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What are the goals of First Class Education? |
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In a global, information-age economy, Colorado students will not enjoy a first class economic future without a first class education. Regardless of the county or school district students live within, we need every student in Colorado to have the opportunity for a first class education. A first class education can only be achieved if we change our priorities to first, class education.
Our goal is simple, intuitive and reasonable. In 2006, our goal is to change the law in our state to ensure that at least 65% of what taxpayers spend on K-12 education actually makes its way into the classroom. |
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What are the specifics of the proposal? |
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There are five basic components to the First Class Education proposal:
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The goal is for each school district in a state to spend at least 65% of its operating budget on classroom instruction as defined by the National Center for Educational Statistics. |
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If a school district is currently spending less than 65% on classroom instruction, it would need to increase that amount by 2% or more per year until the 65% goal is reached.
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If a school district felt special circumstances prevented it from reaching either the 2% annual increase or the 65% goal, it could ask the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (or the state's highest-ranking elected education official) for a renewable one-year waiver.
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The State Superintendent would have the sole authority to grant-in-full, grant-in-part or reject the school district's one-year waiver request. |
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The State Legislatures will be specifically left the task to set penalties to encourage compliance to the measure. |
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Why 65%? |
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According to the National Center for Educational Statistics June 2004 report, four states – Utah, Tennessee, New York and Maine – exceed the 65% goal, down from seven states two years earlier. The four best-performing states have tremendous differences in the amount they spend per child on education – Utah the least in the nation and New York the second most. They're from different regions of the country. They have divergent cultural, demographic and economic make-ups. They're simply about as different as four states could be – but all place classroom education as a priority. The diversity of these states shows that a goal of 65% for classroom instruction can be met throughout the nation. In fact, nearly every state has school districts – big, small, rural, urban and suburban – that are performing at and above the 65% goal. |
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What does “in the classroom” mean? |
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The National Center for Educational Statistics definition of “in the classroom spending” appears below. Generally, if the expenditure has to do with direct instruction of students in any form, from learning to read a book, read music, read Braille, to learning to read a football pass protection pattern, the expenditure is counted as being an “in the classroom” expense. |
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| “In the Classroom” |
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“Outside the Classroom” |
| Classroom Teachers, Personnel |
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Administration |
| General Instruction Supplies |
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Plant Operations & Maintenance |
| Instructional Aides |
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Food Services |
| Activities -- Field Trips, Athletics, Music, Arts |
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Transportation
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| Tuition Paid to Out-of State Districts & |
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Instructional Support Including Librarians |
| Private Institutions for Special Needs Students |
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Teacher Training & Curriculum |
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Student Support -- Nurses, Counselors
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How much more money in the classroom will this mean? |
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If all 50 states and the District of Columbia had spent 65% in the classroom during the 2001-2002 school year, an additional $14 BILLION would have been available for teachers and kids.
That's enough to buy every K-12 student in America a Dell desktop computer or hire 325,000 more teachers at $40,000 a year. Most states would add hundreds of millions of dollars each year to the classroom. All without a tax increase! |
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How will the extra classroom funds be spent?
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Each local school board will be able to decide for itself how to spend the additional funds for the classroom. Some may raise teacher pay, reduce class sizes, purchase computers or add additional instructional opportunities like music, the arts, physical education or foreign languages. |
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Will this guarantee better academic results? |
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This we know, no amount of money spent outside the class has any opportunity to help improve classroom achievement. It intuitively makes sense that results will improve by placing more resources where the learning process takes place – in the classroom. |
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What's the national average being spent in the classroom? |
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According to the June 2004 report of the National Center for Educational Statistics, the national average being spent in the classroom is 61.5%, down from 61.7% in its previous report. Four states achieve 65% or better, down from seven. We're clearly heading in the wrong direction, which is why the first Class Education proposal is vital. |
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What will non-performing school districts need to do to accomplish the 65% goal? |
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Through a combination of placing their annual budget increases toward classroom instruction and better management of funds already allocated, school districts will need to spend a minimum of 65% of their budgets on the reason they exist – to instruct students in a classroom setting. Proper management is already taking place in many school districts throughout the country where the 65% goal is being met and exceeded. Others will need to examine their levels of administration, their spending on perks like car allowances and out-of-state travel and seek savings through common business practices such as outsourcing of certain services and competitive bidding. But more than anything else, an attitude change must take place to simply correct priorities to a first class education. |
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What if a school district simply can't make the increase?
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The First Class Education proposal provides school districts an opportunity to ask for a renewable one-year waiver from either the annual 2% improvement or the 65% goal if it can demonstrate a unique circumstance to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. |
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What about rural and small districts? Are they adversely affected? |
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While one would think economies of scale would mean smaller or rural school districts would spend more on overhead, such a conclusion cannot be reached. Many small and rural school districts around the country are able to spend 65%, 68% even well over 70% in the classroom, while the largest school districts in many states fall well short. Big or small, rural, urban or suburban, what dictates the amount of money spent in the classroom simply comes down to having priorities in line.
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Doesn't this violate local control of schools? |
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School boards are free to spend on anything they wish – so long as the priority of spending 65% on classroom instruction is met. Local control is very important, especially when matched with statewide taxpayer accountability.
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What about school construction costs? |
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The First Class Education 65% goal is for K-12 educational operating budgets. Construction, major repairs and renovation costs are not impacted.
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What penalties will be imposed on school districts that don't comply? |
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The State Legislatures will be specifically left the task to set penalties to encourage compliance to the measure.
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Who's behind this effort?
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This is a grassroots effort that needs your participation! Parents, teachers, taxpayers and concerned citizens are making the difference to help ensure a first class education in every school district and for every student. Please join the effort by making a pledge of time, talent and/or money.
(CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP, VOLUNTEER OR MAKE A PLEDGE)
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