An effort to require school districts to funnel 65 percent of their budgets directly into classrooms is gaining traction in several states.
Gov. Rick Perry of Texas signed an executive order in August mandating that school districts implement the 65 Percent Solution, as the idea is called by the nonprofit group organizing the effort. It also has been endorsed by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the leaders of both chambers of Arizona鈥檚 legislature, and other top state officials.
But while the group pushing the idea is led by a businessman with a bipartisan background, all of those politicians are Republicans. And the group spearheading the effort is targeting states where Democratic governors are expected to face tough re-election fights.
As a result, discussions about the merits of the idea may be overshadowed by questions about the proponents鈥� motives鈥攑articularly as an internal document suggests the drive is indeed intended to bolster Republicans.
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e found is a cynical ploy that is related to politics, not to education policy,鈥� said Kay Coles, a state-policy expert for the National Education Association. The 2.7 million-member teacher union opposes the group鈥檚 65 percent goal.
The national consultant spearheading the effort said last week that the organizing group, First Class Education, isn鈥檛 aligned with a political party but is committed to a 鈥渟imple and intuitive鈥� idea that is politically popular.
鈥淎s an organization, we鈥檙e only concerned with getting our issue passed,鈥� said Timothy F. Mooney, the Arizona-based Republican consultant working with First Class Education. 鈥淭here will be an advantage to be with us and a disadvantage to be against us.鈥�
The group鈥檚 65 Percent Solution is one of several recent efforts to demand that schools spend their money in ways that the proponents see as wiser and more efficient, such as by shifting funds from administration to instruction. (鈥淪chools Feel Pressure of Efforts to Increase Fiscal Accountability,鈥� June 8, 2005.)
Strategy Paper
On the First Class Education Web site, the group describes itself as a grassroots effort and recruits volunteers for the cause. It lists an address in Washington as its headquarters, but operates mostly through state-based consultants, Mr. Mooney says.
An internal document obtained by 澳门跑狗论坛 suggests that the group has a political agenda beyond its policy goals.
Of the four states initially targeted for ballot measures on the 65 Percent Solution next year, three鈥擜rizona, Oklahoma, and Michigan鈥攈ave Democratic governors facing re-election. The fourth, Colorado, will have an open governorship because the Republican incumbent, Bill Owens, is prohibited from seeking re-election.
By backing the 65 Percent Solution on the ballot, 鈥淩epublicans will have a viable answer to 鈥�in the classroom improvement of education鈥� without the need to call for a tax increase,鈥� the four-page document says.
It also says that the 鈥渆ducation establishment鈥� will oppose the idea, in turn diverting campaign funds and volunteers from establishment-endorsed candidates.
鈥淓very day and every dollar the education establishment uses to defeat this proposal is a day and a dollar they cannot spend on other political activities,鈥� the document, printed on First Class Education letterhead, says.
Mr. Mooney said that he would not verify the authenticity of the document, but during an interview last week, he used many of the same arguments spelled out in the document, and sometimes exactly the same phrases.
Republican Support
Other signs also suggest that First Class Education is trying to bolster Republicans and undermine Democrats by splitting their constituencies in the education world. For example:
鈥� Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, who is running to be the Republican nominee for governor in next year鈥檚 election, announced last month that he would lead a petition drive to get a measure on the state鈥檚 ballot in support of the 65 Percent Solution.
鈥� In television ads posted on the group鈥檚 Web site, a narrator says that 鈥淩epublican leaders have a plan鈥� in Arizona and Minnesota to increase classroom spending, 鈥渁ll with no tax increase.鈥� The Arizona ad features Speaker of the House Jim Weiers and the president of the Senate, Ken Bennett, both Republicans. While Gov. Pawlenty isn鈥檛 in the Minnesota ad, his name appears in a newspaper headline that flashes across the screen.
鈥� Several of First Class Education鈥檚 state-based consultants are prominent Republicans. Arizona-based consultant Randall L. Pullen is one of that state鈥檚 members of the Republican National Committee, and Dan Kyle, the chairman of the Louisiana effort, is a deputy chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party.
Mr. Mooney said last week that he would like the effort to be bipartisan, but that he has won more support from Republicans than Democrats so far.
In Arizona, one of the states targeted for a ballot initiative, Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano has set a goal for districts to spend 62 percent of their operating costs on classroom expenses.
Separating Costs
First Class Education was launched last spring as a project of Patrick J. Byrne, the founder of Overstock.com, an online merchandiser of consumer goods.
Earlier this year, Mr. Byrne, who did not return phone calls seeking comment for this story, described himself as a 鈥渮ig-zag moderate鈥� in a Web-log entry on his company鈥檚 Web site.
His Web posting also included a list of his recent campaign contributions, which included donations to Democratic and Republican candidates. Last year, he gave $250 to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, a group of Vietnam War veterans that attacked Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts over the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee鈥檚 war record and anti-war activities.
On First Class Education鈥檚 Web site, an image of a garbage can appears below the words 鈥淲hat a Waste.鈥� After clicking on the image, the user sees a list of entries that include stories about a superintendent鈥檚 retirement benefits, allegedly misspent federal funds, and other examples of what is deemed wasteful education spending.
The group wants legislation and state ballot initiatives that would require districts to spend 65 percent of their budgets in classrooms, using the definition of classroom costs that the National Center for Education Statistics uses to track school finances.
The NCES says classroom expenses include salaries of teachers and classroom aides, the costs of extracurricular activities such as athletics and music programs, and special education services provided by private schools. Under its definition, transportation, libraries, food services, and professional development are among the costs that are considered administrative expenses.
According to the NCES, schools spent about 61.3 percent of their operating budgets on classroom resources in the 2002-03 school year.
Many educators oppose the 65 Percent Solution because, they say, it would force schools to cut employees, such as school nurses, who play important roles even if they aren鈥檛 part of academic programs.
Supporters of the idea 鈥渇ail to realize that these and other expenditures are very important for education,鈥� said Rob D鈥橝mico, a spokesman for the Texas Federation of Teachers.
Following up Texas Gov. Perry鈥檚 order requiring the state鈥檚 districts to spend 65 percent of their budgets on instructional expenses, the Texas Education Agency will define what constitutes such expenses.
