money With teacher pay raises on the way, how does Oklahoma compare to other states?
A major education funding package announced Monday would narrow the gap between Oklahoma and average teacher salaries in other states.
However, Oklahoma isn't likely to leapfrog any of its neighbors, based on initial projections. Unless Arkansas passes the Sooner State with its own teacher pay raise package, Oklahoma is expected to remain fourth in teacher compensation in its seven-state region.
Oklahoma lawmakers announced a $625 million recurring investment in the state's K-12 education system, and $286 million of that package will raise salaries by $3,000 to $6,000, depending on years of experience, for all certified staff working in public schools.
That averages out to a $4,766 raise for the 50,000 certified educators working in Oklahoma schools, according to the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.
That includes not only teachers, but all certified employees, such as school counselors and librarians, but the $4,766 raise is comparable to the increase for classroom teachers alone, said Shawn Hime, OSSBA executive director.
With that figure in mind, Oklahoma's average teacher compensation would grow to $60,307.
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How do other states compare to Oklahoma's teacher pay?
Last year, New Mexico took the No. 1 spot among all Oklahoma's bordering states when it passed a significant teacher pay raise package. The average teacher salary in the Land of Enchantment is now $63,580, according to the OSSBA.
Colorado is in second with an average teacher pay of $61,907.
With an average of $60,716, Texas would maintain a narrow edge over Oklahoma's $60,307.
Even without surpassing its neighbors, Oklahoma would increase the distance to the states already behind it.
Kansas and Missouri trail at $54,810 and $54,029, respectively.
Arkansas, though, is a wild card.
Its previous average was last in the region, $53,317, but the state agreed this year to raise its minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders also signed into law a $2,000 raise for teachers already above the $50,000 minimum.
The new legislation marked a significant reset for Arkansas' teacher pay schedule, and the resulting average salary is still unclear, as school districts grapple with the payroll implications before next school year.
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How will Oklahoma's teacher pay raises work?
Rather than a flat, across-the-board raise, Oklahoma lawmakers chose a set of increases that become higher with longer tenure.
$3,000 for educators with zero to four years of experience
$4,000 for educators with five to nine years of experience
$5,000 for educators with 10 to 15 years of experience
$6,000 for educators with 15 years or more of experience
State Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, was the first to suggest this structure.
"We hear you teachers," Pugh said in a Monday news conference announcing the education deal. "We need you to stay in the classroom. Moms and dads, we want you to find the right education experience, so that your children can thrive. And we hope that this great investment in education will allow that to happen."
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The package also includes $12 million for six weeks of paid maternity leave for teachers.
The state's largest teacher union, the Oklahoma Education Association, celebrated the new investment in public schools and urged school districts to use extra funds to raise for support staff, as well.
"To keep and attract our best educators, it is imperative we not only compensate them as professionals, but also treat them with dignity and respect," the union said in a statement. "That same principle applies to the education support professionals who are the glue of our schools."
Reporter Nuria Martinez-Keel covers K-12 and higher education throughout the state of Oklahoma. Have a story idea for Nuria? She can be reached at nmartinez-keel@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @NuriaMKeel. Support Nuria’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How does Oklahoma teacher pay compare to other states?
