Oklahoma House speaker endorses $6,000 teacher pay increase

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – New House Speaker Charles McCall is endorsing a pay increase for Oklahoma teachers that would phase in a $6,000 pay raise during a three-year period.
McCall said in a statement released Thursday that he believes House Republicans will support the bill by Broken Arrow Republican Michael Rogers, chairman of the House Public Education Committee.
Rogers’ House Bill 1114 includes a $1,000 raise next year, followed by raises of $2,000 the following year and $3,000 the next year.
McCall has said increasing teacher pay will be one of the caucus’ top priorities, but it’s not clear how lawmakers plan to pay for it.
Every $1,000 pay increase for public school teachers would cost the state about $60 million. The Legislature already is facing a budget hole of nearly $870 million.