Teacher pay plan passes state House

(Oklahoma City-AP) â€“ Governor Brad Henry's proposal to raise teacher pay is heading to his desk for his signature.<br/><br/>The bill to raise teacher pay in Oklahoma to the regional average over

Thursday, May 27th 2004, 5:22 pm

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) â€“ Governor Brad Henry's proposal to raise teacher pay is heading to his desk for his signature.

The bill to raise teacher pay in Oklahoma to the regional average over a five-year period passed the House on a 97-to-1 vote Thursday. Representative Mike O'Neal of Enid cast the only vote against the measure.

The average teacher pay in Oklahoma is just under $35,000 a year, about $3,500 a year below the regional average.

The raises in Oklahoma are to be phased in beginning in 2005. The raises will range from 300-dollars a year for a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree to $1,800 a year for a teacher with 25-years experience and a doctorate.