Boren statement on subcommittee hearing: Additional requests in education budgets reflect growth in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, issued the following statement after Wednesday’s Appropriations Subcommittee on Education meeting where education agencies discussed their budgets with members. Every agency initially requested additional resources for Fiscal Year 2025 to meet increased demand. No agency had requested a flat budget prior to Wednesday’s meeting. The meeting gave those agencies an opportunity to amend their budget request. Only one, the Commissioners of the Land Office, changed their request to a flat budget, and the Department of Education significantly reduced the amount of additional funds they were seeking.

“Our state continues to actively recruit new businesses, employees, and their families to relocate to Oklahoma.  We’re also working to address workforce shortages by increasing the numbers of higher education and CareerTech graduates, and spurring entrepreneurship in STEM businesses.

“We need more skilled workers, and yet CareerTech has 7,399 on the waiting list. This is an unmet demand that requires additional investment. Last year, OCAST was only able to fund 20 of 60 grant requests to grow innovative STEM businesses in Oklahoma. That’s 40 missed opportunities for innovation, job development and business growth.

“Flat budgets mean we are defunding growth. A business facing an uptick in demand would seize that opportunity by investing more, knowing that investment would pay dividends for years to come. More residents and more students result in increased demand, which is in our state’s best interest to meet. 

“Funding education is not growing government – we’re growing Oklahomans, helping citizens and our state become more prosperous.” – Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman.

To listen to the subcommittee meeting, go to https://oksenate.gov/live-proceedings, click “view our live senate sessions,” and select “new recordings” for the Feb. 14 Education Subcommittee meeting.

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Mary Boren at 405-521-5553 or Mary.Boren@oksenate.gov