Did Oklahoma teachers get a pay raise?

ABBEY STATE BOARD MEMBERS UNANIMOUSLY AGREEING MORE NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR TEACHERS. BUT THE FINAL SAY BELONGS TO LAWMAKERS WHEN IT COMES TO INCREASING WAGES. WE HAVE TO INVEST IN PEOPLE SO THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO LEARN AND TO BE ABLE TO THEN GROW OUR ECONOMY. SO THIS IS ABOUT A EDUCATED, HEALTHY WORKFORCE, AND IT STARTS WITH EDUCATION AND TEACHERS. STATE SUPERINTENDENT JOY HOFMEISTER, ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, ARGUE THIS RAISE IS NEEDED TO KEEP AND ATTRACT TEACHERS TO OKLAHOMA. AVERAGE PAY IN OKLAHOMA CURRENTLY TRAILS AVERAGE PAY IN STATES IN OUR REGION COLORADO, TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. SO WE’VE GOT TO KEEP PACE WITH MARKET AND THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN THAT. AND IT IS NOT ONE AND DONE. CENTER ADAM HUGH CHAIRMAN OF THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE SAYS THE SENATE IS CONSISTENTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OUTCOMES. QUOTE, DURING THE INTERIM PRO TEM TREAT MEMBERS OF HIS STAFF AND I HAVE MET ROUTINELY WITH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS FROM ACROSS THE STATE TO LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS AND FIND WAYS THE LEGISLATURE CAN HELP THEM MEET THESE GOALS. WE WILL REVIEW THESE REQUESTS FROM OSD AND WE’LL GO THROUGH THE BUDGETING PROCESS AS IT ALWAYS DOES. GOVERNOR SITS OFFICE NOT WEIGHING IN ON THIS SPECIFIC PAY RAISE, BUT ALSO SAYING HE SUPPORTS PAYING TEACHERS MORE, TELLING KOCO 5 EARLIER THIS WEEK, QUOTE, GOVERNOR STITT HAS BEEN A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR GETTING OKLAHOMA TEACHERS TO BE THE HIGHEST PAID IN THE REGION AND LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING THAT EFFORT WITH THE NEXT STATE. SUPERINTENDENT. AND LAWMAKERS WON’T MEET AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR SESSION ON THIS TOPIC THIS COMING FEBRUARY THREE. RE

The Oklahoma Board of Education voted to give teachers a $5,000 pay raise as part of its proposed $3.5 billion education budget for 2024.| MORE | Hofmeister says Oklahoma teachers should get $5,000 pay raise to stay competitiveBoard members voted unanimously and agreed that more needs to be done for teachers. But lawmakers are the ones who have the last say on increasing wages. "We have to invest in people so that our children have what they need in order to learn and to be able to grow our economy," State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said. "So, this is about a healthy and educated workforce, and it starts with teachers."Hofmeister and the Oklahoma State Department of Education argue the raise is needed to keep and attract teachers to Oklahoma. The average pay in the Sooner State trails the average pay in states in the region – Colorado, Texas and New Mexico."We've got to keep pace with the market, and this is an important step in that. And it's not one and done," Hofmeister said.State Sen. Adam Pugh, who is the chairman of the education committee, told KOCO 5 that the Senate is consistently looking for ways to improve education outcomes. "During the interim, Pro Tem (Greg) Treat, members of his staff and I have met routinely with teachers and administrators from across the state to listen to their concerns and find ways the legislature can help them meet those goals," said Pugh, R-Edmond. "We will review the request from OSDE, and it will go through the budgeting process, as it always does."| MORE | Oklahoma State Department of Education to propose $5,000 pay raise for teachersGov. Kevin Stitt's office has not weighed in on this specific pay raise but said he supports paying teachers more."Gov. Stitt has been a tireless advocate for getting Oklahoma teachers to be the highest paid in the region and looks forward to continuing that effort with the next state superintendent," Carly Atchison, communications director for Stitt's office, told KOCO 5 in a statement earlier in the week.Lawmakers won't meet for the next regular session until February.

OKLAHOMA CITY —

The Oklahoma Board of Education voted to give teachers a $5,000 pay raise as part of its proposed $3.5 billion education budget for 2024.

| MORE | Hofmeister says Oklahoma teachers should get $5,000 pay raise to stay competitive

Board members voted unanimously and agreed that more needs to be done for teachers. But lawmakers are the ones who have the last say on increasing wages.

"We have to invest in people so that our children have what they need in order to learn and to be able to grow our economy," State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister said. "So, this is about a healthy and educated workforce, and it starts with teachers."

Hofmeister and the Oklahoma State Department of Education argue the raise is needed to keep and attract teachers to Oklahoma. The average pay in the Sooner State trails the average pay in states in the region – Colorado, Texas and New Mexico.

"We've got to keep pace with the market, and this is an important step in that. And it's not one and done," Hofmeister said.

State Sen. Adam Pugh, who is the chairman of the education committee, told KOCO 5 that the Senate is consistently looking for ways to improve education outcomes.

"During the interim, Pro Tem (Greg) Treat, members of his staff and I have met routinely with teachers and administrators from across the state to listen to their concerns and find ways the legislature can help them meet those goals," said Pugh, R-Edmond. "We will review the request from OSDE, and it will go through the budgeting process, as it always does."

| MORE | Oklahoma State Department of Education to propose $5,000 pay raise for teachers

Gov. Kevin Stitt's office has not weighed in on this specific pay raise but said he supports paying teachers more.

"Gov. Stitt has been a tireless advocate for getting Oklahoma teachers to be the highest paid in the region and looks forward to continuing that effort with the next state superintendent," Carly Atchison, communications director for Stitt's office, told KOCO 5 in a statement earlier in the week.

Lawmakers won't meet for the next regular session until February.

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