Could $40.2M Returned To OK Dept. Of Education Bring Back Lost Teaching Jobs?

The Oklahoma Department of Education is getting more than $40 million back; that’s its share of the state’s $140 million state budget surplus.

Oklahoma City Public Schools says the extra money will help cushion the blow for future cuts and will mostly likely not be used to re-hire teachers that have been laid off.

“To be able to bring on teachers, we don’t think that will last very long because there could be another revenue failure in the future,” said OKCPS Spokesman Mark Myers, about the one time funding source.

Of the $40.2 million, only $25 million actually goes to the schools. That comes out to about 1% of the totaled allocated to Oklahoma Schools every year.

School districts are expected to learn how much they’ll be getting based on a formula.

Each will be able to decided how the money will be spend.