Ohio To Track Classroom Money, Student Performance

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The political fire still burns in Ohio to push more public money into classrooms, even after other states have backed off the idea amid evidence it does little to improve kids' grades.

Ohio's latest strategy is to mandate that district spending be winnowed into two categories by August 2013: classroom and non-classroom.

School officials are deciding how to categorize counselors, nurses, computers, buses and other expenses in advance of reporting to parents what percentage of the budget is spent on the classroom.

The approach is part of Republican Gov. John Kasich's (KAY'-sihks) plan to reduce overhead and direct funds to classroom instruction.

But other states that have gone the extra step and mandated a certain percentage be spent on the classroom have found it unworkable or ineffective.