Our Students First

First Class Education for Missouri

 Missouri 's children will enjoy a first class economy tomorrow only if we ensure that every student has the opportunity to receive a first class education today.

If we want to provide a first class education for Missouri 's young people, we must change our educational priorities to put classroom education first. Classroom education is the only activity that can possibly increase test scores and dynamically impact our students.

“Our Students First” is exactly that - a statewide, locally driven initiative that puts our children first. Voters across our state deserve to know that before another dollar is spent on bureaucracy, classrooms and teachers have the funding they need to provide for our students.

According to the June 2005 report from the National Center for Education Statistics (for the most recent data 2002-2003 school year ), in our state, an average of only 61 cents of each taxpayer dollar reaches the classroom. We have to do better. By raising that figure just four cents to 65 cents on the dollar, we could have put an additional $272 million more into Missouri classrooms without a tax increase. That's an average of $304 per student or $6,080 for each class of 20.

Governor Blunt and the Republican controlled Missouri Legislature are increasing education funding by nearly $1 billion over the next seven years through the new foundation formula. It is important that voters have the opportunity to ensure that these new education dollars reach the classroom.

“Our Students First” will require each school district to make their classrooms their first priority by spending at least 65 cents of every education tax dollar in the classroom. ‘In the Classroom' education includes most anything that directly impacts the child—whether teaching a child to read a book, read Braille, read in English, read music or read a football pass pattern.

As defined by the National Center for Education Statistics “classroom instruction” includes most anything that directly touches students in a learning environment. Teachers, teacher assistants, textbooks, classroom supplies, Special Education instruction, English as a second language instruction, arts, music, drama, band and athletics are all counted as ‘in the classroom.'

“Our Students First” keeps local control and demands statewide accountability. Each local school board will get to decide how to spend the additional classroom dollars. Some may choose higher teacher pay or to hire additional teachers. Some may update textbooks or put computers in every classroom. Some may return arts and music to their curriculum. Local control continues and the taxpayers are assured that 65 cents of every education dollar is reaching the classroom for teachers and kids.

Currently 112 of Missouri 's 524 school districts are meeting or exceeding 65%, including 4 of the 25 largest districts and 5 of the 25 smallest districts. Surprisingly, studies show a school district's size, location or the total dollars per child spent do not correlate with money getting to the classroom. Only making the classroom the first priority makes the difference.

The goal is for each school district in Missouri to spend at least 65% of their operating budgets on classroom instruction as defined by the National Center for Educational Statistics. If a school district is currently spending less than 65% on classroom instruction, it would need to increase that amount by 2% or more each year until the 65% goal is reached. If a school district felt special circumstances prevented it from reaching either the 2% annual increase or the 65% goal, it could ask for a renewable one-year waiver. The Legislature will be specifically left the task to set penalties to encourage compliance to the measure.

K-12 education funding is increasing at FOUR TIMES the rate of inflation, while the percentage reaching the classroom is falling. If money spent outside the classroom was held to the rate of inflation and the rest spent inside the classroom, school districts would achieve the 2% annual improvement called for by “Our Students First”.

The 65% number comes from the “best practices” technique taught in business schools across America . It calls for finding what the best 10% in any field are doing and following those best practice examples. In 2004, the National Center for Education Statistics reported four states -- Utah , Tennessee , Maine and New York – all had statewide averages above 65%, with New Hampshire at 64.9%. Quality education is a common goal in our nation; it is something to strive for and a challenge to be met for each state and each district.

Who benefits from “Our Students First: First Class Education for Missouri ”? Students – classroom instruction will once again become the first priority of Missouri education. Teachers – sorely lacking resources will finally reach their classrooms! Taxpayers – tax money will be spent more wisely and with greater accountability! Parents – education funding will be more discernable and transparent, encouraging their greater involvement.

The top 10% of states for education outcomes, based on NAEP standardized test scores or ALEC state rankings, place the highest averaged percentage in the classroom, while the bottom ranked 10% put the lowest averaged percentage in the classroom.

Among Missouri 's 25 largest school districts, the 5 with the highest percentage in the classroom have 17% higher math proficiencies and 23% higher reading proficiencies than the 5 districts with the lowest percentages going to the classroom. Making the classroom the priority makes a difference.

Every school district may not be able to reach the 65% goal, but every school district that has not already meeting that goal should move toward more funding for direct instruction. If there is a legitimate reason why a district cannot reach 65%, the district should ask for a waiver and it should be granted. But school districts placing less than 65% in the classroom are going to become the exception, rather than the norm as they are today.

Our goal is very simple. Before any Missouri education dollar is spent outside the classroom, this question should be asked and answered: ‘Could this dollar be better spent inside the classroom?' With Missouri spending only 61% of its K-12 education operational money inside the classroom, we can see this question is either not being asked often enough, or not being answered correctly enough. With your help, we can change this and return Missouri education priorities to our classrooms, our teachers and our kids.

Missouri is ranked in the middle of the pack – 22 nd – in education outcomes and in the middle of the pack – 25 th – in the percentage of dollars reaching our classrooms. We can and must do better!

Why we use 2002-2003 data—Fiscal year for districts ends June 30. Financial reports are due to DESE August 15. States are to report financial data to NCES by March 15 and can make corrections until Labor Day. NCES then considers the state's data final and prepares reports.

The NCES report considers only dollars for the area known as current (or operating) expenditures.  Dollars spent for equipment, property, building additions, renovations, and debt retirement are not included. 

¹Why we use 2002-2003 data—Fiscal year for districts ends June 30. Financial reports are due to DESE August 15. States are to report financial data to NCES by March 15 and can make corrections until Labor Day. NCES then considers the state's data final and prepares reports.