Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-18-101: Declaration of legislative intent, policies and

principles.

The Legislature hereby declares that this act is passed for the

general improvement of the public schools in the State of Oklahoma;

to provide the best possible educational opportunities for every

child in Oklahoma; and to have a more beneficial use of public funds

expended for education; and this act shall be liberally construed to

attain these goals within the purview of the following principles

and policies:

1. The education of our children is more than the performance

of a duty or act of love. It is these things and also the highest

expression of enlightened self-interest by the people of Oklahoma.

Education is our finest investment.

2. The system of public schools should be designed to

strengthen and encourage local responsibility for control of public

education. Local school districts should be so organized, financed

and directed that they can provide full educational opportunities

for all children. The maximum public autonomy and responsibility

for public education should remain with the local school districts

and the patrons of such districts.

3. It is the responsibility of the state on behalf of the

people of Oklahoma to establish, maintain, and continually improve

the public schools of Oklahoma. In furtherance of this

responsibility, the people of Oklahoma through the state have the

responsibility to support financially the public schools.

4. Effective local control requires that local school districts

contribute to the support of school budgets in proportion to their

respective abilities.

5. The system of public school support should assure that state

and local funds are adequate for the support of a realistic

foundation program. It is unrealistic and unfair to the children of

the less wealthy districts to provide less state support than is

necessary for full educational opportunities.

6. The system of public school support should encourage local

school districts to provide and support improved educational

programs.

7. The system of public school support should make provisions

for the apportionment of state funds to local school districts on a

strictly objective basis that can be computed as well by the local

districts as by the state.

8. The system of public school support should effect a

partnership between the state and each local district, with each

participating in accordance with its relative ability. The

respective abilities should be combined to provide a financial plan

between the state and the local school district that will assure

full educational opportunities for every child in Oklahoma.

9. State support should be extended to all local districts

regardless of wealth, for this not only develops a sense of broader

responsibility, but also creates flexibility taxwise permitting the

exercise of local initiative. State support should, to assure equal

educational opportunity, provide for as large a measure of

equalization as possible among districts. The taxing power of the

state should be utilized to raise the level of educational

opportunity in the financially weakest districts of the state.

10. The system of public school support should provide for an

equitable system of state and local sharing in the foundation

program. The degree of local sharing should be based, as nearly as

possible, on the true ability of the local district, so that each

may contribute uniformly to the foundation program.