FORMER TEACHER, LT. GOVERNOR TO BE LAST SIGNATURE GATHERED
NOTRON, BEAUPREZ, HOLTZMAN, TO JOIN
COORS, MCINNIS, STENGEL, MCELHANY AS CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIRS

NEWS ADVISORY February 17, 2005
Contact: Tim Mooney 480-518-6168

WHO: Lt. Governor Jane Norton, Congressman Bob Beauprez, Marc Holtzman, Representative Joe Stengel, Senator Andy McElhany,

WHAT: The last signature of the petition campaign (approximately 103,000) and announcement of Norton, Beauprez, Holtzman, as Campaign Co-Chairs. The First Class Education for Colorado initiative requires Colorado public school districts to spend at least 65% of their operational budgets on classroom instruction. The campaign will announce its rostrum of statewide co-chairs.

WHERE: THIRD FLOOR PRESS ROOM, STATE CAPITOL

WHEN: 2 PM, Thursday, February 23rd

Lt. Governor Jane Norton, a former teacher will be the final signer of the First Class for Colorado initiative. She will be joined by Congressman Bob Beauprez, and Marc Holtzman, at the press conference as newly announced statewide co-chairs.

The campaign to implement what’s known as “The 65% Solution” would require Colorado public school districts to spend at least 65% of their operational budgets on classroom instruction. According to the June 2005 report by the National Center for Education Statistics, Colorado ranks 48th nationally, with only 57.3% of its education dollars reaching its classrooms. Moving Colorado from 57.3% to 65% would mean nearly $500 million more for Colorado classrooms, teachers and students – without a tax increase.

FCE/CO will file nearly 105,000 signatures, well more than the 67,829 valid signatures needed to ensure voters will have an opportunity to approve the 65% Solution on the November general election ballot. Colorado is the first state where the measure will have qualified for the ballot.

With the passage of the 65% Solution last week in the Georgia State House and the expected signing by Governor Perdue later this week, Georgia will become the fourth state to enact a form of 65% in the classroom law, joining Louisiana, Kansas and Texas. Nearly a dozen other states are moving towards a 65% requirement either by legislative action, legislative referral to the ballot or citizen initiative.

Founded in March 2005, First Class Education is a national 501-c-4 organization committed to passing in all 50 states and the District of Columbia what has been dubbed by columnist George Will as “The 65% Solution.” Doing so would provide over $14 billion more for America’s classrooms without a tax increase – enough for a new computer for every student in America or 300,000 new teachers with a starting salary of $40,000 a year. The organization’s National Advisory Board Chairman is Dr. Patrick Byrne, founder of Overstock.com.

The next big initiative?
Requiring 65% of school funds to go to classroom
Deirdre Gregg
Staff Writer

Frustrated with the seemingly high overhead costs associated with public schools in this country, parents in many states have banded together to demand that at least 65 percent of every education dollar be spent directly in the classroom.

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