As a parent, I want Colorado to have the best educational opportunity for our kids.
As a taxpayer, I want Colorado schools to spend our education money as efficiently as possible.
As an employer, I know first-hand that Colorado’s economy can only be as strong as our employees’ education.
And as the leader of the Republicans in the state House of Representatives, I know that Republicans are committed to establishing a new priority for every school district in the state: first-class education.
That’s why Republican legislators are taking action to refer to the ballot the First Class Education plan, a requirement that every school district in Colorado spend at least 65 cents of every dollar on the only place where test scores can be improved: in the classroom.
What is currently happening with Colorado’s substantial annual investment in K-12 education?
Coloradans demonstrated their commitment to education when Amendment 23 was approved in 2000, requiring large annual increases in K-12 education spending. Unfortunately, much of the money intended for our children does not make it into the classroom. In fact, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, Colorado ranks 46th in the nation for the percentage of education money that actually makes its way to our classrooms. While Colorado spends billions of dollars on education, only 57.8 cents of each of those dollars gets into the classroom.
Raising taxes once again isn’t the answer; common- sense prioritizing is. Increasing the percentage of money getting to the classroom to 65 cents on the dollar would increase Colorado classroom spending by $370 million a year – without a tax increase. A nickel and two pennies more into the classroom adds up to $370 million more for teachers and textbooks, chalk and computers … whatever the local school board members believe is the best way to improve education by putting the additional percentage of money in the classroom. Small change can mean a big change for Colorado’s classrooms.
Currently, four states – Utah, Tennessee, New York and Maine – spend in excess of 65 percent of their education operational budgets in the classroom. Colorado should be the fifth.
How does First Class Education work? Each Colorado school district that is currently spending less than 65 percent in the classroom would be required to increase the percentage by 2 percent a year until reaching 65 percent.
If for some reason a district couldn’t meet the 2 percent annual increase or the 65 percent goal, the district could petition the governor for a renewable one-year waiver. This will make Colorado school districts that are spending less than 65 percent the exception rather than the norm.
Currently, seven Colorado school districts varying in size from 283 students to 16,000 are already above 65 percent, proving this goal can be reached. But we also have many school districts spending less than 55 percent of our tax money in the classroom. An example of the variation among Colorado’s largest school districts are Cherry Creek and Boulder, with 64 percent of their operational budgets spent in the classroom, compared to Jefferson County and Colorado Springs, with about 51 percent going to the classroom. Think of the difference these two larger districts could make with an additional 14 percent going into the classroom.
Ultimately, it’s the local school boards that must make the change in budgeting and the change in priorities. We need the power of the voice of the voters to ensure that school districts truly do place class education as their first priority. That’s why our goal isn’t just to place the First Class Education plan on the 2006 general election ballot – either by legislative referral or, if necessary, by citizen petition – but to have First Class Education win overwhelmingly in every school district across Colorado.
Then and only then will we have a better opportunity to ensure every Colorado student a first-class education.
Rep. Joe Stengel, R-Littleton, is state House minority leader.
