Gov. Stitt calls for compromise, proposes plan to break education reform stalemate

Can Governor Stitt find a middle ground for House Speaker McCall and Senate Pro Tem Treat to come to? He's giving it his best shot. We'll see how it goes.

GOVERNOR STITT CALLS FOR COMPROMISE, PROPOSES THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATION AND PARENTAL CHOICE PLAN

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt today unveiled his proposed education reform compromise, the Oklahoma Education and Parental Choice Plan, after weeks of meetings with House and Senate leadership, Speaker Charles McCall, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, and members of both chambers.

"After months of negotiations and meetings with both the House and the Senate, I am proud to present this plan and believe it is the best path forward to get education reform done this year," said Governor Stitt. "Oklahomans elected us as leaders to come together and get something done to improve education for every student in the state of Oklahoma and provide parents options. This plan does just that. I am calling on the House and Senate to come together and get this across the finish line. Parents can’t wait another year for real reform. Let’s take another step forward to fund students, not just systems in Oklahoma.”

Governor Stitt’s Education and Parental Choice Plan calls for investing a total of $800 million in education, allocated in three main parts:

• $300 million to the Oklahoma Student Fund;
• $300 million into the funding formula, including Senator Adam Pugh’s Teacher Pay Raise plan, and;
• $200 million for the Oklahoma Parental Choice tax credit model for parents to send their child to a school that best fits their unique needs.*

The Oklahoma Student Fund would be available to every school district in the state. Each district will receive up to $2 million to improve their local schools as they see fit.

Senator Pugh’s Teacher Pay Raise plan includes a raise for teachers beginning at $2,000 and up to $5,000. The plan also incorporates new, improved weights for individual students to better ensure dollars are on target to provide the best education possible.

The Oklahoma Parental Choice tax credit model would be $5,000 per student*, prioritizing households earning under $250,000 annually, with a cap of $200 million total spend for Year One. The amount available would be increased to $6,000 per student with a cap of $200 million total spend for Year Two. Starting in Year Three, the amount available would increase to $6,500 per student, with no income cap and no cap on total spend.

*BLOGGER'S NOTE: in response to my questioning whether the governor's proposal includes homeschool students, spokeswoman Carly Atchison said, "The tax credit would be applicable for any school, private, charter, homeschool. Only stipulation there is for homeschool the credit is $1,000 per student."