With Oklahoma's state budget facing billions of dollars in shortfalls over the next two years, education cuts are likely.
Governor Kevin Stitt said Monday that if the state's education system is held harmless, it will exacerbate cuts for other agencies statewide. So, lawmakers will have to yet again look at slashing education budgets.
Cuts have long plagued the state's education system, which still hasn't returned to pre-2008 recession funding.
Oklahoma's higher education system is one of only five state systems that has seen a decreasing state budget appropriation in the last decade. And the state's K-12 education system has been similarly impacted, leading to a massive teacher shortage and other issues.
The state is guaranteed hundreds of millions in federal funds for coronavirus relief from the CARES Act, though it won't be enough to offset major losses.
