State Educators Say Initiative Petition Would Cripple Schools

Thursday, August 24th 2006, 6:22 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- State educators say requiring that 65 percent of state school funds go to the classroom would cripple critical services to children, including free lunches and transportation.

Members of the Oklahoma State School Boards Association announced yesterday they've filed a Supreme Court lawsuit challenging the ballot language of State Question 731.

The group's executive director, Keith Ballard, says the so-called 65 percent solution would hurt schools by removing local control, while not improving education.

Ballard says some schools with the best test scores don't come close to meeting the criteria in the initiative petition.

Supporters say Oklahoma ranks last among the states with only 56 percent of education funding reaching the classroom.