HOFMEISTER CALLS FOR TACKLING TEACHER SHORTAGE WITH $5,000 PAY RAISE, OKLAHOMA’S PROMISE FOR TEACHERS’ CHILDREN

While Stitt plays politics with our children’s futures, Hofmeister stands by parents and families who deserve world-class schools 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Gubernatorial candidate and State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister today announced an action plan to combat Oklahoma’s severe teacher flight and restore stability for students, communities and our economy. Building on her history of calling for competitive teacher pay and a more robust investment in education, Hofmeister shared the following remarks. 

“Oklahoma families deserve world-class schools. Our current governor is ignoring one of our state’s most pressing problems. We need to get qualified, well-resourced teachers back in the classroom so our state has lasting economic momentum. Education is an investment, not an expense,” said Hofmeister.

Meanwhile, Kevin Stitt’s voucher scheme will defund rural schools and dismantle public education across the state. Vouchers put corporate greed over the well-being of kids and families and will decimate communities whose economies depend on a strong, local school system. 

“Dyslexia runs in my family, and I struggled with reading as a child. Anyone who knows a student with learning challenges knows how tough it can be. It was my school teachers who believed in me, who pushed me and made all the difference. That’s part of why I’m determined to ensure Oklahoma students benefit from high-quality teachers. I know in my heart, from my own personal experience, how big of an impact great teachers make on our kids,” said Hofmeister. “And education research backs me up. Teachers have two to three times the impact on student reading and math test performance than any other school factor. As governor, I will invest in the people it takes to help our kids succeed.”

As governor, Hofmeister will focus on five education priorities:

·  Solving the Teacher Shortage

·  Partnering With Parents

·  Supporting Students’ Mental Health and Wellness

·  Before and After School Learning Opportunities 

·  Preparing the Workforce of the Future

Below are highlights of Hofmeister’s action plan to solve the teacher shortage and stabilize schools:

·  Raise teacher pay by $5,000 to be top in the region, averaging $59,096. Next, by 2025,  increase teacher compensation to the national average to attract and retain highly effective teachers. Current regional average: Colorado at $57,706. Current national average: $64,133.

·  Invest in Special Education with an additional 7.5%-10% compensation above standard teacher pay through new training and micro-credentials for teaching children with dyslexia, autism and profound disabilities. (Special Education average teacher pay would be between $63,500 and $65,000.)

·  Extend Oklahoma’s Promise (OHLAP) to the children or dependents of Oklahoma public school teachers by removing the qualifying income limits for educator households.

·  Extend and grow Oklahoma’s School Counselor Corps to increase graduation rates, higher academic outcomes and critical student support for mental health and wellbeing. 

·  Increase critical operational funding to address the rising costs of goods and services. Funding for student transportation services has not been increased since the 1980s, when the cost of a gallon of diesel was $1.39.

Read more about Hofmeister’s education plan here.