Preparing Your Personnel Budgets in Light of the Teacher Pay Plan Passage

House Bill 1023 of the Oklahoma Legislature's 2nd Extraordinary Session gives us several considerations to take into account in the early preparation of budgets. The biggest consideration will be working within the currently passed law. It has several provisions of which we need to be aware as teachers are placed into next year's salary schedule. 

1. The salary increase begins at the start of the 2018-2019 fiscal year (August 1, 2018).
2. Fringe benefits mean all or part of the retirement benefits. 
3. If a district is to count benefits as part of the salary increase a notification must be provided prior to a teacher’s employment.  If the teacher is already employed a written notification must be provided 30 days prior to the district electing to make the salary less than the minimum salary schedule by utilizing part of the salary increase to pay retirement benefits.
4. A teacher may receive a maximum of 5 years of out-of-state experience or military experience toward retirement. A district may elect to recognize more than five years in placement on the salary scale, but this does not apply to teacher retirement.
5. Section F has a statement about retired teachers; attorneys must define this portion of the new law.
6. The law is contingent on the funding provision of House Bills 1010 and 1011 and will not be operative with the law's funding portion. 

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