Missourians React To Governor Blunt's 65% Illusion

Governor Blunt's recent proposal might be popular with DC-based anti-education special interest groups, but it sure isn't generating much enthusiasm from Missourians.  Here is  a representative sample of reactions from Missouri school officials and other interested citizens:

“I think it takes away from local control.” – Sid Doerhoff, Superintendent, St. Elizabeth R-4 (News Tribune, 11/6/05).

“Each part of the school functions in its own way. You can’t hurt one to help another – you have to stay balanced.” – Toni Westbrooks, Administrator, High Point R-3 (News Tribune, 11/6/05).

“When you raise one number, it stands to reason that you’re going to have to reduce another number in order for the numbers to balance out. So, where do we decrease from?” – Toni Westbrooks, Administrator, High Point R-3 (News Tribune, 11/6/05).

“A couple of those are directly related to being able to provide instructional quality and an instructional program. Transportation is essential to getting students to and from school. I happen to believe that students need counseling services. They need certified librarians. So, I’ve got a lot of questions.” – Bert Kimble, Superintendent, Jefferson City School District (News Tribune, 11/6/05).

“What, specifically, is considered outside-the-classroom items and how do they determine that those outside-the-classroom items have no impact on student achievement/learning? I think it’s better called the 65 percent illusion.” –C.J. Huff, Superintendent, Eldon R-1 (News Tribune, 11/6/05).

“Where do you draw the line between what is classroom instruction, what is administration? This proposal treats those issues as if they are unimportant, which they are not. Just because they may be labeled as administrative doesn’t mean they’re not critical to the success of a school district.” – Brent Ghan, Spokesman, Missouri School Board Association (AP, 11/3/05).

“We do have concerns in general about having something that says each school district has to do exactly the same thing.” – Gary Sharpe, Executive Director, Missouri Council of School Administrators.

“Once more, the state and politicians are out to run the local schools over their boards.” – John Martin, Superintendent, Grandview (Kansas City Star, 11/4/05).

“If those are not included in that 65 percent, what does that say about those services?” – Jim Hinson, Superintendent, Independence, regarding early childhood programs (Kansas City Star, 11/4/05).

“We have 524 school districts, with enrollments ranging from 42,000 to 30.  They look radically different and have radically different needs. It’s not good to try to sledgehammer in a one-size-fits-all policy. School boards, principals, teachers and parents know best how to allocate resources, not extreme interest groups with big agendas from other parts of the country.” –Otto Fajen, Legislative Director, Missouri National Education Association (Kansas City Star, 11/4/05).

“Until there is new money in education, the problems are not going to be solved.” – Alex Bartlett, Attorney (Post-Dispatch, 11/4/05).

“This is a guise under which the governor will say that more money is going to classrooms, but in actuality, the state will be giving less money to school districts. He’s behind a new state foundation formula that doesn’t take effect for 10 years.” – Jack Cardetti, Missouri Democratic Party (Post-Dispatch,
11/4/05).

“Our district gets only 5 percent in state funds, and the stat is interested in telling us how to spend all the funds.” – Hugh Kinney, Superintendent, Pattonville (Post-Dispatch, 11/4/05).

“The implication of this proposal seems to be all these other things are somehow wasteful and unimportant and that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Just because it is not directly spent in the classroom doesn’t mean that it does not affect and help kids with their education.” – Brent Ghan, Spokesman, Missouri School Boards Association (Post-Dispatch, 11/4/05).

Springfield Public Schools spent 61.47 percent on instruction...But that figure doesn't account for the rising costs of fueling up buses and heating and cooling classrooms. “If (Blunt is) saying those don't directly affect the classroom, I have a real problem with that.”– Bruce Renner, Member, Springfield Board of Education (Springfield News-Leader, 11/04/05).

“It seems to me to be another attempt to take local control away from the patrons of our school district. I hope that this isn't a smokescreen that'sbeing thrown up by the governor to take away from the fact that we still do not feel that we are receiving adequate funding from the state.” – Kris Callen, Vice President, Springfield Board of Education (Springfield News-Leader, 11/04/05).

The governor’s broad definition of instruction includes expenses such as teachers’ salaries, textbooks and classroom resources. But the definition leaves out media specialists, psychologists, social workers, counselors and nurses. “If we didn’t have them, our kids couldn’t learn. There are children who need the support of people other than teachers to help them academically.” – Lynn Barnett, Assistant Superintendent , Columbia Public Schools (Columbia Missourian, 11/06/05).

Barnett said Blunt was using old data to evaluate schools’ performances. The governor’s information on districts’ expenditures was based on 2002-2003 data, Barnett said. “We haven’t been able to match our budget figures with the budget information provided by the governor’s staff. We believe we’re spending 80 to 85 percent. But our definition of instruction may not match the governor’s.” – Lynn Barnett, Assistant Superintendent , Columbia Public Schools (Columbia Missourian, 11/06/05).

