Education Department to ask lawmakers for additional money

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma educators are requesting nearly $238 million more to fund common education during the next school year. <br/><br/>The state Board of Education last week voted to ask the Legislature

Monday, October 4th 2004, 6:18 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma educators are requesting nearly $238 million more to fund common education during the next school year.

The state Board of Education last week voted to ask the Legislature for the additional money.

The state board is seeking about $300 million more in common education appropriations for this school year, but is expected to receive only $56 million of that request by year's end.

Some of the increased funds would be used to develop a student information system and to expand full-day kindergarten statewide.

The new computerized system to track students and help districts better report data to state and federal governments will cost about $2.5 million next year.

The system will require equipment upgrades and the hiring of people to monitor the system.

State schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett said almost $140 million of the request was for teacher pay. The board wanted to increase pay to the regional average in one year's time. But, by law, the Legislature is expected to increase teacher salaries over a four-year period starting next fall.