From the WMD Mailbag:
In an effort to improve Ohio schools' classroom performance, Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell joined First Class Education National Advisory Chair Patrick Byrne in announcing the start of an Ohio effort to enact what's been called "The 65 Cent Solution." The proposal would require every Ohio school district to spend at least 65 cents of each education dollar on "in the classroom" instruction, increasing classroom spending by more than $1.2 billion statewide without a tax increase. The proposal aims to be on the November 2006 ballot via legislative referral or citizen petition.
"Three times in the past six years the Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the Legislature to change the education funding formula," said Blackwell. "Property taxes have skyrocketed. Yet taxpayers are frustrated and angry with how billions more have been spent but positive results haven't materialized. Our solution to the education problem in Ohio has been to pump billions more into education but much of that money has not made it to the classroom. Reform is needed.
"Ohio classrooms must be the first priority of education spending," Blackwell continued. "Research shows classroom expenditures are a five times better indicator of academic improvement than overall spending. By requiring school districts to allocate a minimum of 65% of operational budgets to the classroom, we can increase classroom instruction by over $1.2 billion a year without a tax increase. That's enough to purchase a new computer for every Ohio student or hire 24,000 additional teachers with a starting salary more than $40,000."
According to a June 2005 report by the National Center for Educational Statistics, the Federal cleaning house of education research, Ohio ranks a dismal 47th nationally, with only 57.4% of education money reaching Ohio's classrooms.
In 2004, Utah, New York, Tennessee and Maine held statewide averages of spending over 65% in the classroom. In 2005, only New York and Maine spending stayed above 65% while the national classroom instruction percentage dropped to just 61.3%, down from 61.5% in 2004 and 61.7% in 2003. Meanwhile overall K-12 spending increased at more than four times the rate of inflation.
Said Dr. Byrne, "I look forward to working with Secretary Blackwell in bringing First Class Education and the national movement for 'The 65 Cent Solution' movement to Ohio. We could have no better advocate for teachers, taxpayers, parents and students than Ken. He is well known and respected nationwide as a bold, innovative leader and we are pleased to have his leadership as the Ohio Chair of First Class Education."
Dr. Patrick Byrne is the founder and president of Overstock.com, one of America's most popular internet retailers. A registered Independent, Byrne is a longstanding advocate of education reform and serves as the National Advisory Chairman of First Class Education.
Secretary Blackwell and Dr. Byrne will work together over the next several months to create a strategy to give Ohio voters the opportunity to pass The 65 Cent Solution in November 2006, whether by legislative referral or citizen petition.
Support for the First Class Education proposal -- dubbed "The 65 Cent Solution" by syndicated columnist George Will has grown into a national movement in the six months since its February 2005 unveiling. Louisiana and Kansas have both passed "65 cent legislation" and Texas Governor Rick Perry has signed an Executive Order enacting the 65 Cent Solution. Citizen ballot initiatives are in the works in Arizona, Colorado and Washington. Legislative referrals to the ballot are under consideration in more than an additional half-dozen states.
According to a study by the Independence Institute of Colorado comparing education spending in all 50 states with National Assessment of Education Progress 4th and 8th grade test scores, the percentage of money reaching the classroom was a five times greater determinant of increased test scores than the total amount of money spent.
Blackwell and Byrne will work together over the next several months to create a strategy to give Ohio voters the opportunity to pass the 65 Cent Solution in November 2006, whether by legislative referral or citizen petition.
First Class Education estimates that voters in approximately a dozen states will have the opportunity to vote for The 65 Cent Solution on November 2006 ballots. Polls conducted in 10 states consistently showed overwhelming voter approval of the requirement that school districts spend a minimum of 65% of their education operational budgets on classroom instruction, with support ranging from 72% to 92%.
"I look forward to working with Ohio teachers and taxpayers, parents and students, legislators and business leaders to move Ohio from 47th in the nation to leading the nation in making classroom instruction the first priority of education," concluded Blackwell. "Only if our priorities for education are our classrooms, teachers and students will we be able to improve Ohio's test scores and produce a workforce ready for the challenges of the 21st century global economy."
Go to the First Class Education
website for the details, but this looks pretty good to me. The definitions of what is and is not "in the class room" expenditures appears to be right:
"In the Classroom"
* Classroom Teachers, Personnel
* General Instruction Supplies
* Instructional Aides
* Activities -- Field Trips, Athletics, Music, Arts
* Special Needs Instruction
* Tuition Paid to Out-of State Districts & Private Institutions for Special Needs Students
"Outside the Classroom"
* Administration
* Plant Operations & Maintenance
* Food Services
* Transportation
* Instructional Staff Support
* Student Support Nurses, Therapists, Counselors
This is something I'm going to have to take a closer look at...and maybe Mark will as well when he gets a chance...
