GOAL I
CONSOLIDATION

1. Oppose legislation mandating consolidation or combining of administrative units based on number of students, number of districts, and/or size (square miles) of a district.

1. Encourage making our childrens' education a priority by using Rainy Day and stimulus funds in order to preserve Common Education funding at a minimum of the FY'09 appropriated budget levels. 
2. Support increased formula funding for school districts operational budgets for costs of utilities, fuel, instruction, supplies, support services, and other basic obligations
3. Support legislation that provides a moratorium on all state mandated penalties such as class size, carry-over, curricular, alternative education, etc until proper funding for education is obtained.
4. Oppose changes to the present funding formula that effect rural schools in negative way.
5. Support efforts to critically analyze all existing state Tax credits and exemptions to review how effective they have been and eliminate those that are ineffective
6. Oppose legislation that reduces or limits Ad Valorem growth or any reduction in the tax base for public schools.
7. Require approval by the governing boards of affected taxing entities as a condition of participation in funding a TIF district (e.g., diversion of taxes to fund a TIF district that otherwise would be assessed for a school district would require prior approval by the board of the affected school district).
8. Support the full funding of the Ad Valorem Reimbursement Fund, double homestead exemption and distribute the funds in a timely maner.
   
9. Ensure that common education receives its fair and equitable portion of lottery revenues and remove the Oklahoma lottery dollars from within the formula to outside the formula and distributed on per pupil basis to all districts.  Replace these lottery funds in the formula with new funding from the general revenue fund.
10. Support fully funding the additional employer contributions required by legislation in 2007 by appropriating these funds to SDE to then be paid to OTRS.
11. Support increased funding to meet or exceed the regional per pupil expenditure by 2013.
12. Support full funding of all supplemental appropriations needed to meet state mandated cost to school districts; i.e. health insurance, OTRS matching funds increase, ect.
13. Support removing the requirement of a 60% supermajority when voting on school bond isues.
14. Support legislation that will bring to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment increasing the bonded indebtedness from 10% to 15% and find a dedicated revenue source for the Common School Building Equalization Fund.

GOAL III
RETIREMENT

1. Fund the Oklahoma Teachers Retirement System and associated benefits to the same level as state retirement systems.
2. Support allowing education employees to retire from their jobs and immediately be rehired by a school district or an approved association.
   
3. Support fully funding health insurance premiums for retirees
4. Support funding for a COLA for retired educators that is equitable to the COLA of state employees. 
5. Support legislation that allows active members of OTRS who are employed by an approved association in OTRS to continue as active members
   

GOAL IV
GOVERNANCE CONTROL

1. Oppose legislation that removes local control policy issues from local boards of education
2. Oppose legislation on any vouchers or tuition tax credits linked to K-12 school attendance, or any other attempt to divert educational dollars to private institutions
3. Oppose any future unfunded mandates

APPROVED BY THE OROS BOARD OF DIRECTORS DECEMBER 2009

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