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OUR VIEW: School board meets governor's challenge
By Jerome Christenson for the Winona Editorial Board
The governor would say the Winona public school district has its priorities straight.
Last week Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed requiring all Minnesota school districts to spend at least 70 percent of their money directly on teaching kids. Within three years, seven out of every 10 dollars collected by every school district would have to be spent on regular classroom instruction, vocational instruction or special education — on teachers, instructional aides, books, teaching supplies and technology used by students and teachers in the classroom. The remaining three dollars would have to cover district and school administration, clerical staff, business office operations and staff, building operations and maintenance, staff development and athletics and co-curricular activities.
Because costs for transportation, food service, debt service, capital expenditures, building construction, tuition, and community service vary widely among districts and are often beyond the control of local boards because of prior commitments, state and federal mandates or local circumstances, they are excluded when the 70 percent is calculated.
According to the state — Winona hits the governor's figure right on the nose.
The Winona School Board deserves credit for setting and sticking to priorities which, in times of shrinking enrollment and tightening budgets, directed the lion's share of available funding into district classrooms. By the governor's assessment of school spending, they did manage to trim the fat while sparing the muscle and bone.
We endorse and applaud the governor's proposal. Money for schools belongs in the classroom, not in administrative suites. The past performance of the Winona School Board demonstrates that it can be done. Winona teachers, students and taxpayers deserve the assurance that as the district collects funds raised through the new levy — no fewer than seven dollars out of every 10 will continue to be directed to district classrooms. A measure of success that was the unintended consequence of tough times ought to be a minimum standard for future, more liberal district budgets.
By Jerome Christenson on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham, editor Darrell Ehrlick, photo editor James A. Bowey and sales and marketing manager Tom Best. To comment, call 453-3522 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com
MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
Last update: January 09, 2006 - 12:06 PM
Pawlenty pitches 70% solution for school spending Governor says his
proposal could shift more than $112 million from administrations to
classrooms.
Norman Draper, Star Tribune
Some metro school districts would have to find new ways to spends
millions of dollars under a proposal made today by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Under his plan, school districts would have to spend at least 70
percent of their budgets on classroom expenses, which could force some
districts to shift millions of dollars currently spent on
administrative costs into such direct classroom funding items as
teachers, instructional supplies, special education and vocational
education.
The proposal is a recycled and slightly modified version of a similar
plan put before the Legislature last year.
The plan, which needs legislators' approval to take effect, involves
no new state money for K-12 education. But Pawlenty said it could
result in more than $112 million being redirected statewide from
administration to classroom spending.
Administration costs include those for such things as principals and
assistant principals, curriculum directors, maintenance, staff
development and school athletics.
While districts have been pruning administrative costs over the years,
Pawlenty said it's not enough. Plus, he said, his plan provides a way
to insure that districts are spending an additional $800 million
allocated to them by the Legislature for this year and next directly
on kids, not on administrators.
Pawlenty said there are still "too many layers between the
superintendents and the students."
"Driving resources into the classroom is a high priority," he said.
"It is an ingredient toward having a better school system." There are
no penalties or sanctions associated with the plan. But Pawlenty said
districts under the 70 percent threshhold would have to submit a
three-year plan to get to that level.
"Most districts are within striking distance of this goal already," he
said.
State figures show that 67 Minnesota school districts currently spend
at least 70 percent of their funding at the classroom level. Those
include such Twin Cities districts as Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Anoka-Hennepin, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan and South Washington
County.
But some districts below the threshhold will have to do some serious
juggling of finances if the Pawlenty proposal is to become law. For
instance, state figures show Mounds View would have to reallocate $2.1
million to meet the 70 percent threshhold. For Robbinsdale, it would
be $4.8 million. For Bloomington, $3.9 million.
Norman Draper . 612-673-4547
©2006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
FCE PRAISES MINNESOTA HOUSE FOR PASSING EDUCATION BILL CONTAINING 65 PERCENT SOLUTION |
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| May 6, 2005 |
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ST. PAUL, Minn. --- First Class Education (www.FirstClassEducation.org) Chairman Patrick Byrne praised the Minnesota House of Representatives for voting 70-63 in passing an education bill that includes the 65 percent solution – a measure that directs at least 65 percent of state education funding to the classroom.
“This is the beginning of a wave that will sweep across the country,” Byrne said. “A similar proposal is now on the ballot in Arizona and we’re about to begin our grassroots activities in five more states over the next month.”
Byrne, who is also CEO of the popular Internet company Overstock.com, noted First Class Education has been running television ads in Minnesota all this week encouraging residents to contact their legislators to urge them to support the 65 percent solution.
“Our activities in Minnesota clearly played a significant role in getting the bill passed. We appreciate the support given by Governor Pawlenty who sees the value in ensuring that most of the education budget should go directly to the classroom,” Byrne said. “By Governor Pawlenty’s calculations the 65 percent requirement equals $214 million more a year for Minnesota’s classrooms – enough to hire another 5,000 teachers at $40,000 per year or put over half-a-million more desktop computers in classrooms, all without a tax increase.”
our calculations the 65 percent solution will allow Minnesota to hire another 2300 teachers at $40,000 per year and put 306,000 more desktop computers in classrooms, all without a tax increase.”
