in students seeking teaching degrees. The budget proposal includes $11 million to annualize the teacher pay raises appropriated this year. 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. 2011-2023 Oklahoma Public Media Exchange. When SB 267 was discussed and debated on the Senate floor, Pemberton, a former school administrator, warned, Theres any number of jobs that we have a real issue hiring right now.. Oklahoma Stitts budget proposes funding $25.3 million in gubernatorial * Include the Oklahoma Watch logo (found here). The appropriated amount covers ten months of that estimate. 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. 16. I cover politics, appellate courts, state agencies and the governor. $5,000 pay raise proposal for Oklahoma teachers passes You have permission to edit this article. In 2017, a survey conducted by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association showed there were 536 teaching vacancies that year. The poor educational quality of Oklahomas K-12 education has ripple effects that extend into other areas. "We had 3,338 emergency certifications last year," As a result, the funding for increases will be distributed through the formula. Of further concern is the fact that there have simply not been enough new teachers to take their places. PublishedDecember 19, 2022 at 3:41 AM CST. The teacher pay raise would cost the state about $110 million, but Pemberton said given the states $2.8 billion in revenue savings collections, its time to strike while the iron is hot., You need to put your priorities out front, Pemberton said. A working paper from Brown University's Annenberg Institute released in March 2022 cautioned that limited data had "led to considerable uncertainty and conflicting reports about the nature of staffing challenges in schools." But it isnt possible without your support. One unfortunate result has been that teachers are leaving the profession in droves. As a result, the amount appropriated provides enough funding to give a raise of $1,220 rather than $1,200 over twelve months. The same expectation applies to districts that receive only the salary incentive aid and not foundation aid. More:State Superintendent Ryan Walters wants teacher pay raises tied to student performance. House legal staff instructed Walters to present his predecessor's budget plan, which he promised to change, because the state Board of Education hadn't yet approved an amendment to it. First through fourth-year teachers would see $3,000 raises. 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. 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. Republican Gov. We had over 600 teaching positions we couldnt fill this last year, and with the possibility of retirements this year after the three-year teacher high on the new teacher pay raises, we could see a lot higher retirements, so were going to have trouble filling, said Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee. 19. The state has too many needs that have been unmet, Senate Minority Leader Kay Floyd said. I have covered the Oklahoma Legislature since 1994. The Senate Appropriations Committee also passed Senate Bill 522, again by Pugh, which would provide a $500 stipend to mentor teachers, regardless of how many people they mentor. It expressly states: SECTION 1. This story originally appeared on eSpark and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. If a district already pays the employee retirement contribution, the raise is expected to be in addition to that contribution. The committee also passed Senate Bill 364, also by Pugh, to provide 12 weeks of paid maternity leave to teachers. StateImpact Oklahoma reports on energy and the environment, education, health, criminaljustice, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership among Oklahomas public radio stations and relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic, Stanley Hupfeld at Western Village (Charter), Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences (Charter. The state last increased minimum teacher pay in 2019 with a New Mexico is expected to surge to No. The raise is estimated to cost $310 million with the price of insurance and retirement benefits included. * Use the following credit line at the end of the story, with oklahomawatch.org hyperlinked online: Oklahoma Watch, atoklahomawatch.org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state., by Oklahoma Watch, Oklahoma Watch August 5, 2019, This article first appeared on Oklahoma Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. A survey released in February 2022 by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education found that in both the fall of 2020 and the fall of 2021, 20% of undergraduate-level teaching programs saw a drop in enrollment. Teacher shortage persists despite massive pay raises When the salaries are adjusted for inflation, teachers are earning on average $2,179 less per year than they did a decade ago. But this week members of the Oklahoma Senate effectively admitted that plan has failed. A survey by the RAND Corporation discovered that 90% of school districts had changed operations in one or more schools during the 20212022 school year because of teacher shortages. The state passed a $10,000 salaryincrease that is estimated to reset its average teacher pay at $64,000. Asked if Stitt would support a$5,000 teacher pay increase across the board, his spokesperson reflected on past initiatives. What legislation requires salary increases for certified personnel?House Bill 2765 is the General Appropriations bill, and as it relates to salary increases for certified personnel in the public schools, it provides: SECTION 1. 