Oklahoma lawmakers eye investing millions to upgrade schools on Altus, Enid air force bases

OKLAHOMA CITY — State senators on Wednesday advanced a measure out of committee that would allow public schools located on military bases to receive millions of dollars in special state aid to make needed renovations.

Critics of the plan though said providing carving out funding for schools only located at military installations does nothing to help other communities that need state assistance to upgrade their own aging school infrastructure.

Sen. Todd Gollihare, R-Kellyville, said House Bill 2516 creates the Base Infrastructure Needs and Development-Schools Revolving Fund, which would serve as the framework for lawmakers to spend funds to improve public schools on military installations. The funding would be aimed at decreasing the likelihood of military base closures or increasing the chances of expansion. 

While the measure does not yet provide any direct funding for the schools, he said lawmakers are looking at potentially investing about $21 million to make needed repairs to education infrastructure at military installations in Enid, Altus and McAlester. Under proposed budget talks, the school at Vance Air Force Base in Enid would receive about $5 million and Altus Air Force Base’s school would receive about $6.2 million. He said legislators are also considering providing funding for a 2-mile road project at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant.

Gollihare said the public schools at Altus and Vance air force bases were built in the 1960s and are owned and operated by local school districts within the boundaries of the military installations. The schools are included on a federal priority list that identifies them as being outdated, in disrepair, in need of upgrading or having too many students and not enough capacity, he said.

They are part of the federally-run Public Schools on Military Installations program. Under the program, which was created by former Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, the federal government contributes 80% of the project’s cost while the state or local community provides the remaining 20%, Gollihare said. Federal grants can be used to build, repair, renovate, or expand schools.

He said while the Altus and Enid schools could theoretically use local bonds to pay for the construction, his understanding is both districts have already reached bonding capacity.

Gollihare said this funding would represent an investment in the two bases which have a combined economic impact of over $1.2 billion and employ over 3,300 civilians and 3,500 military personnel.

Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington, said the legislation is very important to keep the Vance Air Force Base in Enid and to preserve the region’s quality of life and the pre-K-5th grade school.

“It’s a good deal for the base and a good deal for the area,” Pederson said.

But Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, who voted against the legislation, said lawmakers need to “invest adequately in all public schools,” to address infrastructure issues equally statewide.

“I understand that these particular facilities might be in disrepair, but I think that it is incredibly important that we continue to point out that there are additional facilities in our local communities currently that have the same conditions, and so carving out a specific subset does not ensure that all students have the same opportunities,” she said.

The measure, which has already cleared the state House, passed the Senate budget committee by 19-4 vote. It is now eligible to be heard in the Senate.

Editor’s note: This story was corrected Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to reflect that Vance Air Force Base’s school serves children in grades pre-K through 5.