Category: Media

Study: Oklahoma maintains streak of deepest state-aid cuts to schools since ’08 recession (Tulsa World)

By Andrea Eger A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows Oklahoma’s cuts to per-pupil funding for public schools are nearing 25 percent, by far the deepest in the nation since the economic recession struck in… Read more [More...]

Energy slump, policies contribute to state’s budget shortfall (Examiner-Enterprise)

By Emily Droege Holiday cheer may be in the air, but the long-term forecast for the state’s budget looks bleak, according to David Blatt, executive director for the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Speaking to the Monday Rotary Club, Blatt explained Oklahoma’s… Read more [More...]

Once in Place, Sales Tax Breaks Nearly Impossible to Touch (Oklahoma Watch)

By Warren Vieth and Mark Lash Buried deep in the Oklahoma tax code is a sales tax exemption for railroad spikes. Once it got hammered into place, it never budged. The tax break was created in 1993 for the benefit… Read more [More...]

Group files challenge to Oklahoma education sales tax initiative (News OK)

By Rick Green The Oklahoma Supreme Court will examine the constitutionality of an effort to generate millions of dollars for schools through a one-cent increase in the state sales tax. Until the court resolves a challenge filed by an advocacy… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Medicaid (OETA)

Health Care for more than a million Oklahomans may become more difficult to access soon, as the state Medicaid agency waits for Federal budget cuts. Cuts that are coming because the state’s economy is seen as being so good but… Read more [More...]

Considering consolidation: Losing a school (Fox 25)

By Phil Cross At statehood, there were more than thousand school districts scattered across the state. Today that number is a little more than 500 and it could shrink more as more schools find it difficult to make ends meet.… Read more [More...]

Help Wanted: Where the skills gap and budget gap collide (News OK)

By Brianna Bailey As Oklahoma tries to shore up its educational standards and prepare more students for the workforce, it’s also trying to do it with less money. State appropriations for Oklahoma students have declined by 5.07 percent over the… Read more [More...]

Education Funding Issues (OETA)

Oklahoma’s economic forecast has state educators concerned about what impact declining revenue will have on common education. OU President David Boren says it is imperative that Oklahoma voters take action to insure education is properly funded by approving a one-cent… Read more [More...]

Our statement on the proposed ballot initiative to fund education with 1 cent sales tax increase

Oklahoma Policy Institute released the following statement on the proposal for a ballot initiative that would increase funding for common and higher education through a 1 cent increase in the state sales tax: Our public schools and colleges are the… Read more [More...]

McKee to speak at Democrats’ lunch (Norman Transcript)

By Transcript Staff Kara Joy McKee will speak  Oct. 2 at the Cleveland County Democrats Tyner Cornbread and Beans Lunch at Catering Creations. McKee is an Oklahoma Policy Institute outreach specialist. She is a native of Norman and an OU… Read more [More...]