ALA | School Librarians Seek 100% Inclusion in 65% Solution

ALA | School Librarians Seek 100% Inclusion in 65% Solution

Library leaders across the country are strategizing how best to safeguard media-center budgets in the wake of a new funding-formula proposal that calls for all 50 states to require that their school districts spend at least 65% of their budgets on direct-classroom instruction by 2008. The brainchild of the nonprofit group First Class Education, the 65 Percent Solution defines as classroom costs the same functions so designated by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Among the services relegated to "outside-the-classroom" overhead are principals, school nurses, counselors, student transportation, teacher training -- and school library media specialists.

Patrick A. Byrne, national advisory chair of FCE as well as CEO of Overstock.com, explained in a November 3 op-ed article on the online Cybercast News Service that the reallocation of funds would force "education professionals to make do (and make better) with what they have, rather than compiling an expensive and extensive wish list and sending the bill to taxpayers."

The idea has gained momentum in several states since FCE began promoting it last March: In August, Texas Gov. Rick Perry mandated by executive order the phasing-in of a 65% classroom funding formula. Kansas and Louisiana have passed resolutions endorsing the concept, and proponents in Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon have either passed resolutions or are considering legislation or ballot measures for 2006 to require the 65%-35% split...