A bill that would nullify a controversial settlement announced by Oklahoma’s State Board of Education and fix funding disparities between charter and traditional public schools with medical marijauna money, passed through the Oklahoma House of Representatives Thursday.
The measure is gaining popularity and has won praise from public and charter education advocates and now State Superintendent for Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister. By creating a new, state-dedicated funding source, schools will be able to rely on these dollars for many years to come as they plan for facility improvements benefiting students, Hofmeister said in a statement.
It works like this: if a school district - traditional public or brick and mortar charter - receives below a certain threshold of local property taxes, it will receive a block of money from medical marijuana taxes to equalize it with other districts. Since those funds are supposed to be for physical building purposes, that’s what the money
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The Redbud School Funding Act - Senate Bill 229 - would disburse medical marijuana funds to Oklahoma schools that receive the least local tax revenues. It is being cosponsored by Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow and will likely be heard by the House of Representatives this week.
If it had been in place this year, it would’ve led to $39 million going to schools for building-related improvements.
The measure works like this: if a school district receives below the state average of per student building fund dollars - from either local or state revenues - that district would receive a grant to make up for it.
Credit Oklahoma Watch
Several Tulsa-area school boards voted Monday to let their districts attorneys challenge the State Board of Education s decision to give charter schools an equal share of state funding.
The state board voted 4–3 last month to settle a lawsuit with the Oklahoma Public Charter School Association claiming charter schools are due an equal share of state revenues. The board s resolution would let charter schools receive funding from state gross production, motor vehicle and rural electrification association tax collections, state school land earnings and county tax collections. Those revenues currently go to only traditional public schools.
Tulsa Public Schools joined the 2017 lawsuit as an intervenor, and the TPS Board voted Monday to let the district s attorneys file claims against the state board.
No Charters Will Get Local Dollars : Bill Seeks To Reverse Charter School Settlement
Oklahoma State Lawmakers are taking aim at a settlement between the State School Board and public charter schools, shifting millions in school funding.
The agreement narrowly passed last month. Tuesday, lawmakers in the House Common Education Committee unanimously advanced a bill to undo it.
That lawsuit argued tax revue for schools should be shared equitably with charter schools. In committee, lawmakers began the process to pump the breaks, saying charter schools should not
receive local tax dollars.
State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister was outspoken against the settlement announced last month.
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More than 100 superintendents and school boards around the state are concerned about a recent move by Oklahoma’s State Board of Education to equalize funding of charter and traditional public schools.
Additionally, state lawmakers are exploring a measure to nullify the state board’s decision that would also provide some other funding for brick and mortar charter schools.
Shawnee Public Schools passed a motion to explore joining litigation efforts against the State Board of Education Monday night.
“Our board has interest in and moving forward in whatever manner to try to protect the taxpayer dollars that are paid into property taxes and the ad valorem building fund for our students,” Shawnee superintendent April Grace said.