ISSUE 1: Education

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Oklahoma is ranked 50^th in Public Education. Or 49^th, as of the most recent state comparison survey. Being 50^th, 49^th, 48^th, etc., doesn’t really matter, low is low. What matters is that for the last 15 years, we have been sliding down to the bottom or near the bottom when you compare our public education to that of the other states in the Union. So, we now have a reputation as a state that doesn’t prioritize education in our budget.

When an up-and-coming company in the USA is looking to expand its operations in another part of the country, its leadership looks at life in the states targeted for expansion. Things that matter to the company and its employees, like education, healthcare, and recreation. A young middle manager who is asked to relocate to another state for company expansion will likely have a family to bring along. That manager will want to know what their potential new life will bring; will it be a comfortable, almost seamless move, or will there be challenges to the change?

Oklahoma education is a challenge. Right or wrong, those on the outside are going to look at the rankings compared to their current home state. We are not going to look good from that perspective. It’s not our children’s fault; we have smart kids wanting to learn. It's not our teachers' fault; they have dedicated their work life to educating our children so they can compete and thrive in society. Our rankings are not about our kids and teachers; it's about our state’s commitment to them and the education they seek, or lack of commitment.

Our elected state administration and legislature pride themselves on being pro-business. They want to present a low-tax environment to lure companies to Oklahoma. More business means bigger and better economy, which means more revenue. Nothing wrong with that, strictly speaking. But there is more to it. Much more than just dollars and cents.

We need more teachers, certainly more properly trained and certified teachers. More teaching assistants, bigger libraries, more parent-teacher interaction. Which means more money. Historically, we don’t spend as much per pupil as other states. When pushed to the brink, our state leaders will sometimes come up with funding. Sometimes. Like 1990. House Bill 1017 passed, and Gov. Henry Bellmon signed it, but it took an April walkout to draw national attention on Oklahoma to get there. Then for years, nothing much else. The next major funding hike, after another walkout of course, was in 2018. Nothing says 50^th in education like taking a step back every year for 28 years, then taking a step forward when we were on the national news again.

We must be creative at a time when our legislature isn’t creative at all. There are plenty of excuses for not funding our children’s future, but no new ideas for how to get past the excuses and get it done.

I have ideas. Good ones. Workable ones.

We hope to have a Town Hall soon, maybe in Seminole and elsewhere in HD 28. Anyone who wants to help make that happen, I would appreciate the help. I will outline a plan that is a multi-pronged approach to getting our education ranking to a respectable level.  (Hint: not in the 40s).

Our natural gas industry could help us fund our schools. I’m not talking about additional tax, although I would like to see the Gross Production Tax back to its historical 7% level. I’m talking about a plan to help our schools lower their energy costs, which would free up more money for use in the classroom. It's not pie in the sky; I've been part of doing it. No better place than Oklahoma to make this happen. When we get speaking events, either a Town Hall or a Debate, I will detail how this can work, how the Legislature can open this funding solution almost immediately, and how it will put millions of dollars back into helping teachers and students directly. We will be on the national news for the right reasons this time.

Stay tuned. Next topic: AI, Nuclear Campuses, and why they want Oklahoma.

Blake Cummings

www.blakeforokhouse.com