Good afternoon,

OkACTE wants to thank you for working alongside us to advance a pay raise for CareerTech teachers and an increase to education funding. The FY 19 package is not perfect, and it does not fully address the decade of decline in funding. However, it is a clear step in the right direction, and it would not have happened without you.

What’s in the pay package for CareerTech teachers

The new minimum teacher salary schedule provides increases of 15.8 percent to 18.25 percent for certified education personnel (except superintendents) depending on their years of experience and degree level. For CareerTech this includes our K-12 teachers and certified personnel at technology centers as well as support staff.

Raises range from $5,000 for first-year teachers with a bachelor’s degree to $8,395 for 25-year teachers with a doctorate.

To view a chart detailing raise amounts for each certified personnel category at technology centers click here .


What’s next - preventing unfunded mandates

The funding mechanism for pay raises to certified personnel and support staff at technology centers was not included in the general education appropriations bill even though these professionals were included in the pay raise plan.

As such, OkACTE is working with legislators to ensure the funding mechanism for certified personnel and support staff at technology centers are included in the FY 2019 general appropriations bill for CareerTech. OkACTE is asking the legislature to appropriate additional funds to fully cover all pay raises. Funding for all CareerTech teachers who teach in a K-12 school was provided for in the general education appropriations bill that was passed and signed by the Governor.

It is vitally important that you continue to call your lawmakers and thank them for the steps they have taken, and urge them to ensure these raises do not become an unfunded mandate.

Summary of education appropriations and revenue increases Last week, after multiple pieces of legislation were passed to authorize increased taxes, Gov. Fallin signed a $2.9 billion education appropriations bill that allows education entities to receive the new funding.

HB 3705 - The $2.9 billion education appropriations bill includes:

  •  $353.5 M for teacher pay
  •  $52 M for support personnel pay
  •  $33 M for textbooks
  •  $17 M for the state aid formula and
  •  $24.7 M for flex health care benefits

The total increase in education funding for FY 2019 is $480.2 M.

  • HB 1023xx - bill signed into law that authorized $353 M increase to the teacher salary schedule
  • HB1024xx- authorized $63.8 M in increases to certain state employees
  • HB1026xx - authorized $1,250 increase in pay for school support personnel

The following measures were signed into law which provide a series of revenue increases for the pay raises and other education funding needs:

  •  HB 1010xx- Provided $402 M in increased taxes from the following sources
  •  Increasing cigarette and tobacco tax by $144.7 M
  •  Increasing the motor fuel tax by $99.7 M
  •  Increasing the gross production tax on oil and natural gas by $158.4 M
  •  $5 hotel/motel tax which was repealed by HB 1012xx
  •  HB 1011xx- limited itemized deductions to state income taxes $84.3 M
  •  HB 1019xx - expanded online sales tax $19.6 M
  •  HB 3375- expanded tribal gaming $24 M
  •  Total increased revenue: $530.7 M