To schedule an interview with Dr. Byrne regarding the 65 percent solution, contact Keith Appell at (703)-683-5004, ext. 112, and for more information about First Class Education and the 65 percent solution please visit www.FirstClassEducation.org. |
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GOVERNOR PAWLENTY BACKS PROPOSAL TO SEND AT LEAST
65 PERCENT OF EDUCATION SPENDING TO THE CLASSROOM
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Brian McClung, (651) 296-0001 |
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Districts would be required to limit spending on bureaucracy, focus on classroom
April 27, 2005 |
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Saint Paul –Under a proposal backed by Governor Tim Pawlenty today, up to $214 million would be shifted from school district administration to classrooms. The proposal would require every Minnesota school district to spend at least 65 percent of expenditures directly on classroom instruction.
"As we increase K-12 funding this year, we also want to make sure the money is well spent,” Governor Tim Pawlenty said. “Requiring that at least 65 percent of funding be spent in the classroom is a common sense idea that will help ensure better accountability in our schools.”
The bill, authored by Representative Karen Klinzing (R-Woodbury) and Senator David Hann (R-Eden Prairie), requires superintendents to certify each year the percent of the district's total operating expenditures that are intended to be spent on direct classroom expenditures. Direct classroom expenditures include classroom teachers and personnel, special education, vocational education, classroom instructional supplies, instructional aides and activities.
"The 65 percent proposal still allows the local school board to determine exactly how their money will be spent, but it adds some statewide accountability by making the classroom the priority," Rep. Karen Klinzing said. "As a classroom teacher, I have seen first hand the frustration of parents who pay higher taxes and yet see fewer resources in their classrooms."
Minnesota school districts currently spend an average of 62.1 percent of total expenditures in the classroom. Moving to 65 percent would shift an additional $214 million to classroom activities that have a more direct impact on student achievement.
"This bill provides more money for classrooms without a tax increase and clearly establishes that we expect state funding to be targeted on our children," said Senator David Hann. "The 65 percent solution is a sensible and effective step we can take today to help our students succeed in the classroom."
If a school district is currently spending less than 65 percent on classroom instruction, it would need to increase that amount by 2 percent or more per year until the 65 percent goal is reached. In addition, there is waiver language in the bill to help ease the financial strain on rural school districts with high transportation and other fixed costs.
The 65 percent proposal was included in the House Omnibus K-12 bill, which will be voted on next week. The Senate did not include the language in its bill but Senator Hann said it will be offered as an amendment to the K-12 omnibus package next week.
"There are school districts that are near or at the 65 percent solution and we commend them for making such a strong commitment to classroom instruction," Governor Pawlenty said. "However, we have school districts that are failing to prioritize classroom expenditures in their operating budgets. We believe the students, parents and teachers in those deserve more resources to help them advance student achievement."
Governor Pawlenty has proposed increasing K-12 education funding by $477 million in his budget proposal. The Governor’s plan includes 2.5% formula increase for each year of the biennium for a total of $341 million. The average general fund revenue for school districts, excluding money from the Governor’s Q Comp performance pay initiative, is $8,557 per student in FY 2006 and $9,057 in FY 2007. This will result in an average 6.1% increase to school district’s biennial budgets.
Districts that participate in the Governor’s Q Comp program would receive an average 9.2% increase to their biennial budgets. |
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Pawlenty backs plan for classroom funding
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| Norman Draper, Star Tribune |
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April 28, 2005 |
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How much money do schools funnel into the classroom, where the funds can pay for teachers and such instructional supplies as maps and books?
Gov. Tim Pawlenty figures it's too little. He announced Wednesday that he is supporting bills in the House and Senate requiring school districts to dedicate at least 65 percent of their operating funds to direct classroom instruction. Not included would be operations such as administration, transportation and food services.
Rep. Karen Klinzing, R-Woodbury, a teacher and author of the House 65 percent bill, said such legislation could lower class sizes and furnish classrooms with teaching supplies.
The problem with the plan, critics say, is that the figures are screwy: Schools are already channeling as much as 85 percent of their operating funds into the classroom. Sen. Steve Kelley, DFL-Hopkins, chairman of the Senate Education Policy Committee, charged Pawlenty with creating "just another gimmick" to draw attention away from what he characterized as the underfunding of schools.
According to Pawlenty and state Education Department figures, 25 of Minnesota's school districts -- including several large Twin Cities districts -- already allocate that much to the classroom. Another 317 range downward to 46 percent. Twin Cities districts above the 65 percent line include Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, Osseo, St. Paul, South Washington County, Anoka-Hennepin and Burnsville. Minneapolis is just below the line. Other districts below it include Minnetonka, Edina, Stillwater, Eden Prairie, Robbinsdale and Spring Lake Park.
"As you know, we are engaged in an important debate in Minnesota about how much more money we're going to give to our schools," Pawlenty said. "We should also be asking as part of that debate, how is it going to be spent?"
Bringing all those low districts up to the 65 percent level, Pawlenty said, would shift $214 million to the classroom. He wondered whether districts could cut more fat from main offices. Critics, however, suggest that the kind of shift Pawlenty is talking about could result in cuts to such areas as teacher training, transportation and school nursing. They also say differences in how districts report their expenses to the state can make it tricky to compare districts' costs.
"Some districts that are at the 50 percent level aren't counting special education costs," Kelley noted. But the proposed law would include it as a direct classroom expense.
Norman Draper is at ndraper@startribune.com. |
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