The third main objective of the Governor for this session is driving excellence in Education. This yr his plans lean closely on college alternative. Oklahoma Democrats say Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt’s training plan places public college applications in danger.
“Let’s fund students, not systems,” said Stitt, during Monday’s State of the State address.
Not everyone inside the Oklahoma legislature agreed with Stitt’s plans.
“Old, tired ideas that we tried long ago,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, (D) District 79, assistant minority leader.
Stitt’s State of the State address focused in part on his plan for Oklahoma education.
“Parents spoke loud and clear at the ballot box last November in support of our vision to create more options for kids,” Stitt said.
Stitt wants to continue investing money into school vouchers. Provenzano said vouchers take money away from children in public schools.
“The governor’s plan for vouchers will put public school programs like sports, band, art, advanced placement courses, courses for special needs students at risk and in jeopardy — and would wash away funding for our rural schools. Leaving our kids out to dry,” Provenzano said.
Both parties agreed teachers need to earn more money. Oklahoma trails the rest of the country for starting salaries for teachers according to the National Education Association. However, Stitt mentioned academics ought to get raises based mostly on efficiency, an opinion not all agree with.
“It causes teachers to fight with each other,” mentioned Rep. Andy Fugate, (D) District 94, minority ground chief.
Democratic lawmakers argue performance-based pay will trigger academics to depart colleges positioned in communities the place poverty is a each day battle.
“Instead of staying in the classrooms where we need them the most,” Fugate mentioned.
Oklahoma Democrats argue Stitt’s plan for training doesn’t meet the wants of everybody.
“I don’t think what he said was a surprise to any of us,” mentioned Rep. Cyndi Munson, (D) District 85, home minority chief.
Two locations the place either side of the aisle got here collectively embody — eliminating the grocery tax and discovering work for individuals who had been not too long ago launched from incarceration.
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