Edmond superintendent says funding has hit ‘crisis’ level

EDMOND — The superintendent of one of the state’s largest school districts said education funding has now reached a crisis level.

Edmond Schools Superintendent Bret Towne also wouldn’t rule out Edmond’s 1,500 teachers possibly participating in a walkout to protest low salaries for teachers.

“The one item that is without dispute is that we are in a crisis and teachers need everyone’s support,” Towne said Monday at the regular Edmond School Board meeting.

“It (teacher funding) should be the No. 1 goal in the state,” he said. “It has been over 10 years since we have had a teacher raise.”

The superintendent then presented bleak teacher numbers. Although Edmond Schools generally pays $3,000 more than the minimum state salary, it is still below what’s offered in neighboring states.

“We are still $10,000 to $15,000 below salaries offered in surrounding states,” Towne noted.

In a previous meeting, Towne said there was one day last spring when a Texas district lured multiple instructors away from Edmond North High School.

“Teachers are deflated, demoralized, angry, frustrated and overworked — dealing with larger class size and poor pay,” he told the board. “We are tired of lip service and empty promises of support and nothing ever happening.”

In addition to teachers leaving the state, Towne sounded the alarm over filling future instructor spots. Because of retirements, resignations and teachers leaving Oklahoma, Edmond’s district is expected to need 300 new teachers next year.

Towne said between 300 and 400 new teachers will be graduating from state universities this spring.

“Because of the pay and perception brought on by a decade of diminishing the career, there are not enough teachers coming out of college to fill the jobs of those retiring, let alone those leaving the state and profession,” he said.

In addition, Towne said the state’s two largest districts, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, would most likely need 400 new teaching positions each.

“Without adequate compensation, which incentivizes the teaching career path and allows teachers to earn a living to stay in the profession, Oklahoma will continue to lose teachers to other states, have teachers leave the profession early or not even consider a teaching career.”

Towne’s remarks came on the same night the board approved more than $16 million of bond issue projects including $9.26 million for a new track at Memorial High School. The board also signed off on final plans and bidding out millions of dollars of other projects, including multipurpose buildings, doubling as tornado shelters, at Northern Hills Elementary, Will Rogers Elementary and North High School.

There are just under 25,000 students in Edmond Schools. The district, which is growing by about 500 students a year, may see even more growth in the near future in west Edmond.

Rocky Gardiner of Templeton Demographics of Texas told the board hundreds of new single-family homes and apartments in western Edmond would increase the student population. Towne said the district would either have to build a new elementary or add portable classrooms.

The superintendent wasn’t in favor of portables, noting increased heating and cooling costs as well as security concerns. Portables aren’t usually attached to the main school building.

Growth, Towne said, would most likely need to be addressed in early 2019 when a new school bond package would go before Edmond voters.