Classroom-Spending Vote Has Educators Split

By Robert C. Johnston

California school administrators are engaged in a bare-knuckle brawl with Los Angeles teachers over a ballot initiative that would restrict districts' spending on administration.

Proposition 223, crafted by United Teachers Los Angeles, would require districts to cap administrative spending at 5 percent of their budgets, and spend the rest on student services, which include the cost of classrooms teachers.

The measure, which is commonly called "95/5," is pitting odd alliances of top Republicans and...