The TEA has issued its proposal for implementation of the 65% Rule. You can download the proposal here (.pdf). The TEA's press release (.pdf) discusses the full impact of the proposed rule changes. Public comment on the proposed implementation is being taken by the TEA for the next 30 days.
If substantial changes to the proposed rule are not made, the rule will go into affect on July 16, 2006. I believe substantial changes should be made, so I encourage you to take the opportunity to comment on the portion of the rule change dealing with the definition of "operating expenditures for instruction" (what I have previously called "in the classroom" expenses). For more information on why this one size fits all approach is inappropriate, please see my prior posts on the subject.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez, Policy Coordination Division, Texas Education Agency, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, Phone: (512) 475-1497. Comments also may be e-mailed to [email protected] or faxed to (512) 463-0028.
The proposed rule includes teachers, librarians, extracurricular activities, and payments to Juvenile Justice Alternative Education programs. The proposed rule excludes counselors, nurses, staff development, campus administration, and additional significant areas of student support services.
The TEA proposes to enforce the Rule through a new Indicator, Indicator 16, on school district's financial reporting. Indicator 16 will include the following in the definition of “operating expenditures for instruction” that must exceed 55% in 2006-2007, 60% in 2007-2008, and 65% in 2008-2009. Please note that the identification and definitions of each Function Code come from the TEA.
- Function Code 11 (Instruction: Activities that deal directly with the interaction between teachers and students)
- Function Code 12 (Instructional Media: used for resource centers, establishing and maintaining libraries and other major facilities dealing with educational resources and media)
- Function Code 36 (Co-curricular and extracurricular expenditures/expenses for school-sponsored activities during or after the school day that are not essential to the delivery of services for Functions 11, 20, and 30)
- Function Code 93 (Payments to fiscal agent/member districts of SSAs)
- Function Code 95 (Payments to juvenile justice alternative education programs) Object Codes 6112-6499 (Payroll Costs, Professional and Contracted Services, Supplies and Materials, and Other Operating Costs)
It is my opinion that serious consideration should be given to including the following student support service areas the definition of “operating expenditures for instruction”:
- Function Code 13 (Curriculum/Staff Development used to aid instructional staff planning, developing and evaluating the process of providing learning experiences for students)
- Function Code 21 (Instructional Leadership: managing, directing, supervising and leadership of staff who provide either instructional or instructional-related services)
- Function Code 23 (School Administration: directing/managing a school campus)
- Function Code 31 (Guidance/Counseling Services: assessing and testing students’ abilities, aptitudes and interests, counseling students with respect to career and educational opportunities and helping them establish realistic goals)
- Function Code 32 (Social Work Services)
- Function Code 33 (Health Services: providing physical health services which are not direct instruction)
- Function Code 34 (Transportation: student (pupil) transportation)
- Function Code 35 (Food service operation expenditures/expenses)
- Function Code 51 (Plant Maintenance/Operation: to keep the physical plant and grounds open, clean, comfortable and in effective working condition and state of repair)
- Function Code 52 (Security/Monitoring: for activities to keep students and staff surroundings safe, whether in transit to or from school, on a campus or participating in school-sponsored events at another location)
- Function Code 53 (Data Processing Services: whether in-house or contracted)
Comments