The State Department of Education will ask Oklahoma lawmakers for almost $3.3 billion next fiscal year.
The State Board of Education signed off on the department’s request, which represents a $220 million, or 7%, increase over last year.
SDE Deputy Chief of Staff Carolyn Thompson said everyone is well aware of how strapped for cash the state has been.
"We are not directed to request a budget that neatly fits into our economic status as a state. We are directed to request a budget that presents the needs of districts," Thompson said.
The budget request reflects what State Superintendent Joy Hofmesiter said are SDE's top priorities: an additional $118 million for the state funding formula to hire more teachers and reduce class sizes, and $19 million to hire more than 300 counselors.
"We’ve got to keep those teachers. In order to keep them, we need counselors. Because they have children that have great need, and they need the support to come alongside and help support them in classroom management, in coaching them on this piece as well," Hofmeister said.
Oklahoma has the highest incidence of childhood trauma in the country, including family violence, substance abuse and other challenges that adversely impact learning.
Oklahoma currently has a counselor-to-student ratio of 421 to one. A national counseling organization recommends 250 to one.
Thompson said lawmakers haven’t returned the funding formula to its pre-recession level despite a $200 million bump this year.
"There’ve been some ups and downs, mostly downs, over the last 10-plus years, and so the budget proposes the amount needed to return to where we were at in 2009," Thompson said.
Anticipated increases for employee benefits are covered in the budget.
The budget request would also put additional funding into alternative education to help increase high school graduation rates, an early childhood intervention program for kids with developmental delays and developing a digital transcript.
While education officials will present their request to lawmakers, the exact amount they're appropriated depends on what the State Board of Equalization says is available for the state to spend next year. Hofmeister expects the agency will have to work with lawmakers once that figure is set.
