Education: Funding sought to pay for extra days
Breaks may get shorter
By Wendy K. Kleinman Staff Writer
The state Board of Education voted Tuesday to ask legislators for funding to cover five extra days in the next school year. The vote was based on recommendations made last month by the Time Reform Task Force, which studied the idea of extending the school year or length of the school day. Board members seemed optimistic that the $90 million amendment to the state agency’s budget request for the 2009 fiscal year, which starts in July, will survive. “They want to extend the school year — in a way that doesn’t eat up summer vacation. I get that a lot,” state schools Superintendent Sandy Garrett said of her talks with state legislators. “If you want to raise expectations, this is the kind of discussion we need to be having. I’m prepared to go to the mat — and I didn’t wrestle, either.” Members of the board are expected to consider the task force’s other recommendations at their January meeting. The other recommendations would not involve amending the de-
partment’s current budget request. About the request The task force recommended adding seven days to the 2008-2009 school year, which would have cost an estimated $126 million. Board members said they thought it would be more realistic to ask for five additional days and bring the minimum calendar year to 185 days. Up to five of those days may be used for professional development, which can include teacher workshops as well as time to prepare classrooms for the school year. Currently, there are 180 required days, of which five can be used for professional development. Ultimately, the task force wants to see Oklahoma’s school year reach 197 days by the 2010-2011 school year. The state board only could ask for the extra funding for the upcoming year, but board member Debbie Blue said the state must move forward with a longterm plan. Salaries tied to change The task force recommendation to extend the school year was contingent upon teacher salaries first meeting or exceeding the regional average. “We’re going to be very close to the regional (pay) average, but we’re not at the regional average in the number of days, either. You have to take all that into account,” said Rep. Tad Jones, R-Claremore, who said he plans to file a bill on the issue when the House reconvenes. Oklahoma’s average teacher pay in 2005-2006 was $38,772, putting it 48th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, stated a report released Dec. 10 by the National Education Association. That average does not account for the $3,000 salary increase the Legislature passed for fiscal year 2007, the $1,000 pay raise passed last year, or the $2,000 average raise the department has requested in its fiscal year 2009 budget. The 2005-2006 regional average teacher salary for Oklahoma and bordering states was $41,613, based on the association’s report. Its affect on calendars Teachers won’t have any problem with extending the school year as long as they’re paid, board member Michael Mitchel said. Families in rural areas, though, could be concerned about a longer school year cutting into harvest times, he said. Local school boards would decide when in the year to add the days, Garrett said. Districts preparing their calendars for next year should be flexible, she said.