Oklahoma Legislature Strikes Historic Education Funding Deal with Teacher Pay Raises.

The Oklahoma Legislature has reached a deal on public school funding and private education tax credits. The package includes $625 million for public education, with $500 million going to the education funding formula and $125 million for Redbud grants. The tax credit plan will provide refundable tax credits ranging from $5,000 to $7,500 per student for families with children in private K-12 schools, and a $1,000 refundable tax credit per child for home-school families. The package also includes pay raises for certified staff and paid maternity leave for teachers. The deal marks a "great day for public education in Oklahoma," according to the executive director of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association.