Summary—

Education is the state’s number one priority. It is where we spend most of our money and is the engine for economic growth. In our current economic situation, we cannot address class size and teacher pay; however, we should take advantage of lower construction costs and bond for needed facilities. Other things we can do right now include:

1.  Eliminating narrow state mandates that siphon education dollars away from the classroom and into administration.
2.  Reworking our school calendars to get teachers on 12-month contracts and use facilities year-round.
 

2012 Legislative Update—

In 2012 the legislature invested in our children and future workforce. A strong economy requires well-educated, skilled workers. The legislature took steps to improve student assessments and better prepare students for college while allocating money to improve math instruction, fund enrollment growth, and support educational excellence at colleges and universities.

In addition to funding enrollment growth, the legislature increased funding for the basic school program by 1.15%. All told, funding for K-12 education increased by $110 million over 2012 levels. Lawmakers also passed a landmark administrator and educator evaluation reform measure that will pave the way for innovation and help recognize and reward our very finest.

The legislature also modified the requirements for human sexuality instruction in our schools. Under existing law, districts may offer either abstinence-based or abstinence-only curricula. Most choose abstinence only, which is what the new law requires. The new measure will also allow districts to choose not to offer sex ed.

Action by the legislature to assert sovereignty over lands currently held by the Federal government is motivated by the hope that we can build a stronger tax base to fund our schools. Almost 60% of our state is owned by the Federal government and not subject to state and local taxes. With some inconsistency, Washington makes Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), but PILT revenues (when they are forthcoming), amount to less than a fifth of the taxes that could be generated if a reasonable portion of these lands were privately held. How much of New York State is owned by the Federal Government? Less than 1%.

2011 Legislative Update—

2010 Legislative Update—

The legislature reduced overall public education funding by about $10 Million, but basic per-student funding (WPU) is supposed to remain the same as last year.

The cap on the growth of charter schools was lifted. In addition, Utah’s basic skills test (UBSCT) was suspended for two years, and school districts were permitted to divert building funds for classroom needs.

Schools did not get all the funding legislators and educators would have liked to dedicate to them, particularly in light of the 11,000 new students they expect to absorb with reduced total funding. Overall, however, education fared comparatively well, considering the economic challenges facing the state. Of particular importance is the fact that much of the gap in school funding that was covered with one-time money in 2009 was moved to ongoing funding sources in 2010. That progress means less likelihood that shortfalls will affect school funding in future years.

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In college I started down the road to becoming a secondary school teacher. I completed everything except student teaching but then received an opportunity that took me a different direction. Education has, nevertheless, remained a passion for me. I relish every opportunity I get to teach children and adults on Sundays. When I was in Washington, I became deeply involved in the response to Secretary T. H. Bell’s National Commission on Excellence in Education’s A Nation at Risk report and with Secretary Bill Bennett’s What Works and Schools without Drugs programs.

I am convinced that educating the rising generation is the State’s number one priority. It’s clearly where we put most of our state tax revenues, so we need to make sure we are using those resources wisely. One might argue that economic development comes first, but you can’t have sustainable economic growth without a top-notch, well-educated workforce.

I look forward to the day when we will be able to increase our investment in Utah schools, when our financial condition will enable us to increase charter school funding, put more money into reducing class sizes, and improve teacher pay. In higher education, improved economic conditions will help reduce tuition burdens and restore critical cutbacks.

During lean times like these, bonding for critical facilities needs is both important and prudent. Construction costs are typically as much as a third lower during down times, so procuring facilities during a recession means getting buildings on sale—a significant boon to taxpayers. Also, if state and local governments continue to build during downturns, more contractors stay in business, lessening inflationary pressures publicly funded projects will have to absorb on construction projects when good times return.

Besides continuing to construct needed infrastructure, what else can we do in times of limited resources? A strong education system depends on many things besides financial support. In today’s challenging times, we must start with reforms that don’t cost extra. Here are two ideas I will pursue as your legislator:

• Teachers should be free to focus first and foremost on students’ core academic achievement, supplemented with appropriate exposure to arts and culture. They should not be burdened with narrowly focused programs that try to address every social ill through classroom instruction.
  
  Although the goals of these special programs—improved reading, financial literacy, or whatever—seem noble, each legislative mandate requires extra local and district oversight to administer. That means more of our limited funds are spent on specialists and administrative staff and less on our front-line teachers in the classroom.
  
  Instead of fractured programs and added administration we can’t afford, we must focus our expenditures on the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU), the state’s basic public school funding mechanism. Eliminating narrow mandates and putting that money back into the WPU will mean greater flexibility for schools to respond to local needs, lower administrative costs, and more money for fundamental academic instruction in classrooms across the state.
   
• If we want to hire and retain the best teachers for our children, teacher pay will continue to be an issue. Besides getting more funds back into the WPU, we could consider a new approach to year-round schools. Allowing willing teachers where possible to work year round on a staggered schedule, serving more students, would make better use of personnel resources, would offer more pay for more time in the classroom, would not add to taxpayer burdens, and would mitigate teacher shortages.
  
  And of course it would take the pressure off new school construction programs by allowing year-round use of existing buildings. Costs to add air-conditioning to current facilities would be offset by savings on new schools that would not have to be built.
  
  Another big benefit of moving to a year-round schedule that has already been demonstrated is that students have short breaks throughout the year but no extended summer down time. Thus they have less re-learning to do at the beginning of each school year.