A program state leaders pitched as a way to dramatically increase high-performing teachers’ income has paid out only 1% of its $22 million total because of limited interest from school districts.
State schools Superintendent Ryan Walters told lawmakers this week 12 districts, out of more than 500 in the state, have applied for the program.
He said schools have used only $255,000 of the $22 million allocated for the Teacher Empowerment Fund.
Starting in 2023, the empowerment fund allows school districts to raise salaries by $3,000 to $40,000 for educators they designate as advanced, lead or master teachers.
However, the district must pay half of the raise.
Schools have broad flexibility to define what advanced, lead and master means and which teachers would qualify. The criteria must involve some form of teacher observation, out-of-classroom professional development and student performance.
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Cost of giving teachers raises has many Oklahoma school systems hesitant to apply
Walters said school districts have been hesitant to apply for the program because it requires them to match the state funds paid toward each teacher’s bonus. Districts can choose no more than 10% of their teachers for the empowerment program, which Walters said has been more limiting for small school systems.
The program has “incredible potential” to reward successful teachers and keep them in the classroom, Walters said Thursday during a budget hearing at the state Capitol.
Senate lawmakers voiced frustrations at Thursday’s hearing that so few schools have taken advantage of the money available.
The leader of the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Adam Pugh, said he intends to file legislation to remove the requirement that districts match state funds.
“I’m frustrated on that one,” said Pugh, R-Edmond. “That’s a lot of money sitting in a fund that could be going out the door — should already be out the door to teachers.”
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The program was developed in 2022. Walters and Gov. Kevin Stitt hailed the idea as a way to pay teachers six-figure salaries.
However, some school leaders said they doubted they would have extra room in their budgets to cover half of the raises.
‘I’m tired of all the excuses’
When the concept was first introduced, Democratic lawmakers complained the state was asking school districts to pay more in teacher salaries without raising education funding overall.
This fiscal year, the Legislature boosted public school funding by $625 million, including $286 million to raise salaries for all teachers in the state.
The money supporting the Teacher Empowerment Fund comes from excess lottery revenues. The excess reached $22 million in the program’s first year.
“I’m sick and tired of the excuses, frankly,” Pugh said. “I’ve had teachers reach out to me across the political spectrum — teachers I know are very to the left and teachers that are very to the right — and they’re frustrated their district isn’t applying for this program because they think they’re working very hard at their school site, and they’re not being rewarded for it.”
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