teacher pay

Oklahoma lawmakers are working to plug a shortage of teachers and recruits in the state’s National Guard. Legislators are making efforts to deal with both shortages simultaneously.

Oklahoma Senate education leadership debuted a list of priorities ahead of the start of the legislative session next week.

Education stakeholders gathered at Magic City Books in Tulsa Tuesday evening to launch a grassroots policy initiative to reform Oklahoma schools.

Tulsa is set to offer new teachers extra cash.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics discuss the chairman of the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board refusing to sign a contract to create a Catholic charter school, an announcement by State Superintendent Ryan Walters that he has paid $7.5M in signing bonuses to teachers and another resignation from the State Board of Education.

Signing bonuses of as much as $50,000 are what Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters said is needed to attract new and retired teachers to the classroom. That’s also what makes his new bonus plan a risky policy.

StateImpact’s Logan Layden sat down with education reporter Beth Wallis for a breakdown of what education measures Oklahomans are going to get for their money after a contentious 2023 legislative session.

After a months-long standoff, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and legislative leaders are celebrating a deal on this year’s education budget worth $625 million in recurring funds and $160 million in one-time funds.

The Oklahoma legislature has been deadlocked for weeks as it hashes out a plan for education funding. StateImpact’s Beth Wallis sat down with The Oklahoman’s education reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel to talk about the events at the Capitol that led up to this moment.

This Week in Oklahoma Politics discuss State Superintendent Ryan Walters finally testifying before lawmakers during a House Appropriations & Budget Committee, the House passing a tax credit voucher bill for private and home school families while rejecting a teacher pay raise, and more.