Budget Cuts May Force Schools to Close, Cut Teaching Jobs

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The state Board of Education has issued a warning to state leaders: release money from the state’s Rainy Day Funds or risk losing teachers.

The board passed an emergency resolution earlier today asking for emergency funds to be released in order to prevent layoffs or some schools in the state from closing.   

Most school districts, like Oklahoma City Public Schools, are having to adjust budgets in order to accommodate for the shortfall in state revenue for the last few months. Last week Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Karl Springer told NEWS 9 his district would look at the possibility of imposing a hiring freeze on all positions except teachers and reducing overall expenditures in order to cut costs.

Also at the Board of Education meeting today, the board passed the fiscal year 2011 budget request.

"It includes a little over $225 million in additional revenue, and that’s cut to the bare-bone," said education department Spokesman Shelly Hickman.

“This budget request includes operational increases and insurance mandates. It does not include pay raises nor fluff.”

Gov. Brad Henry released a statement this afternoon calling for state leaders to generate a new revenue estimate, conduct publish hearing on the budget reductions and consider a special session of the legislature.