School

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Jul 18, 2005 by Chris Moon Capital-Journal

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

Bill sets priority

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.

"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.