OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 7, 2016)
— In the wake of a revenue failure affecting all of Oklahoma state
government, the State Board of Education today approved a required 3-percent
reduction in a $46.7 million funding cut for preK-12 public education. The reduction
impacts the remaining six months of Fiscal Year 2016, which ends June 30.
“There is no denying that this cut poses serious
challenges for school districts during a time in which every dollar already is
precious, and not all districts will be affected the same way. But the State
Board of Education and Oklahoma State Department of Education have addressed
the required cuts as fairly and judiciously as possible, while attempting to
minimize student impact,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy
Hofmeister.
While the cuts are certain to have a significant
effect on Oklahoma’s 550-plus school districts (a figure that includes charters
and co-ops), Hofmeister and her fellow board members were able to soften the
blow by transferring $4.6 million from the Public School Activities
appropriation to the State Aid Funding Formula that provides the bulk of money
to school districts.
Each line item in School Activities took a
minimum 3-percent cut, which includes such programs as alternative education,
Teach for America, the early childhood initiative, Sooner Start and the
Oklahoma Arts Institute. Four line items are contributing well above 3 percent to
cushion a hit on the funding formula. In addition to the transferal, the board
approved a $3.9 million cut in the School Activities appropriation.
After the transferal, the funding formula — also
known as Financial Support for Public Schools — takes a $25 million funding
cut.
Flexible Benefits Allowance funding to districts
will be lessened by $12.4 million, a 3-percent cut.
The cuts will be reflected in the next six
monthly payments to school districts.
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