Enough
is Spent on Education, But Not on
Instruction
As
the education union lobbyists are demanding
an additional $6-8 BILLION dollars for education,
taxpayers need to be aware of the real issue.
We are spending enough on education but
our children are being shortchanged.
It
is a travesty that only 50 cents out of
every education dollar is being spent on
instruction. But what is included as “instruction”?
Some education lobbyists are eager to shoot
the messenger, so to speak. They are eager
to discredit the information on the Comptrollers'
website – information the school districts
provide TEA.
The
category “instruction” actually includes
much more than the teacher salary and classroom
expenses. Taxpayers should know what constitutes
instruction. (This information came from
a TEA resource guide and lists what items
are included in the “instruction” costs):
- Classroom
teachers
- Teacher
aides
- Classroom
assistants
- Graders
- Staff
working in the classroom on a dedicated
basis
- Adult
basic education teachers
- Substitute
teachers (except for substitute teachers
employed when teachers are attending staff
development or inservice training, who
are to be charged to Function 13)
- Teachers
that deliver instruction by television,
satellite, etc.
- TI-IN
services provided by education service
centers
- Classes
taught to students by education service
centers
- Special
education instructional services, including
speech, occupational and physical therapy
- Upkeep
and repairs to instructional materials
and equipment in the classroom
- Instruction
in health
- Field
trips
- Band
instruments purchased by the school district
or donated by band boosters or other groups
- Instructional
computer labs, supplies, etc.
- Testing
materials for tests developed and administered
by teachers
- Salaries
for instruction, including that portion
of the salary for the regular school day
that is for teaching physical education
(P.E. equivalent) courses for credit when
athletic activities are being practiced
or are taking place
- Pre/post
employment physicals or drug testing for
personnel classified in this function
- Purchase
of vehicles for instructional purposes,
including driver education
Salaries and related expenditures/ expenses
associated with:
- Substitute
teachers for teachers attending inservice
training or staff development (Function
13)
- Curriculum
development (Function 13)
- Supplies
and services for upkeep and maintenance
of buildings and grounds, including utilities
(Function 51)
- School
leadership costs such as principals, assistant
principals and their staffs (Function
23)
- Salaries
or salary supplements related to department
heads (Function 13), curriculum writers
(Function 13), program directors (Function
21)
- Tuition
for students attending classes in another
school district because the resident school
district does not offer certain grade
levels (Function 91)
- Purchase
of Weighted ADA (WADA) from either the
state or other school districts according
to Chapter 41 of the Texas Education Code
(Function 91)
- Testing
materials for standardized tests (Function
31)
- Band
Uniforms (Function 36)
- Insurance
on band instruments (Function 51)
- Additional
costs associated with serving as coaches,
athletic directors, band directors, sponsors
for UIL speech, debate, science competition,
class sponsors, student organization sponsors.
This includes costs associated with additional
days employed, reduction of class load,
length of day, etc. (Function 36)
If
these items are all included in the 50 cents
of every dollar which is spent on instruction,
consider where “non instruction” dollars
are going.
Our
schoolchildren and teachers deserve for
more than half the dollars spent on education
to be spent in the classroom.
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Peggy
Venable was the White House Liaison
for the US Department of Education
the first term of the Reagan Administration.
She is currently Texas director of
Americans for Prosperity. AFP is
proud to partner with Texans for Texas.
Americans
for Prosperity Foundation educates
and AFP mobilizes grassroots citizens
committed to limiting the size and scope
of government
and preserving individual freedom. AFP
focuses on policies and how they impact
the average American's ability to achieve
prosperity.
Peggy
M. Venable, Texas Director
Americans for Prosperity and AFP Foundation - (formerly CSE Foundation)
807 Brazos St, #210 ; Austin , TX 78701-9996
Phone:
512/476-5905; fax: 512/476-5906
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