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Teacher Pay at Okla. Charters Questioned

Associated Press

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Some teachers at charter schools in Oklahoma are being paid less than the state minimum salary schedule for public school teachers.

Charter schools are exempt from the minimum and officials at some of the schools say their budget does not allow them to pay more.

Discovery School of Tulsa teacher Lori Whiteday told the Tulsa World she has 10 years experience and signed a contract for $29,500 plus $1,475 in retirement benefits. The state minimum for a first-year public school teacher with a bachelor's degree is $31,600.

"I didn't argue because I know there are teachers who make less than that at some charters or private Christian schools," Whiteday said.

Discovery School Superintendent Kaan Camuz, who also heads Dove Science academies in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, said contracts are negotiated individually with each teacher.

"We would like to pay even more to our teachers, but with the budget cuts, we have to wait," Camuz said.

Even with the exemption, some local public charter schools still pay teachers the state's minimum.

Eric Doss, principal at Tulsa School of the Arts and Sciences, said the school elected to follow the states payment guidelines.

"We believe that our teachers are professionals, and they should be paid accordingly," Doss said. "I wouldn't believe in paying them less than the state standard."

The state's 2009-10 minimum teacher salary schedule mandates first-year public school teachers with a bachelors degree be receive at least $31,600 in base salary and district-paid benefits.