Leadership Insider, Aug. 2005: Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Introduction

'65 percent' mandates proposed in several states
Article in School Board News reporting on a well-funded national campaign of state initiatives to get state governments to mandate that 65 cents of every education dollar be spent "in the classroom."

65% order fits First Class Education's agenda
Article in the Austin American-Statesman reporting that the newspaper had obtained internal documents from the organization advocating the 65% Solution that reveal that the intent of the proposal is to "create rivalries between teachers and administrators while boosting Republicans' political credibility on education issues, making it easier for them to build support for charter schools and private school vouchers."

Group's '65 Percent Solution' Gains Traction, GOP friends
Article in Education Week reporting additional revelations from internal documents of indicating that the proposal is being launched in states with close gubernatorial races so that "Republicans will have a viable answer to 'in the classroom improvement of education' without the need to call for a tax increase," and that "Every 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."

Example of use of 65% Solution
A summary from NSBA's weekly Legal Clips e-newsletter of a Rocky Mountain News article showing how some Colorado politicians are using the 65 Percent Solution as intended: to deflect arguments about inadequate funding for schools, which in this case have been raised in a state adequacy lawsuit mounted by a coalition of school districts and other educational organizations.

Benchmarking in New York

NYSSBA sample benchmarking chart: Chart explanation
A sample of the type of benchmarking chart, with an explanation of how to read it, that is provided to school boards under the New York State School Boards Association's benchmarking project described in the article by Lonnie Palmer.

NYSSBA sample benchmarking chart: Areas of expense & test results
A sample of an NYSSBA benchmarking chart showing how the subject school district's expenses on major areas compare to those by similarly situated New York districts; and a sample chart comparing the district's state Fourth Grade English Language Arts test results to median results of comparable districts over a five-year period.

Virginia's School Efficiency Reviews

Virginia's Efficiency Review website
Links to all Efficiency Reviews of Virginia school districts that have been completed.

Data Makes the Difference

Standard & Poor's School Evaluation Services

Additional Information

American School Board Journal has a variety of articles and resources that address issues in school spending and provide thoughtful solutions. For example:

Data and Dollars: How One District Saved Millions on its Special Education Program. Recounts the experience of one district that found a technology-based solution to special education paperwork that saves millions in staffing costs.

Budget Red Flags: Avoiding Financial Catastrophe in Your School District. Highlights warning signs of financial trouble and gives school board members several easy steps to ensure that they are meeting their obligation of fiscal oversight.

Juggling Act: Balancing safety, security, and yield in school investments. Provides basic advice and resources for schools on developing sound investment strategies and evaluating acceptable levels of risk.

Setting Budget Priorities. It isn’t that your district doesn’t have much money -- it’s just that you don’t have as much as you want. Explores potential innovations in the way school districts budget, from creative personnel management to critical evaluation of existing programs.

Cutting Costs Without Cutting Quality: Sound Impossible? Not If You Follow These Basic Principles. Shows how districts can save up to 10 percent of their budgets by following six simple guidelines.

Anatomy of a Budget Cut: For boards faced with tough financial choices, maintaining credibility is critical. Tells the story of budget cuts made 25 years ago that still echo today -- a cautionary tale for districts considering program cuts. The repercussions of.

Money Talks: Communicating Your Budget to the Public Can Increase Support. Shows the importance of supplementing solid budget proposals with equally solid public relations to ensure public approval and trust in district fiscal decision-making.

The Case of Precinct 5: Investigation Into a Failed Tax Levy Leads to Success at the Polls. Recounts one district’s targeted strategy for reaching out to voters after a failed education tax increases.