Ed Funding Bill Up For Consideration
Revised education funding bill presented in Oklahoma Legislature
by Randy Ellis
Legislative conferees are being asked to sign off on a revised measure that would gradually increase state education funding until schools receive an extra $600 million a year.
Under revisions to House Bill 2642 contained in a conference committee report, funding for Oklahoma’s public schools would increase by $30 million in years when the state Board of Equalization projects the state will receive a 1 percent increase in General Fund revenues. Under the bill, schools funding would increase by $60 million in years when the state is projected to receive a 2 percent increase in General Fund revenues, said state Rep. Lee Denney, R-Cushing, the House author of the bill.
Schools would be required to add an extra classroom day to the school year for every extra $60 million that schools receive until the maximum $600 million level of extra funding is received, she said.