Legislation says 65 percent of school spending should be in the classroom

By Chris Moon
The Capital-Journal

It's a question of value -- the most bang for the buck. And it rankles some in the state's education community who say the Legislature doesn't have a clue.

In legislation passed earlier this month to add $148 million to public schools -- part of the Legislature's court-ordered 10 percent boost to education funding -- lawmakers included a provision that would establish a statewide goal for school districts to spend 65 percent of their money on classroom expenses.

That, lawmakers argued, would ensure money is spent for good teachers rather than sucked into the bottomless pit of "administrative" expenses. There are no penalties for noncompliance. But some are resisting the effort.

CLASSROOM DOLLARS
The Legislature has set a public policy goal of sending 65 percent of funding to schools to the classroom. Other expenses that schools face include administration, maintenance, capital improvements, transportation, food service and student support services.

Here's how local districts fare at getting money into the classroom:
Auburn Washburn: 59.9 percent
Topeka: 59.8 percent Seaman: 58.2 percent Shawnee Heights: 57.4 percent Silver Lake: 57.4 percent Statewide average: 59.2 percent
Highest: Holton, 69.4 percent
Lowest: Comanche County, 49.8 percent
Source: Kansas Department of Education

"It was a political reaction to this idea that Kansas doesn't get enough money to the classroom," said Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards. But, "No one is talking about what changes are required to do that and whether it would make any difference once we go there."

Nationally, only four states -- Maine, New York, Tennessee and Utah -- spend 65 percent of their money in the classroom today, according to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Kansas spends 59 percent of its funding there. The national average is 61 percent.

Classroom expenses, as defined by NCES, consist mostly of teacher pay. National push Seeing those numbers sparked a small national movement this year, led by Patrick Byrne, the founder of Overstock.com, to get schools to spend money more efficiently.

Byrne's organization, First Class Education, is contributing to efforts in several states to get constitutional amendments on the ballot to make the 65 percent threshold a reality.

First Class Education called the Kansas provision a good start but weak because it lacked strict enforcement provisions. "Unless school districts have got to do something, they won't do it," said Tim Mooney, spokesman for First Class Education.

The group has helped get legislation passed in Louisiana, and it is pushing for proposed amendments to the constitutions of Colorado, Arizona and Washington.

The group had no involvement in the recent Kansas legislation, but Mooney said it has fielded several calls from the Sunflower State in recent weeks and is considering making a push for an amendment here during the 2006 legislative session. "Right now, the local support seems to be moving that way," Mooney said. "We're not there yet."

Legislative leaders in Kansas -- even those who sponsored the 65 percent legislation this year -- were cool to that idea. "This is one of those things we can accomplish without a constitutional amendment," said Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence. What about counselors?

Tallman said the 65 percent mark shouldn't be a goal at all. Classroom expenses, as defined by NCES, don't include money school districts spend on school counselors and nurses, whom Tallman said help teachers do their jobs.

Carrie Rutherford, a counselor at Highland Park High School, said she frequently helps students who are having problems at home, even those who are suicidal. And with increasing pressure to meet testing standards -- as well as growing political pressure on schools -- Rutherford said, she also serves as a sounding board for frustrated teachers. "We don't know what goes on behind the souls of these kids," Rutherford said. "And teachers are being faced with everything."

Currently, according to the Kansas Department of Education, the state spends roughly 8 percent of its funding on school district administration. Other areas tugging for funding include maintenance, capital improvements, debt service, transportation and food service. But putting pressure on some areas, like food service or counseling services, simply to put more money into the classroom could actually worsen student test scores, Tallman said. "It is potentially a concern," he said. Wasting money?

Supporters of the 65 percent plan dismissed doom and gloom theories. "New York doesn't have counselors?" asked Mooney. "The resistance comes from the bureaucrats who waste the money and don't want change." Already this year, the Legislature has approved a 10 percent increase in school funding in Kansas, which Tallman said would make the 65 percent goal easier to attain.

Schmidt, the Senate majority leader, said other areas of school budgets have merit. "But at the end of the day, what happens in the classroom is the single most important thing in what kids learn," he said. "It's achievable." Locally, Topeka Public Schools spends 59 percent of its funding -- the same as the statewide average -- on classroom expenses. District officials don't seem worried about the Legislature's new but toothless mandate. But, said Topeka school board member Tim Clothier, the state first needs to look at whether counselors should be included in the definition of "classroom" spending. Some districts use counselors more than others.

"The kids in Holton, Kansas, are a whole lot different than the kids in Topeka, Kansas," he said. The Holton school district spends a larger percentage of its budget in the classroom -- 69 percent -- than any other district in Kansas. Chris Moon can be reached at (785) 233-7470 or chris.moon@cjonline.com.

Kansas Legislature: Classrooms 1st Priority -- Almost, Kind of, No Not Really

65% In the Classroom Sentiment is Correct, But Lacks Firm Implementation

WASHINGTON: With the Kansas Supreme Court pondering shuttering public schools in a Viet Nam-like “burn the village in order to save the village” strategy, the Kansas Legislature has passed a massive new education tax and funding plan that will put 65% of education money into Kansas’ classrooms.

Well, almost…kind of…no, not really.

Passed as a provision of the unparalleled increase in education taxes and spending is a proviso that states: "It is the public policy goal of the state that at least 65 percent of money appropriated by the state to school districts must be spent in the classroom or for instructional purposes."

But while the sentiment is correct, advocates for shifting education dollars to the classroom says the provision falls far short and is likely to do next to nothing.

Said First Class Education spokesperson Tim Mooney,

“The Kansas Legislature has agreed with the First Class Education sentiment of placing 65% of education money into the classroom, but this is recommendation, not a requirement, and is only for state funds, not local or federal dollars. Educrats will find it easy to get around the Legislature’s recommendation by spending the state money in the classroom while spending the local and federal money outside the classroom. By doing this they can look like they're doing something while actually doing nothing at all.”

The First Class Education proposal, dubbed by syndicated columnist George Will as “The 65 Cent Solution” would direct 65 percent of all education funding to the classroom for teachers, textbooks, class supplies, special needs education, music, arts and athletics. According to a recently released report by the National Center for Education Statistics, only 59.2% of Kansas education funding reaches the classroom, ranking Kansas 41st in the nation. By increasing to 65 cents on the dollar, Kansas classrooms would reap more than $236 million more a year – without a tax increase.

Continued Mooney,

“More money isn’t the answer for education when so much money is wasted outside the classroom. We’re pleased the Legislature wants to look like they’re doing something to change this fact, but actual improvement needs to be the next step. That's why a we need a constitutional change requiring 65 cents of every education operational dollar be spent in the classroom as the only assurance taxpayers, parents and teachers can trust that Kansas classrooms are truly the first priority for K-12 education.

First Class Education is a national movement with a goal to change the law in all 50 states and Washington DC by the end of 2008 to require that 65 cents of every education dollar reaches the classroom. When fully enacted, an additional $14 billion more each year will reach America’s classrooms – enough to hire 300,000 new teachers with a staring salary of $40,000, or enough to buy a computer for every student in America – all without a tax increase.

For more information: www.firstclasseducation.org