Pro Tem Treat Calls on House Speaker to Stop Playing Games with Education Plan

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, is calling on House Speaker Charles McCall to end the political games and rhetoric surrounding the Senate and House education plans.

In the Senate education plan, pay raises would be extended to all teachers, even if they are off the state funding formula or are being paid above the minimum salary schedule.  

The Senate education plan provides for a larger pay raise for all teachers than the House plan by investing formula dollars in the salary schedule.

Today’s response comes after Speaker McCall wrote an op-ed attacking Republican Senators in their individual districts, spreading misinformation about the Senate education plan. Just today, he released inaccurate information on the Senate’s teacher pay raise, further escalating matters.

Pro Tem Treat said the speaker’s latest misinformation is further galvanizing Senate Republicans and is doing nothing to improve public education.

“If Speaker McCall wants to hide behind staff-drafted op-eds and not negotiate in good faith, or even bring up his objections to the Senate’s education plan in meetings we have together, I have no choice but to respond in-kind,” Pro Tem Treat said. “The speaker is operating in a fantasy land. For him to continue to spread misinformation is disingenuous at best. Speaker McCall’s insecurities about the House plan are plain to see. He knows the Senate plan is better, he knew our chamber took a more thoughtful approach and he refuses to operate in transparency. Bullying members of my caucus and my Senate colleagues will not be tolerated.  

“His ‘my way or no way’ approach is not how this building operates. The Speaker seems to be intent on torpedoing meaningful education reform, teacher pay raises and more choice for parents again this year. It is unfortunate and I hope he comes to his senses.”

Under the Senate plan, every teacher in Oklahoma would receive raises of $3,000 (for 0-4 years of service), $4,000 (for 5-9 years of service), $5,000 (for 10-14 years of service) and $6,000 (for 15+ years of service). The Senate plan also includes merit pay for teachers who deserve to be rewarded by high classroom performance.

The House plan includes an across the board $2,500 pay raise for classroom teachers only. The House plan leaves out pay raises for certified personnel and does not include mental health counselors, reading coaches and specialists, nor other instructional support staff necessary for effective classroom learning.  The Senate plan also provides raises for educators from Office of Juvenile Affairs, the Department of Corrections and Career Tech.

“The House has operated in complete darkness, choosing to fire off press releases and deceitful op-eds instead of standing with the Senate and leading with us,” said Senate Education Chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond. “The Senate has taken weeks to listen to the input of our caucus, months to meet with school leaders, teachers, and parents in a manner that would be sure to benefit all Oklahomans and not segregate children based on zip codes.

“To the military kids across our state, who will almost entirely be cut out of the House plan, to parents of special needs kids, and to our most vulnerable kids and economically disadvantaged students, the Senate will not trade political favors to the detriment of the resources needed by your teachers and in your classrooms. Regardless of where you live or what part of the state you call home, we will ensure funding flows directly into your classroom and not to the bureaucracy of buildings and administration.”

Additional Education Measures that Came out of the Senate include:

• Over $700 million for Education 
• The Senate is proposing the single largest appropriations increase to education in history with the amendments and passage of HB 1935 and HB 2775.
• Senate amendments to House Bill 1935 will give parents additional options and control over their children’s education by providing a $100 million investment in school choice. This bill provides a $7,500 tax credit per eligible student each tax year if the eligible student attends a private school and the family has an income of less than $250,000. The bill also provides for a $1,000 tax credit per family, for certain qualified expenditures, each tax year if one or more eligible students is homeschooled. Valid receipts must be provided to OTC to receive the $1,000 tax credit.
• Senate amendments to House Bill 2775 appropriates $500,000,000 to the State Board of Education for the purpose of providing Oklahoma teachers a pay raise as well as substantially increasing the State Aid Formula.
• Senate amendments to House Bill 2775 will also appropriate $30 million for the creation of the Rewarding Excellent Educators Grant Program. This program will provide grant funds to school districts to implement qualitative bonus pay plans for eligible teachers and eligible support employees.

Other Senate education measures sent to the House include: 

• $16.5 million for eight weeks of paid maternity leave for teachers who become new mothers;
• $41 million for the Oklahoma Teacher Corps Program which will aid schools by paying for tuition and fees for students who agree to teach for four years in a Title I School;
• $1.6 million for a teacher mentorship program, providing mentor teachers with a $500 annual stipend;
• A pilot program to provide on-site childcare services to specific districts, contracted childcare to the district, or to provide stipends to employees to help cover childcare costs;
• $20 million for school safety and security. Schools will be able to undergo a risk and vulnerability assessment to enable schools to have the best plan in place to protect their children; and
• $1.5M of additional funding to school districts dedicated to pay for additional certifications and credentials for teachers.

###

Media Contact

Alex Gerszewski, Communications Director

alex.gerszewski@oksenate.gov

Office | (405) 521-5780

Cell | (580) 541-4800