Educators decry cuts to bonuses, insurance

OKLAHOMA CITY - Naomi Poindexter planned to use a $5,000 stipend for attaining National Board certification to purchase a laptop computer for her classroom.

In the past, the Edison Preparatory School eighth-grade teacher has used the stipend for kids' college costs and to take classes.

She obtained the certification in 2008.

The state pays the $5,000 bonus if funds are available. But on Thursday, the state Board of Education passed a budget that does not include funds for the bonuses. Common education took a 4.1 percent budget cut for fiscal year 2012.

"I am devastated and a little concerned," said Poindexter, who has taught for 27 years. "Oklahoma was the forerunner in promoting National Board certification."

Those who have gone through the process describe it as grueling but say it made them more effective teachers.

Kathleen Walker, a Kendall-Whittier Elementary School fourth-grade teacher, said she was sad and disappointed.

She had planned on spending the money to go back to school. She has taught since 1986 and completed the National Board certification process in 2007.

"I am a single mom," she said. "I try to pay my bills."

The Oklahoma Education Association is trying to garner support for supplemental funds of about $20 million for the program, along with other areas that were cut. Those areas include Literacy First, a professional development reading program, and the Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center, which evaluates alternative education and professional development programs, said Joel Robison, an OEA spokesman.

"I think it is a shame," said Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Keith Ballard, adding that the Legislature is not fulfilling its promise to those who completed the program.

But perhaps more alarming to Ballard and some other superintendents is the state's failure to fully fund health insurance costs.

Ballard said the shortfall is about $34 million for the state.

"The schools are faced with two choices," said Mark Bledsoe, executive director of the United Suburban Schools Association.

"Either the Legislature does a supplemental to cover it or we have to consider filing a lawsuit to make the Legislature fund that health insurance premium."

Damon Gardenhire, a spokesman for state Superintendent Janet Barresi, said health insurance is fully funded for the fiscal year.

Trish Williams, Tulsa Public Schools' chief financial officer, said funding for health insurance is two months' short.

"They are not acknowledging teachers are paid on a 12-month basis, and that leaves two months unfunded," Williams said.

The impact on Tulsa Public Schools will be $2.3 million, Williams said.

Gardenhire said Barresi is open to re-examining the budget if new dollars become available.

"We can't budget based on money that doesn't exist," he said. "We have to deal with real dollars and real numbers. It would be wrong to attempt to build a budget on shifting sand.

"It would be wrong to provide false hope if the money is not there."