[media-credit name=’TOM SCHALMO/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]BROOKFIELD — U.S. Rep. Mark Green, R-Wis., unveiled his K-12 education reform plan in Brookfield Tuesday, pledging to spend state money more efficiently by feeding more of it straight into instructional settings.
Green spoke to students at Brookfield East High School, saying the state needs to improve educational spending.
"More and more money should be reaching the classroom," Green said. "We need to spend money more effectively."
Green is proposing a 70-percent rule, spending 70 cents of every dollar of K-12 funding on instructional-related costs in the classroom. Currently, Green said the state is spending about 66 cents of every dollar on such costs.
With the four percent increase, Green said "an additional $300 million will be sent to the classroom."
In addition, Green said education funding will increase, but he doesn't know by how much.
Anne Lupardus, spokesperson for Gov. Jim Doyle, said Green's plan comes at the cost of many teaching positions.
"Congressman Green has proposed a budget plan that would force schools to lay off thousands of teachers," Lupardus said. "He follows it up with an education funding plan that would be a prescription for disaster."
However, Green said his plan for more classroom spending would actually allow for additional teaching positions.
Green also said he plans on initiating a merit pay program with committees of teachers, community leaders and parents rewarding better teachers with higher pay.
"The system must recognize and reward teachers' accomplishments," Green said.
Lupardus, though, said Doyle has already supported such a plan in the past.
"The differentiate pay program is something the governor has proposed," she said, adding that many of Green's other proposals have already been introduced by the governor as well.
In addition, Lupardus said the National Education Association and National Parent Teacher Association oppose Green's plan, saying it would cut school security, busing and nursing.
State Sen. Ted Kanavas, R-Brookfield and a graduate of Brookfield East, welcomed and praised his Republican colleague.
"[Green] is just like everyone else in this room," Kanavas said. "He's a family member … and he'll be a terrific governor."
Green told students he initially ran for political office because he wanted to "change the world." Now, he says the state is in need of a change.
"I don't like the direction our state's going," Green said. "I know we can do better."
He added that the state does not have a "people problem," it has a "leadership problem."
But as he approached Brookfield East, Green passed by four protesters who don't agree with Green's leadership assessment. The four members of Democratic Party of Waukesha County stood waving signs and holding a box reading, "Green's Funny Money."
"We think Green should follow the laws," said Ann Meyers, one of the protesters. "We are urging him to come clean."
Meyers was referencing Green's disputed political action committee contributions transferred to his gubernatorial campaign.
Green and Doyle face off in this year's gubernatorial election on Nov. 7.