The Dallas Morning News has joined the rising cacophony of voices opposing the one size fits all approach represented by the 65% Rule.
The issue most have with the rigid application of 65% has to do with what is defined as "in the classroom." The DMN makes a good suggestion: Use the No Child Left Behind definition of instructional staff. After reviewing the NCLB definition, I agree....it's a good place to start. (Read this blog's prior posts on the 65% Rule here)
No Formula for Learning
Perry's '65 percent rule' comes up short
For the last five months, Gov. Rick Perry has had three words when it comes to improving our schools: 65 percent rule. The governor's executive order that classroom expenses make up 65 percent of the total school spending sounds catchy if not reasonable – until you read the fine print.
For starters, let's just all agree that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to improving schools. Texas is made up of more than 1,000 school districts, each with diverse student populations who have varying needs.
Mr. Perry's initial 65 percent plan included, for example, the costs of field trips and salaries for football coaches, but left out resources vital to a productive learning environment, such as libraries, computer labs, counselors and teacher training.
That's a definition that leaves us scratching our heads.
Take libraries, which an overwhelming majority of public and private school teachers say they use as an alternative place to hold class on a weekly basis, according to a recent report by the National Center for Education Statistics. Librarians are often a teacher's instructional partner, providing additional resources that enhance classroom discussion and independent learning. In an ideal setting with accredited professionals, librarians are teachers and libraries are classrooms.
Similar arguments can be made for computer labs and counselors. So we urge Mr. Perry – and the Texas Education Agency, which is currently reviewing the definition of "classroom instruction" – to revamp the narrow guidelines to include other campus resources where learning takes place.
A good place to start would be to look at how No Child Left Behind defines instructional staff; under its guidelines, librarians qualify as such. Think outside the classroom. If the football field is covered by the 65 percent rule, we don't see why other forms of instruction shouldn't be as well.
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