“I don’t think this will increase teachers’ salaries. I think most school districts would have done it if they could.”  – Lynn Barnett, Assistant Superintendent , Columbia Public Schools (Columbia Missourian, 11/06/05).

“I think we have to look at the issue of local control. It’s an issue that districts often refer back to school board members and community patrons that have input into their districts’ budgets, and this would take away some of that control as to how districts use their money.” – Duane Widhalm, Superintendent, Lebanon R-3 (Lebanon Daily Record, 11/07/05)

According to Mexico School District Supt. Lloyd Little, that definition is too narrow. “They are leaving out some pretty important things.” – Lloyd Little, Superintendent, Mexico School District (Mexico Ledger, 11/07/05)

In the Mexico district, it could mean the loss of the school's resource officers. “We put those officers in place because we felt it made our schools safer. We need them.” – Lloyd Little, Superintendent, Mexico School District (Mexico Ledger, 11/07/05)

“After looking at what is considered instructional expenditures and what is not, I have a problem with the 65 percent spending on student instruction. I have a hard time thinking that guidance, library media, speech pathology and professional development is not instructional related. I can also see where this would limit the spending on health services. We would have to eliminate a school nurse or two and perhaps look at cutting back on counselors. The fact is, we need the nurses we now employ and actually could use another full time counselor. This looks like it could cause a conflict with the recommendations that DESE has on the number of counselors needed and the expenditures recommended for library media centers.” – Joe Layton, Superintendent, Seneca R-7 (Neosho Daily News, 11/07/05).

“It is another unfunded mandate from the state.” – Jacqueline Ebeling, Superintendent, Lewis County C-1 School District (Quincy Herald Whig, 11/05/05).

“For us it's going to be hard (to make 65 percent) because 2 or 3 percent makes a big difference.” – Diana Hoenes, Superintendent, Marion County R-2 School District (Quincy Herald Whig, 11/05/05).

“I understand the state's thinking. I understand where they're coming from, that they need to make sure money is going where it's needed. But there are so many things involved in running a school. “We've also got to have the ample funding do that. For a small school, it's hard to do. It would be easy to do if we had the extra money. We could take away 3 percent from something else. I'm not sure now what that 3 percent would come from.” – Diana Hoenes, Superintendent, Marion County R-2 School District (Quincy Herald Whig, 11/05/05).

“I really believe that the governor should have let educators know about this proposal beforehand and taken some input.” – Jacqueline Ebeling, Superintendent, Lewis County C-1 School District (Quincy Herald Whig, 11/05/05).

“One of my biggest concerns would be a movement toward consolidation by saying these schools with higher fixed costs don't meet this threshold.” – Rep. Rachel Bringer, D-Palmyra (Quincy Herald Whig, 11/05/05).

“In the initiative’s current form, we are opposed to it – reason being we feel like the definition of classroom instruction isn’t broad enough and doesn’t encompass come of the elements it should.” – Todd Fuller, Spokesman, Missouri State Teachers Association (Columbia Missourian, 11/08/05).

“I feel like in essence, Gov. Bunt is saying that teachers, administrators and boards of education don’t know how to teach kids and are not making high-quality instruction a priority.” – Rep. Joe Aull, D-Marshall, Elementary and Secondary Education Committee (Columbia Missourian, 11/08/05).

“There are lots of school districts that function very differently.” – Todd Fuller, Spokesman, Missouri State Teachers Association (Columbia Missourian,
11/08/05).

“The governor is excluding things like library services, counseling and health services, which are critical to student success. It's a little confusing as to what exactly is included as part of direct instruction costs. He includes special education, but essential parts of it, such as speech pathology, are not covered.”– Angela Besendorfer, Superintendent, Reeds Spring (Branson Daily
News, 11/08/05).

“When the government tries to put a blanket percentage on school district spending, it doesn't allow for local control and differences in districts. For instance, Reeds Spring is a district that drives 2,000 miles a day, so our transportation costs are going to be higher than a district that doesn't have the same transportation requirements.” – Angela Besendorfer, Superintendent, Reeds Spring (Branson Daily News, 11/08/05).

“It doesn't allow local school boards to make decisions based on what's best for students in their districts. Just when the state has given school districts a little more flexibility with the new foundation formula, they find another way to get more control.” – Angela Besendorfer, Superintendent, Reeds Spring (Branson Daily News, 11/08/05).

“From what I understand, the proposal leaves out library and counseling services and professional development for teachers, which directly affects the success of students.” – Doug Hayter, Superintendent, Branson School District
(Branson Daily News, 11/08/05).