Teachers' union report ranks Oklahoma 50th in teacher pay

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma ranks next to last in the nation for teacher pay, according to a report released by higher education regents. <br><br>Despite a $3,000 pay hike two years ago, the average

Friday, April 5th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma ranks next to last in the nation for teacher pay, according to a report released by higher education regents.

Despite a $3,000 pay hike two years ago, the average salary of an Oklahoma public school teacher ranks 50th among the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, said the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Only South Dakota ranked lower than Oklahoma.

The rankings were compiled by the American Federation of Teachers, AFL CIO, which ranks wages in the 50 states and D.C., said Cindy Ross, executive vice chancellor of academic affairs for the state regents.

The state was ranked 48th in 1998 and 49th in 1999. Other studies have ranked Oklahoma equally low in teachers' salaries.

``You have to look at the big picture when you talk about teacher wages in Oklahoma,'' Ross said. ``When you say wages are low you also have to ask `Why do only 68 percent of the students who complete a teacher education program go into teaching? Where is the other 32 percent and why aren't they in the classroom?'''

The average teacher's salary in Oklahoma is $29,525, only $453 above South Dakota's average. The national average for teacher wages is $41,820 a year.

The average wage in the neighboring states of Arkansas and Texas is $33,691 and $37,567, respectively.

Oklahoma Education Association president Carolyn Crowder said many Oklahoma teachers are lured out of state for higher paying jobs.

``You could say we're a teacher donor state for Texas and other neighboring states,'' Crowder said.

Crowder said much of the teacher pay raises two years ago was ``consumed by rising health insurance costs.''

The OEA is lobbying the legislature to pay 58 percent of a teacher's health care costs, which would double the current 29 percent covered by state funds, she said.

State regents also released a report Thursday on the supply and demand of teachers within the state. The regents' report seems to debunk the theory that Oklahoma has a shortage of math teachers.

The 2002 study reveals the state is graduating sufficient numbers of math teachers; however, a significant number of such graduates are apparently being lured away to the private sector or other states by higher wages, the report said.

Lawmakers have approved a loan forgiveness program to encourage new teachers to become math and science instructors.

In other business, state regents accepted the annual student remediation report, which showed the number of Oklahoma college students enrolled in remedial courses is down .2 percent

The report shows 37 percent of state college students, or 35,378 students, were enrolled in one or two remedial courses at one of 25 public college campuses for the 2000-2001 school year.