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The State Board of Education has approved the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget request of $2.64 billion for common education, which includes an increase of $221 million over the FY 2017 budget. The increase maintains per-student funding to reflect Oklahoma’s student population growth, adding $56.7 million to the school funding formula and restoring funding for the Instructional Materials, Support of Public School Activities and Agency Support for Schools line items.
It also increases the amount devoted to the Flexible Benefits Allowance required by law to pay for teacher and support staff health insurance.
In order to begin implementation of House Bill 3114, which was passed last legislative session after a recommendation from OSDE’s Teacher Shortage Task Force, the agency has requested funding of $15 million for a pilot modeled after Iowa’s successful mentoring and instructional coaching program. This work has become even more crucial as more than 50,000 students this school year are being taught by emergency certified teachers across the state.