’65 cent solution’ takes on Education Establishment – What does "in the classroom" mean?

A fledgling national advocacy group aims to force school districts nationwide to boost spending in the classroom, not by raising taxes but by cutting back on administrative and support services such as busing and counseling.

The goal of the little-known group, First Class Education, is to change the laws in all 50 states by 2008 to require schools to spend at least 65 percent of their operating budgets on classroom expenses, including teachers’ salaries, computers and after-school activities.

Since the group’s public rollout in March, legislatures in Kansas and Louisiana have passed measures encouraging the idea and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) in August ordered state schools to meet the 65 percent threshold. With financial backing from Internet retail tycoon Patrick Byrne, president of Overstock.com, the group is running TV commercials in Minnesota and Arizona and plans to gather signatures in up to 10 states to put the proposal before voters in the 2006 general election.

By Kavan Peterson, Stateline.org Staff Writer

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