Education Board Asks For Supplemental Funding

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The state Board of Education will ask lawmakers for supplemental funding to fully fund state-mandated teacher pay raises. <br/><br/>The board voted Tuesday to ask lawmakers for $58.3

Wednesday, December 20th 2006, 9:36 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The state Board of Education will ask lawmakers for supplemental funding to fully fund state-mandated teacher pay raises.

The board voted Tuesday to ask lawmakers for $58.3 million to pay for payroll costs related to the raises, including increased unemployment and Social Security costs.

State Education Department officials estimated in July that school districts would have to bridge a $21.7 million funding gap caused when legislators agreed to the $3,000-per-teacher raises, but didn't fund these associated costs.

The gap more than doubled after final teacher and enrollment counts were finished in October, said Shelly Hickman, spokeswoman for the state Education Department.

If approved, the supplemental funding would be used to help districts offset those fixed costs, which will exceed $400 a teacher per year.