“It’s Defunding Schools”: What Oklahoma Superintendents Say About State Question 844
Supporters say the amendment would curb rising reimbursements, while school leaders warn it could force budget cuts and shift more districts onto state aid.
- On August 25, Oklahoma voters will decide on State Question 844, a constitutional amendment that would allow the state to stop reimbursing local districts for property tax revenue lost to manufacturing exemptions.
- House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton argue the current system is uneven, with Mayes and Tulsa counties receiving nearly 60% of the approximately $88.6 million in annual reimbursements.
- Pryor Superintendent Lisa Muller and the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition warn the change could reduce school funding, as districts rely on millions for operational costs, staffing, and long-term debt repayment.
- Wynnewood Public Schools relied on the fund for 16 percent of its general fund last year, while Minco Public Schools uses reimbursements to pay teachers $5,000 above the state minimum salary.
- Erika Wright, founder of the Oklahoma Rural Schools Coalition, argues the measure removes constitutional protections created four decades ago, potentially forcing schools back onto the state funding formula.
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12 Articles
Associated Press News
“It’s Defunding Schools”: What Oklahoma Superintendents Say About State Question 844
Oklahoma voters will decide Aug. 25 whether to allow the state to opt out of paying for one of its longest-running economic development programs — and school leaders in some of the state’s fastest-growing local economies say the change could end up reducing funding for schools statewide.
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