OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Janet Barresi is calling for $2,000 raises for the state's teachers.
Barresi told a group of administrators and school board members Saturday that the raises could be funded through surplus funds without increasing state appropriations.
Barresi says the raise would make Oklahoma teacher pay more competitive with the salaries offered in neighboring states. She says the increases could be funded from the Oklahoma schools' carryover money, which now totals more than $700 million.
Barresi, who's a Republican, is running for re-election next year as Oklahoma's schools superintendent. Fellow Republican Joy Hofmeister has announced plans to run against Barresi.