Librarians Shut Out by '65 Percent’

In a move to assuage librarians worried over the spread of the “65 percent solution,” the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), in its most recent funding report, has lumped together “instruction” and “instruction-related” job categories—including that of school librarian.

However, an NCES supervisor admitted, the agency’s definitions have not changed, leaving some librarians frozen out of some 65-percent states’ spending plans for the bulk of their school operating funds. (See “The Outsiders,” pp. 52–55.)

Harsh words have resulted. First, librarians protested to NCES over their profession’s exclusion from “instructional expenditures.” Now, First Class Education (FCE), the national group behind 65 percent, is labeling NCES’ temporary merger of the categories as political window dressing.

“They simply changed how they report it,” says FCE’s president, Tim Mooney, “for the crass purpose of trying to look like they’re above 61 percent. The object was to take steam away from how poorly schools across the nation are doing.”

Frank Johnson, NCES supervisor of financial reporting, acknowledges, “We haven’t changed our definitions,” but he complains that, “if we had changed our definitions, [Mooney] would probably say something similar.”

The debate is hardly academic. Librarians, curriculum and professional development professionals, and technology teachers are now classed under NCES’ “instruction-related expenditures” category and thus are left out of 65 percent (though First Class Education favors including librarians where the organization can control the text of the enabling legislation).

Since Overstock.com’s CEO, Patrick Byrne, started his “65 percent” movement, Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, and Georgia have implemented the measure. Oklahoma and Colorado have it on their fall ballots.

Want more information on the "65 percent solution"? Visit SLJ's www.truthabout65percent.com for the most recent development and links to articles and resources.