OFRG Opposes OEA's Initiative Petition

An official with Oklahomans for Responsible Government said today that the Oklahoma Education Association's (OEA) submission of petition signatures to the Secretary of State brings Oklahoma one step closer to catastrophic cuts in state services, school consolidation, and/or record tax increases.

OFRG joins American Federation of Teachers-Oklahoma, an affiliated international union of the AFL-CIO, who has pointed out the detrimental impact the OEA's initiative will have on the state, "If taxes were not increased to produce enough funds to reach the regional average, state services from Medicaid, roads and bridges, public safety, to state employees would suffer budget cuts. We oppose public employees losing jobs for this petition."

AFT-Oklahoma has voted to oppose the initiative petition. (AFT-Oklahoma website)

Oklahomans for Responsible Government (OFRG) and others want transparency of current dollars first. "Taxpayers should know how their money is currently being spent," said Brian Downs, Executive Director of OFRG. "The state has increased education dollars every year since 2003 and passed a lottery that has failed. Why should Oklahoma taxpayers buy-in to another scheme without review of how current dollars are used?"

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AFP Challenges OEA On School Money

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) today said throwing more money at Oklahoma schools is not the solution for education challenges faced by the state. The statement comes on the heels of an announcement by the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) that it would request an additional $850 million from taxpayers to increase per pupil spending.

“We believe that public school funding is either ‘too high’ or ‘about right’ just like the 64 percent of Oklahomans that responded to a recent Friedman Foundation survey,” said AFP Oklahoma Director Stuart Jolly. “Oklahoma schools have enough money. It’s just not being spent wisely.”

According to a recent AFP analysis, just 12 years ago Oklahoma’s entire state budget was $3.4 billion. Today, the education budget alone is $3.8 billion, meaning the state spends more today on Oklahoma’s education system than it did on all state programs just 12 years ago. “And what do Oklahoma students have to show for it?” Jolly asked. “The same grade they did 12 years ago – F.”

Meanwhile, education administrative costs in Oklahoma are three times the average amount for the region. In 2006, Oklahoma spent $753 per student while the average for the region was $242 per student. Oklahoma spends three times more on school administration than Arkansas ($215), Kansas ($258), or Texas ($252). Just 59.7 percent of education dollars are actually spent in the classroom. Putting $500 more per student back in the classroom – or $10,000 per classroom – is a first step toward addressing the state’s failing education system, AFP contends.

Since 1985, Oklahoma’s student population has grown by 7.1 percent, but the administration to take care of those students has grown by 46 percent! And the education budget during this same period has grown from $1.4 billion to $3.8 billion. And where does Oklahoma rank today nationally? The same place it did in 1985 – near the bottom.

AFP is calling for a larger percentage of education dollars to be spent in the classroom and for greater choice in education. When taxpayers and families have more choices, schools will improve.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to throw good money after bad,” Jolly concluded. “Our schools must spend the dollars we have entrusted to them wisely before they even think about asking for more. Ultimately, all families should have more choices when it comes to what schools their children go to.”

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Tad Jones Criticizes OEA Plan

The Oklahoma Education Association’s latest initiative would likely devastate vital government services and rural schools while draining the pocketbooks of hard-working Oklahomans during troubled economic times, a top budget leader warned today.

“The OEA’s proposed constitutional amendment would result in at least one of the following outcomes – a massive tax increase at a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, consolidation of schools, or devastating cuts to vital government services such as roads and law enforcement,” said Rep. Tad Jones, Claremore Republican who chairs the House Education Committee and is vice-chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

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Hickman: OEA Pushes 'Back-door' School Consolidation Plan For Second Time

The Oklahoma Education Association is renewing its push for “back-door consolidation” of rural schools, a state legislative leader warned today.

Rep. Jeff Hickman noted this is the second time in three years the Oklahoma Education Association has tried to force rural consolidation.

“The OEA keeps using the same old bait-and-switch: They say they want to help education but pursue strategies guaranteed to force the closing of rural schools,” said Hickman, R-Dacoma.

This year’s state appropriation for public schools was $2.53 billion – an increase and record amount in a session when most state agencies received no extra funding at all. Oklahoma schools are expected to also receive another $628.2 million in federal funds and around $1 billion more in local funding, he said.

In spite of that record support, the OEA plans to promote a proposed constitutional amendment mandating an increase in “per-pupil” funding they say would require an additional $850 million appropriation, according to the July 17 edition of The Oklahoman.

That plan would almost certainly force the closure of dozens of rural schools in an effort to reach the OEA’s arbitrary goal, Hickman noted. Many of those smaller, rural districts are at or near the top in the state in academic performance.

“The OEA’s plan would force the elimination of schools across the state to reduce overhead and boost per-pupil funding,” Hickman said. “Their plan would not provide any true benefit to students and would actually create serious hardships for families throughout Oklahoma. The OEA bosses in Oklahoma City may not think it’s a big deal for rural parents to have to drive children an hour or more to school, but I think most parents would disagree, especially in a time of $4 gas.”

This is the OEA’s second attempt to force school consolidation. In late 2005, the union filed a lawsuit on behalf of the super-wealthy Jenks and Western Heights school districts claiming they were underfunded, Hickman said. The OEA lawsuit was modeled after an Arkansas plan that forced the closure of 57 school districts in that state. If the OEA had been successful at forcing the Arkansas model on Oklahoma, up to 250 Oklahoma school districts could have faced closure thanks to the OEA’s back-door consolidation plan.

“You don’t improve education by closing schools – particularly some of our best-performing districts,” Hickman said, “It’s too bad the OEA doesn’t understand that.”

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