Senate Democrats oppose House Bill 2078

OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, released the following statement from the Oklahoma Senate Democrats after the passage of HB 2078:

“Today, the Senate majority rushed through legislation making major changes to Oklahoma’s public school funding formula.  At a time when we are still battling the COVID-19 pandemic and school districts are transitioning back to safe in-school instruction, this legislation will result in hundreds of districts losing millions of dollars in state funding. Schools will be forced to lay off teachers and staff and cut resources for students. The biggest impact will be in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and in rural communities. Drastic changes to the funding formula will be disruptive to a stable learning environment and will have negative effects on students’ ability to learn.

“Instead of destabilizing budgets for already struggling school districts, the Legislature should invest in our public schools. This proposal adds no new funding for public school students. Instead of shifting funds between districts, the Legislature should increase funding so Oklahoma can match the regional average in per pupil spending. HB 2078 is the wrong approach for public education in Oklahoma. Our students deserve better.”