School spending allocation

As I write this, I'm listening to KOKO, where one of the assistant superintendents from the Warrensburg R-VI district is concerned about Gov. Blunt's advocacy of the "65% solution." This program would require that all local schools spend at least 65% of their money on instruction rather than support. While the details of what's included in "instruction" might be open to discussion, school administrations are adamantly opposed to anything that would reduce their freedom to spend money as they see fit. I think one of the key reasons for opposition is that the administrations don't want to reduce their bloated bureaucracies.

Then, he talked about "needing" $250,000 to $300,000 to upgrade the WHS stadium. Huh? CMSU has a beautiful stadium that the high school has used for a couple of football games. Football is but one of the 20 sports listed at the WHS sports website. Plus, Warrensburg Parks Dept operates sports programs and Youth Excited about Sports (Y.E.S.) is building a complex just south of town.

Even on the instructional side, some of the spending doesn't relate to what kids need to know as to be informed citizens or competent workers. A couple of years ago I wondered why WHS needed a fully-equipped television studio for the kids. Even 10 years ago, while an adjunct instructor at CMSU, I noted that most kids couldn't write well and couldn't spell.

Warrensburg R-VI is the biggest user of local tax dollars in the county and gets the least surveillance. WHile I'm not big on state mandates, the more accountability for schools, the better.

In Liberty