Representative Chad Caldwell

R

District 40

Hi, I'm Chad Caldwell and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 40th District.


representative

News & Announcements

Mar 27, 2025
Recent Posts

Increase to Classroom Funding Bill Fails in House

OKLAHOMA CITY – The House today failed to pass a bill that would have required state public schools to spend at least 50% of their funding in the classroom.  House Bill 1280 , authored by Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, would have required any district spending less than 50% on instruction to increase that amount by 2% each year until the target percentage is met.  “Oklahomans want to see Oklahoma kids perform better academically," Caldwell said. "Superintendents and the education lobbyists hired to represent them say better outcomes will just take more money. This measure just asked those in charge of our schools to do the right thing and put the money where their mouth is and invest in prioritizing students and teachers. "If money really is the reason kids aren't performing better in school, then asking schools to devote at least half of their spending into the place where the bulk of learning actually happens – the classroom – shouldn’t be too big of an ask." Caldwell said instruction would have included teacher and teacher aid salaries, as well as other direct classroom items such as books and materials for learning. To accommodate the specific needs of rural schools, he even amended the bill to allow transportation to be counted in the 50% of instructional expenses for schools with less than 1,000 average daily membership. The remaining 50% of a school's budget could have been spent on other school staff, including counselors, nurses, front desk personnel, cafeteria workers, as well as on other areas. This would have allowed local control in the same way the minimum salary schedule and state academic standards do, he said. The Legislature sets the standard and leaves it up to the district to determine how best to achieve it. The definition of instructional expenditures in the bill came from the U.S. Department of Education. “That is important because it allowed for a true apples-to-apples comparison," Caldwell said. "So, when we discuss instructional expenditures in Oklahoma, we're using the same criteria as they do in every other state."  He said it's important to note the bill specified the percentage of funds schools put in the classroom, not the dollar amount. This would have allowed for different levels of investment from a total dollar perspective.  States that spend more on education, as well as states that spend less overall, still often exceed Oklahoma's percentage of classroom expenditures, Caldwell said. The national average for classroom spending is 62%, and 37 states spend a higher percentage in the classroom, on average, than Oklahoma schools do. Caldwell said many schools in the state already exceed the 50% on instructional expenses, but about 150 schools do not. He suggested parents and other stakeholders look at their districts' public records to see how their schools are spending their funds. He created a spreadsheet, linked here, for reference:  Instructional_Expenditures_2025_4d9ff515db.pdf . Caldwell said since 2011, the Legislature has invested more in education than at any time previously in state history.  During that time, administrative positions have grown by about 25%, while teachers and students have grown by only about 3% to 5%, according to the U.S. Department of Education.  This shows that administrators, and not teachers or students, seem to be reaping the benefits of the additional funding put toward education, he said. "This bill simply asked our schools to prioritize the classroom over other areas," Caldwell said. "It shifts the conversation from simply how much we spend on education to include questions about where and how we allocate those valuable resources. District leaders and education special interest groups continue to ask Oklahomans to invest more of our money in education. Isn’t it fair to ask our schools to do the same by spending at least half of their budget in the classroom?   If more money for the classroom isn’t the answer, then it’s fair to question why they continue to claim money is the primary issue holding our students back.” "This should have prompted our schools to change their spending habits for the benefit of their students. Our kids deserve it.”

Mar 25, 2025
Recent Posts

Bill to Limit Youth Access to Social Media Passes House

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, on Monday passed legislation in the House that would restrict social media accounts for youth under 16 and require parental consent for minors 16 and 17 years of age. If House Bill 1275 were enacted, social media companies would have to verify age and could not allow youths under 16 to be an account holder on their platform. Companies and platforms that violate the regulation would be subject to a $2,500 fine per violation plus court costs, attorney fees, and damages. The bill would also authorize the state attorney general to take legal action. Additionally, commercial entities are prohibited from collecting or sharing a minor's personal or location information. "We are trying to put some guardrails on social media access for our kids," Caldwell said. "The research is abundantly clear about the incredible harm these types of products have on our young people, including a 150 percent increase in hospitalizations for self-harm and suicide attempts, as well as mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression. "The state has a compelling interest to protect the youth of Oklahoma. This is much like we've done when it comes to restricting other addictive substances, such as tobacco or alcohol, or guarding access to things like pornography, gaming, and tattoos. We want to combat the ills already done and to delay access to this content until a youth reaches an age where they can make a more informed and educated decision, understanding the risks of social media use." Caldwell stressed that nothing in the legislation would limit or censor content on social media platforms. HB1275 now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Ally Seifried, R-Claremore. 

Feb 21, 2025
Recent Posts

Bill to Increase Classroom Funding Passes Subcommittee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, on Wednesday passed legislation in committee that would require state public schools to spend at least 60% of their funding in the classroom.  House Bill 1280  passed the House Appropriations & Budget Education Subcommittee, which Caldwell chairs. It now moves to full A&B.  "This bill prioritizes our kids, our teachers, and our classrooms," Caldwell said. "For a child to excel academically, most of our school funding should go toward teachers and resources that directly contribute to student learning. It's why we send our children to school – to learn. I'm simply asking our school district leaders to do what makes logical sense and prioritize spending on classroom instruction." Caldwell stated that every education study he has read indicates the single most important factor in a child's academic success is having a quality teacher in the classroom. One of the main objectives of this measure is to raise teacher salaries.  "In my 11 years as a legislator, we have passed several bills to improve teacher pay, and as a direct result of this bill, teachers are going to make more money," he said. "While raising pay for teachers is the most likely way for schools to increase instructional funding, there are other options as well.” "I'm disappointed, though not surprised, to learn that some district leaders opposed prioritizing students and higher pay for teachers by fighting against this bill,” he said.   Since 2011, Oklahoma school district administration has grown by nearly 25%, while the state’s student population has increased by about 5% during that same period, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. Currently, the average classroom spending in the state is just under 58%, which suggests many public schools are nearing the threshold set by the bill. This measure aims to bring state schools closer to the national average, which is slightly below 62%. However, Caldwell noted that around 150 school districts in the state allocate less than 50% of their funding to classroom instruction.  "Quite frankly, I cannot think of a legitimate reason why a district would need to spend less than half of their budget on the classroom where the majority of instruction takes place," Caldwell said. "As a state, we rank near the bottom in the country in percentage of classroom spending. However, some districts in the state have prioritized learning and are spending 65 percent to 70 percent in the classroom, so we know it can be done in Oklahoma. If other states can figure out how to do this on the whole, we can too." Caldwell stated the definition of instructional expenditures in the bill comes from the U.S. Department of Education. “That is important because it allows for a true apples-to-apples comparison," he said. "So, when we discuss instructional expenditures in Oklahoma, we're using the same criteria as they do in every other state."  The measure does not consider other school staff—such as counselors, nurses, front desk personnel, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers—as classroom expenditures. While Caldwell, whose mother is a retired high school counselor, acknowledges that these employees are vital to school operations, he emphasized that no one would genuinely consider them actual classroom expenses. Those related costs will be accounted for in the remaining 40% of the school’s budget. “Classroom instruction must remain the priority for our schools,” he said.