When legislation advanced this year to require Oklahoma public schools to spend at least half their funding on instruction, several school groups vehemently opposed setting a floor for classroom spending, including the Oklahoma State School Boards Association (OSSBA) and the Oklahoma Parent Legislative Advocacy Coalition (PLAC).

The groups decried the legislation as unnecessary and even portrayed increased classroom funding as wasteful, with PLAC officials saying the legislation would force “spending unnecessarily in classrooms in order to meet a baseless budget mandate.”

Yet both groups continue to call for increased school funding even as they argue that taxpayers should not expect the majority of that spending to go to instruction.

“The best way to support Oklahoma students is to continue the progress of recent years by continuing to invest in public school students,” declared the OSSBA, a lobbyist group, in a recent legislative alert opposing the classroom-funding bill.

PLAC officials have similarly called for “full funding” and “improved resources” for public schools.

The argument that increased school funding produces better academic outcomes, regardless of how the money is spent, is undermined by numerous real-world examples in Oklahoma.

State data show that even in many of Oklahoma’s highest-funded school districts, based on per-student revenue, less than half of the funding goes to instruction, and academic outcomes remain poor. Despite very high per-student revenue, less than half of the students in many of those districts achieve proficiency or better on state tests—and often far less than half of students.

The Billings district has per-student funding of $25,076 but spends just 49 percent on instruction. Just 12.4 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.

The Dahlonegah district has $23,457 per student, but just 12.7 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024. Only 47 percent of funding in the district is spent on instruction.

The Hanna district has $19,081 per student but devotes just 43 percent of that amount to instructional expenses. Just 15.8 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards.

Wanette has revenue of $21,629 per student but spends just 40 percent on instructional expenses. Only 16.1 percent of students achieved proficiency or better on state testing in 2023-2024.

Geary has per-student funding of $30,269 per student but spends less than half—just 48 percent—on instructional expenses. Just 28.2 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.

Chouteau-Mazie has per-student funding of $19,770, but just 48 percent of funds are spent on instruction, and only 39.7 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level standards.

Per-student funding at Fort Cobb-Broxton is nearly $18,000 per student. Just 46 percent of funds are spent on instruction, and less than half of the students in the district—just 45.5 percent—met or exceeded grade level standards.

The Ryan school district has per-student funding of $17,432 per student. But just 37 percent of those funds are spent on instructional expenses. And just 33 percent of students in the Ryan district met or exceeded grade level standards on state testing.

Grandview has revenue of $25,525 per student, but just 46 percent of that total is spent on instructional expenses. Just 44.2 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.

Forgan has per-student funding of $22,289 per student, but less than half of those funds (49 percent) goes to instructional expenses. Only 35 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level standards.

Shidler has per-student revenue of $17,502, but just 47 percent goes to instructional expenses. Just 29.6 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing.

Smithville has per-student funding of $18,484 but spends less than 44 percent on instruction. Just 39.6 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards in 2023-2024.

Fargo has per-student funding of $18,298, but just 44 percent is spent on instruction. Only 37.5 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.

The Bray-Doyle district has per-student funding of $23,031, but just 40 percent goes to instructional expenses. Only 42.2 percent of students achieved proficiency or better on state tests.

Sweetwater has per-student funding of $33,986, but just 46 percent goes to instruction. Only 34.3 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.

Not all Oklahoma schools with high per-student funding spend the majority of their money outside the classroom, however. And in one district where a large share of funds goes to instruction, the academic results are also notably better than results in most schools across Oklahoma, including many of its high-funded peers.

Straight has per-student funding of $29,293 per student and spends 64 percent of its funds on instruction—and 64 percent of students in the district met or exceeded grade-level standards on state testing in 2023-2024.