Blunt proposes school spending amendment

[proud2BlibKansan]

Posted on Thu, Nov. 03, 2005

Blunt proposes school spending amendment

KELLY WIESE

Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Gov. Matt Blunt on Thursday proposed a constitutional requirement for public school districts to spend at least 65 percent of their money on student instruction.

Blunt's proposal would define instruction to cover everything from teachers' salaries and textbooks to the arts and athletics. But even so, Blunt said, a majority of Missouri's school districts currently would fail to meet the threshold.

"Missouri taxpayers and parents expect their money to be spent on students, not bureaucracy," Blunt said in a written statement. "This initiative gives voters the chance to put our students first and ensure their tax dollars are being spent where they will directly impact our young people - in the classroom."

Education groups reacted cautiously. They said the agree with the idea of spending as much as possible on teaching students, but they noted that many expenses, while not directly in the classroom, are crucial to running schools, including costs associated with librarians and counselors, school buses and utility bills.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/13071703.htm

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I would love to say this is a great idea. But I don't trust baby blunt to do anything to actually HELP kids. I am willing to bet this is just a sneaky way to destroy public schools and promote vouchers.

[AllegroRondo]

1. Yes and no.....

Hes not actually allocating any more money for schools, just mandating that of the money they do have, 65% has to go for student instruction.

Some school districts are already meeting this standard - they had a write up in the STL paper last week on it. Most of the schools that did meet it already were high income suburbs. The districts with the lowest % were small rural ones.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. From what I understand, the districts this will be a problem for are

the smallest and the largest. I am in one of the largest and our transportation costs alone make this 65% figure an almost impossible target.

[evlbstrd]

2. It's an arbitrary figure, designed to make Baby look good.

You know, the Education Governor. If schools fail, it won't be his fault.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. He really hasn't messed with education too badly YET

But after seeing how he destroyed health care for the needy I am expecting him to lower the boom on our schools anytime now.

[evlbstrd]

5. This may be the first sign.

[roy temple]

6. Here's what school officials are saying about Blunt's plan....

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/educators_react