...in Minnesota
January 2008 - Consolidated Financial Statement Sources and Uses of Funds - General Fund Two Year Period Ending June 30, 2007 - Minnesota Schools Allocate Over 90% of funds to School Level Education Services (greater than the 65.7% allocated to Instruction, 73% when you add Instructional and Pupil Support Services, because it includes keeping the lights on), Minnesota Department of Education.
Background
Legislation was introduced in the 2005 session to mandate that schools use 65% of their funds “in the classroom.” The legislation went nowhere, but then the idea reemerged at a January 2006 press conference held by Governor Pawlenty.
In the 2006 session the bill made it out of committee by only one vote without a recommendation to pass on the floor and didn't have the votes to pass.
The strategy resurfaced in early September 2006 when Governor Pawlenty released a controversial television campaign ad.
This idea may sound great, but like any other top down, unfunded mandate, it warrants investigation. First, using the definitions that the Governor demands, on average school districts in Minnesota already spend 69.2% “in the classroom.” This may be why the 65% legislation that is being attempted in many states, from a group called First Class Education, has been upped to 70% in Minnesota.
Let’s take a look at what the Governor calls “in the classroom.” According to his press release, “Non-classroom expenditures would include district and school administration and support services, operations and maintenance, staff development, pupil and instructional support services….” Now, it appears that that means the lights, heat, the very schools our children attend, teacher training, and librarians are not essential to the education of our children. So where are the kids supposed to learn? And what are the teachers supposed to be teaching? And why not just turn the lights and the heat off now? It was inferred that this was a way to increase school funding by $112 million—really?
And even under these definitions Minnesota spends more on classroom instruction than any other state according to a Standard and Poor’s Report out this last summer. The following are excerpts from the report:
“Interestingly, the 65 Percent Solution comes at a time when many education reform initiatives place their emphasis on measurable student outcomes, as opposed to financial inputs. Yet, the 65 Percent Solution is an input-driven initiative, without any measurable outcome, such as a quantified achievement goal or targeted return on resources. This raises the question of whether there is empirical evidence that allocating more money to instruction will necessarily result in higher student achievement.”
“Minnesota had by far the greatest percentage of districts that already allocate at least 65% of their operating budgets to instruction. Thus, the state is a prime test case for examining the relationship between spending allocations and student performance in detail.”
“Just as there is no observable relationship between spending more than 65% on instruction and high student performance, there is also no significant correlation between spending any minimum percentage on instruction and student performance.…For example, five districts in Minnesota spent 57.1% of their operating budgets on instruction. Student proficiency rates among those five districts ranged from 66.1% to 82%.”
“In sum, the data show that there is no minimum instructional spending allocation that necessarily produces higher student achievement. However, these findings do not suggest that ‘money doesn’t matter’, or that school districts should not dedicate as much of their resources as possible to the classroom. This is a laudable goal, but the percentage allocated to instruction may need to vary from one district to another for legitimate reasons.” --School Matters, A Service of Standard and Poor’s
Minnesota Public Schools & Districts: The 65 Percent Solution, Standard & Poor's School Matters.
If you are interested in how your district is doing regarding this percentage, check the MDE spreadsheet (Excel, FY 2004). Also from the Minnesota Department of Education, see 70 Percent in the Classroom Proposal Frequently Asked Questions (Could these be "Talking Points?")
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Education researcher Gerald W. Bracey (bio) on the 65% Solution:
January 2007 - Authors of the 65% Solution Win Smokescreen Award.
April 2006 - A Policy Maker’s Guide to “The 65% Solution” Proposals, Education Policy Studies Laboratory, Arizona State University.
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