Education in Danger in Frank Keating's Oklahoma, Schools Ignored in Governor's Final Session Push

Governor Keating's failure to address the current funding needs of Oklahoma public schools will only exacerbate an ongoing budget crisis in common education, according to the leader of the Oklahoma Senate.

"We have schools that are cramming kids into overcrowded classrooms and onto rickety, old schools buses because they can barely make ends meet under their current budget. Instead of trying to address the needs we have, Governor Keating is pushing unfunded mandates like his 4x4 program that will only make the situation worse," said Senate President Pro Tem Stratton Taylor.

Because Oklahoma is facing a tight budget year, only $29 million in new money is available to divide among the three branches of public education, which represents a budget increase of approximately one-percent. According to State Department of Education, common education alone needs an additional $53 million just to cover the costs of new students who have entered the public school system in recent years.

Despite those school needs, Governor Keating has offered no funding initiative to address the cost of new students. Instead, he is pushing unfunded mandates like his 4x4 curriculum proposal that will cost even more money to implement.

Oklahoma's public schools need additional funding just to meet current needs and can't afford a wave of unfunded mandates, according to Senator Taylor. He pointed to several examples illustrating the funding crunch schools are facing.

• Freedom schools have been forced to combine their first and second grade class because of tight funding and have discontinued advanced placement classes because they couldn't afford textbooks or lab equipment;
  
  
• Okmulgee schools are using parent volunteers as substitute teachers and are buying old, used textbooks rather than new ones. They have also instituted a "No Pay, No Play" policy for all student sports, requiring students to foot the bill if they want to participate in athletics;
  
  
• Purcell schools have fired support personnel and cut the high school's drug education counselor to just 2 days a week;
  
  
• Millwood schools have cut personnel, gone without instructional supplies and increased class sizes;
  
  
• Morrison schools haven't updated science labs for more than 10 years and are using 1984 model school buses to transport children;
  
  
• Kiefer schools have cut one teacher and are relying on outdated textbooks to instruct students.

"How can schools implement a 4x4 curriculum if they can't even buy new textbooks and equipment to teach the students they have? How are they going to hire new math and science teachers if they're already cutting instructors and support personnel just to balance their budget? How are they going to pick up the tab for the Governor's education program and still maintain their school buses so they can transport students safely to and from school?" asked Senator Taylor.

"Governor Keating keeps trying to pile more and more expenses on those schools without any concern for the current funding challenges they're facing in the classroom."

The legislator pointed out that while education spending has increased during the Governor's administration, it's share of the overall state budget has declined significantly, falling from 56 percent in 1995 to just 50 percent in 1999. As a result, Oklahoma has plummeted to 50th in national rankings on per pupil spending.

"We've dropped to 50th and Governor Keating is talking about new mandates for our schools, but no significant new money. At some point, something has to give. We can't continue to do education on the cheap in Oklahoma and expect to be a prosperous state in the future," said Senator Taylor.

For Oklahoma to reach the regional average in per pupil funding, common education would need an additional $450 million. For the state to reach the national average, it would take a $1 billion budget increase.

"The numbers are working against us and they continue to get worse every year. In Frank Keating's Oklahoma, I guess it's okay for us to be at the bottom of the barrel in education, but for those people who want a bright future for our state, it's completely unacceptable," said Senator Taylor.