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Schools Could Drop State Insurance, Retirement, And Set Pay Minimums Under Jolley Bill

Alicia Priest is president of the Oklahoma Education Association based in Oklahoma City.
Brent Fuchs
/
The Journal Record
Alicia Priest is president of the Oklahoma Education Association based in Oklahoma City.

Proposed changes to state law meant to give more financial control to school districts could make it harder to hire teachers.

Senate Bill 1187 by state Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, would let school districts opt out of the state-funded health insurance coverage, the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System, and the minimum salary schedule.

Ryan Owens of the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration told The Journal Record’s Brian Brus the state’s HealthChoice High plan is worth $6,000 a year to a single teacher, or $17,000 for someone with a partner and a child.

Given that Oklahoma regularly ranks near the bottom of the list of states in teacher pay rates – the Oklahoma City district offers a starting salary of $33,000, for example, while Dallas pays $50,000 – SB 1187 would serve as a warning sign for educators to work elsewhere. “If you have ability to deny to your teachers and other employees a benefit that has been guaranteed by state law, a benefit upon which they depend greatly, it’s very dangerous,” he said.

The Oklahoma Education Association also said the bill would raises costs for the state, because if districts drop out, insurers would have to spread risk among fewer people.

From Brus:

Owens said he could support some of Jolley’s intent, as outlined in the bill, “to empower locally elected school board members to govern school districts and make decisions based on the needs of their students and circumstances.” “We don’t do much that’s right by teachers in Oklahoma,” Owens said. “But at least giving them the dignity of retirement and a little bit of health insurance while they work is something we do well. This bill will allow schools to get out of that.” “I’m a huge proponent of local control,” he said. “But at the same time, when we’ve got a teacher shortage as massive as it is, we can’t do something like this that sends a message that we don’t take seriously their commitment to our kids,” he said.

The bill passed the Senate and is pending in the House Appropriations and Budget Committee.

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