Oklahoma teachers’ walkout last year led to big funding gains, even more than in other states where teachers demonstrated.
Formula funding went up 19 percent, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Public school funding, however, is still below pre-recession levels when adjusted for inflation.
"Oklahoma is still close to $200 million below in formula funding compared to 2009, while our K through 12 enrollment has grown by over 50,000 students," said Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director David Blatt.
After teacher walkouts last year, formula funding increased 9 percent in Arizona and 3 in West Virginia and North Carolina. Center on Budget and Policy Priorities researcher Michael Leachman said no walkout state, however, based funding increases on sustainable revenue.
"Oklahoma enacted a revenue package that included hikes in taxes on cigarettes and gas, two forms of revenue that tend to grow more slowly than the regular growth in school costs over time," Leachman said.
State officials appear set to continue that trend.
"The governor of Oklahoma called for an additional teacher pay hike but offered no new revenue," Leachman said.
