Newly filed bills show lawmakers are looking to boost teacher pay, ban student cellphones and revamp the state Board of Education, among other education initiatives.Two years ago, the Legislature approved raises of $3,000 to $6,000 per teacher, the largest salary increase for educators since 2018. Lawmakers looking to build on that this year with additional increases include Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, who chairs the Senate Education Committee, Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, and Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City. Pugh’s bill would create a new minimum salary range that starts at $50,000 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree (up from $39,601 currently). Hicks’ bill would increase minimum salaries by $3,000. Pogemiller proposes increasing minimum salaries by $5,000 and boosting support staff pay by 6%. Thursday was the deadline to introduce bills. Here are five additional bills to watch in the upcoming legislative session, which starts February 3.  the latest Oklahoma State Guard Plan Unveiled by Paul Monies January 16, 2025January 16, 2025 Banning cell phones in schoolsSenate Bill 139Sponsor: Sen. Ally Seifried, R-ClaremoreUnder Seifried’s proposal, local school boards would have to adopt policies to prohibit student cellphone use throughout the school day. The policies can carve out exemptions, such as for emergencies and for students who use a cell phone to monitor a health issue. Seifried, in an op-ed in the Tulsa World, explained that bell-to-bell policies are most effective at eliminating student distractions to improve learning, according to researchers. Statewide participation is critical, she wrote, to improve student engagement and academic performance.In the last session, Seifried introduced a bill to incentivize phone-free schools with a grant program, but the legislation didn’t progress. Seifried, vice chair of the Senate Education Committee, co-hosted a two-day interim study with Pugh on the issue in October. Opening school sports to charter and virtual charter school studentsSenate Bill 388Sponsor: Sen. Ally Seifried, R-ClaremoreThis proposal by Seifried would make significant changes to the world of school sports by allowing charter and virtual charter school students to participate in extracurricular activities at the school district where they reside. For example, a student who attends Epic Charter Schools could play on an Oklahoma City Public Schools team if they live in that district. The student would still have to meet the district’s rules for eligibility, according to the bill. Charter and virtual charter students could also participate in interscholastic activities or contests in their resident district under the proposal. Remove the Parental Choice Tax Credit capSenate Bill 229Sponsor: Sen. Julie Daniels, R-BartlesvilleThis bill would remove the cap from the Parental Choice Tax Credit program, which distributes vouchers of up to $7,500 per child per year to parents to pay for private school tuition. When the Legislature authorized the program in 2023, they set a cap of $150 million the first year, $200 million the second year and $250 million the third year. Under Daniels’ proposal, starting in 2026-27, there would be no limit to the amount of tax credits awarded through the program. Many private schools raised tuition once the tax credit was implemented, reducing the ability for low-income families to benefit.Expanding free school lunches for low-income studentsSenate Bill 28Sponsor: Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma CityUnder this bill, schools would provide free meals to students whose families earn 250% of the federal poverty level or less. For a family of four, that’s $78,000. The state would reimburse districts the cost of those meals. Currently, students whose families earn 130% of the federal poverty level qualify for free lunches and those who live below 185% qualify for reduced-price lunches.  Reform Oklahoma Board of Education appointmentsHouse Bill 1054Sponsor: Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-NormanCurrently, the governor has the sole authority to appoint all six members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education (the state superintendent is automatically a member and the chairperson). Rosecrants’ proposal would limit the governor to two appointments, and the leader of the House and Senate would each get two appointments. If passed, board members could only be removed for cause by their appointing authority. The current board has delivered unanimous approval throughout Superintendent Ryan Walters’ tenure, and Rosecrants said his bill is an attempt to bring counterbalance to the board. The Statewide Charter School Board, which the Legislature created in 2023, has an appointment process similar to the proposal, except with nine members (three appointed by the governor, two each by House and Senate leaders, plus the superintendent of public instruction and state auditor, or their designees).Jennifer Palmer has been a reporter with Oklahoma Watch since 2016 and covers education. Contact her at (405) 761-0093 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @jpalmerOKC. The post Education Bills to Watch in This Year’s Legislature appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.