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| Topic | Inequity in Funding Oklahoma Public School Capital Improvement |
| Content | The State of Oklahoma provides for equity in funding for public school operational expenses through the state aid formula, but not for adequacy or equity in capital improvement. School operating expenses are funded through a combination of state aid and local ad valorem revenue. Capital improvement including repairs and new construction is funded through district building fund revenues and local approved bond revenue. The State of Oklahoma doesn't provide for any funding for capital improvement needs for school districts. That revenue is generated in each individual school district based on the assessed valuation of the district. Oklahoma has rich schools and poor schools, and everything in between. This problem is created by the wide difference in valuation of property within local school districts. State legislatures in states bordering Oklahoma (Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, & New Mexico) have designed mechanisms to equalize funding for capital improvement for school districts in their states. Oklahoma is one of only 11 states in the nation which has not equalized funding for capital improvement for public education. Oklahoma school districts have a per capita valuation that ranges from $2,409 per student to $640,029 per student. 360 Oklahoma school districts are below the state average of $31,471 per capita valuation and 180 districts are above the average. Every state surrounding Oklahoma has been sued and the legislature was forced to provide a system for equitable funding for Public School Capital Improvement. Legislation must be passed which will allow identified needy schools to draw state money to assist with their capital improvement and repair needs. |
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