Fallin: Land Office Marks Funds Distribution Record

Governor Fallin announced today that public schools, colleges and universities have received record earnings during the last four fiscal years from funds distributed by the Oklahoma Commissioners of the Land Office (CLO).

More than $519.9 million has been distributed to the CLO’s education beneficiaries during the 2011 through 2014 fiscal years, according to the agency. That amount is 57 percent, or $188.7 million, more than the $331.2 million distributed during the next-highest four-year period in state history (2007-2010).

“This is great news for public education,” said Fallin. “This money provides much-needed additional funds for school districts, colleges and universities. The increase in CLO dollars is one more way to supplement the $150 million increase legislators appropriated for K-12 education in the last two years. I appreciate the hard work of the land office commissioners and CLO Secretary Harry Birdwell for helping to produce these high returns.”

The CLO distributes money from oil and gas exploration and land leases on the agency’s controlled property as well as dividends from investments made by the trust fund.

Public schools received most of the money, or $381.9 million of the $519.9 million, distributed the past four fiscal years by the CLO. Higher education received $137.9 million.

The money for kindergarten-through-grade-12 schools is distributed to each of the state’s 517 school districts based on school attendance numbers.

The value of the CLO’s permanent trust fund since 2011 has grown by nearly $700 million, from $1.606 billion to $2.304 billion.

It took 95 years for the CLO’s permanent trust fund to reach the $1 billion threshold. It took only 11 additional years for the permanent trust fund to pass the $2 billion mark.

The CLO is assigned the task of managing, leasing and selling properties set aside decades ago to be managed for the maximum financial benefit of Oklahoma’s common and higher education schools.


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  1. Steve Dickson, 11 September, 2014

    This can’t be right. The schools are broke and education needs more than the $3.4 billion of the $7.1 billion they already get.

    It’s for the children.

  2. Vernon Woods, 11 September, 2014

    I saw some astounding numbers regarding student loans the other night. I don’t remember the exact data, but basically, the outstanding balances of college student loan has jumped almost 4 times within the last 5 years. An increase in attendance can account for part of this, but, by far, the unaccountable increases in tuition costs and fees are the cause. No matter how much money we throw at state schools, they gobble it up and beg for more, with absolutely no accountability as to why their expenses increase exponentially, especially compared to the current rate of inflation. At this rate the CLO will be where it was 95 years ago – broke and scratching its head wondering why.

  3. Steve Dickson, 12 September, 2014

    I had a discussion with my 9th grade daughter last night. Her school (Deer Creek) is doing a suicide prevention program. We decided to allow her to participate in this program (they sent home a permission slip if you wanted to opt out). I thought it would be a one hour presentation. It turns out, it is one hour PER DAY for a week. After that, anyone who indicated they knew someone who was thinking about suicide or if they admitted to in the last 6 months was pulled from class and interviewed/grilled about their responses. In her last class of the day yesterday, 15 of the students were removed from the class for this reason – and it went on all day.

    Now, ask yourself how much all of these counselors cost. My daughter, of course, wrote NOYB on her questionaire and turned it in (with my blessing, and instruction – NOYB is None Of Your Business).

    They got a grant, by the way, to pay for all of this idiocy.

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