11. The cost for a $1,200 pay raise for twelve months is $70,630,204. Is this amount appropriated for the raise for 10 months only? In addition, Senate Bill 1048 is the budget limits bill for the State Board of Education. The new superintendent nixed Hofmeister's proposed $5,000 across-the-board teacher pay raise, which would have cost nearly $310 million. 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. Teacher shortages: Why educators are leaving the profession in droves. This work is essential to a better-informed community and a healthy democracy. This document is not intended to serve as legal advice, but is general in nature and reflects the questions OSDE has received as of June 24, 2019. 26-103, are to receive a salary increase in the 2019-2020 school year. Oklahoma teacher pay raise bill clears first legislative hurdle , Education, Tax hikes, pay raises, fail to stem Oklahoma teacher shortage. Averages in the searchable table below are based on 2017-18 data and minimum salaries are for 2018-19. The budget proposal includes $11 million to annualize the teacher pay raises appropriated this year. $4.9 million for the Oklahoma State University Medical Authority for physician recruitment and equipment needs. That figure broke down just about evenly at the elementary and secondary education levels. Additionally, one-quarter to one-third of districts had increased pay or benefits for bus drivers, relaxed hiring requirements for substitute teachers, and assigned staff to cafeteria duties. Kevin Stitt, Joy Hofmeister speak after primary election wins. There is no language in either bill requiring pay raises to begin September 1. Weve slipped to number four in the region, so that means Texas and Colorado and New Mexico and a lot of these states are paying more and are drawing our teachers out of the state, Pemberton said. Kevin Stit. The Senate Education Committee passed the bill from chairperson Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, without objection. The Oklahoma Education Association, the state affiliate of the National Education Association and the states largest teachers union, has steadfastly opposed full reopening of schools and also opposes renewal of state testing that would measure students academic outcomes over the last two years. Early budget projections showed the state is likely to have a flat budget next year. There is hereby appropriated to the State Board of Education from any monies not otherwise appropriated from the General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, the sum of One Billion Four Hundred Seventy-eight Million One Hundred Five Thousand Seven Hundred Dollars ($1,478,105,700.00) or so much thereof as may be necessary for the financial support of public schools. The measure would move the starting teacher pay to $39,601 from $36,601. Joshua Bleiberg, one of the paper's authors and a postdoctoral researcher studying school reform, told Vox, "There are so many different measures of teacher shortages, and there's no national standardized definition of what a teacher shortage is.". The Quality Counts 2021 report released earlier this year by Education Week showed that only four states had a lower share of 4th grade students reading at grade level than Oklahoma, based on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests that are administered in every state. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently proposed boosting starting salaries for teachers in her state to $50,000. It is clear that the pay raise legislation is intended to give districts the maximum flexibility in implementing pay raises. Pemberton said its up to the legislature to catch Oklahoma up. Can this be paid as a stipend/bonus? She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. offers matching funds to cover half of a pay raise for teachers, filed Senate Bill 482 to increase minimum salaries, House lawmakers were angry when Walters presented Hofmeister's budget request, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. neighboring states. Yes. The measure also passed the committee unanimously.. For support staff and paraprofessionals, its a little more complicated: Senate Bill 25 would give districts $1,200 per support staff member. Instead, he suggested the state spend $150 million to offer incentive pay raises for teachers who are highly rated based on their students' performance, classroom practices and time spent in professional development, such as achieving National Board Certification. This session, education support professionals must be a bigger part of our conversations about how to The association is not backing the merit plan. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a particularly grueling time for teachers. COVID appears to have increased the stress of an already stressful job. If Pembertons bills pass, he said it wouldnt prohibit the legislature from implementing more raises in the future. 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. Hofmeister is the Democratic nominee for governor and the top challenger to Stitt, a Republican, in the Nov. 8 general election. Stitt expresses 'strong disagreement' with Oklahoma AG over Catholic charter school, Former NFL star Chad Johnson says he saved money by living inside Cincinnati Bengals stadium for 2 years, Oklahoma's new Teacher of the Year celebrates by gifting her tuition waiver to aspiring nurse, Meet the 2023 Ms. Inside/Ms. In addition, all charter schools receive state-appropriated dollars through the funding formula. Lawmakers approved an average teacher pay raise of $6,100 in 2018 and added another $1,200 in 2019.
