New Oklahoma superintendent asks for $205 million budget increase

Oklahoma schools superintendent, Joy Hofmeister wants $205 million budget increase. — Oklahoma Superintendent Joy Hofmeister requests a $205 million budget increase to improve schools’ competitive advantage among other states. *Online Photo.*

State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister asked legislature on Jan. 26 for an extra $205 million to give all teachers a pay raise, secure five more days on the educational calendar year and replace end-of-instruction exams with the ACT, according to NewsOK.

The addition of five days is an attempt to get Oklahoma schools up to competition with other states’ education systems. Currently, Oklahoma has 175 days of instruction on the calendar, whereas neighboring states like Texas and New Mexico have 180 days and Kansas has 186, which could add to the learning and growth opportunities for their students.

“As a teacher I like the extra school days, mainly because it will give us more time to finish and complete the little things around the classroom before the summer,” Markus Carr, teacher of physical education and health at Piedmont High School, said. “And [it] gives the students extra time to prepare for the semester tests.”

Hofmeister said the school board could save $4.5 million dollars annually by replacing end of semester tests with the ACT.

“Semester test’s help students in the long run,” senior Briana Gibbs said. “By replacing semester test’s with ACT practice test, most students may not take it seriously and it would end up not helping anyone.”

Hofmeister said this initiative would benefit students, considering colleges’ attention to ACT scores in admission processes.

“I can’t foresee any downfalls to this plan,” Carr said. “If the extra days are being managed where the focus of the teacher and student is to use the time efficiently so that way the learning environment is still present, then I think it can be very beneficial to everyone involved.”

Republican Senator John Sharp, education committee vice chairman, said he does not think legislature will approve the request, given the current budget and how much Superintendent Hofmeister will need in order to successfully implement this plan, according to NewsOK.

State Board of Education members were expected to look at the plan and the rest of the proposed 2016 budget plan last Thursday.