Education

Providing our children with a quality education enriches their lives and prepares them for future success—in their daily lives, in higher education, and in a competitive global marketplace.  But the benefits of sound education policy extend far beyond families with school-aged children.  A strong public education system benefits everyone in the society.  It strengthens the economy, provides a quality workforce, and produces future leaders who can deal with the complex issues that will face our communities.  People of all backgrounds and all stages of life are served by placing public education among our highest state priorities.  My commitment to education includes a respectful, productive dialogue between

  • educators and lawmakers,

  • schools and communities,

  • traditional schools and charter schools.

We need to bring everyone to the table to determine how to protect and develop our most precious resource—our children.

Education Funding
Look at Wyoming!
Bad Ideas I Won't Support
Sources and Links

 

Education Funding

It’s a well-known fact that Utah spends less per child on education than any other state in the nation.  What many people don’t realize is that the situation is getting worse, not better.  In 2000, Utah was $2505 behind the national average in per-pupil spending.  By 2004, that difference had increased to $3279.  During that same time period, the difference between our spending and that of the state ranked next-to-last also increased dramatically.  In 2000 we were $683 per student behind; in 2004 that difference had increased to $1020.  Additionally, education funding per $1000 of personal income (a standard measure of “funding effort”) has dropped significantly.  In 1995, Utah ranked 5th in the nation in this respect, suggesting that our low per-pupil spending was simply an unavoidable result of high student populations.  Recent reports, however, show that Utah has now dropped below the national average in funding effort.  We’ve dropped from 5th place to 27th. 

These changes occurred during a time of relatively level student populations.  However, the number of students in Utah schools is projected to increase by 150,000 students by 2015.  To maintain even the current level of funding for this growing number of students will require careful early planning.  As your Representative in the Utah Legislature, I will push for a long term funding plan for public education.  This plan will

  • be based on the needs of Utah students, not arbitrary budgetary goals

  • rely on input from the Utah State Office of Education and local school districts

  • account for projected growth in student populations

  • address the need to recruit high quality teachers

  • appropriate funds from current budget surpluses to “savings” for future education needs

  • prioritize expenditures and provide alternative proposals for differing economic scenarios

Enacting such a plan is the responsible thing to do.  It will help us prepare for the future and provide for our children.  It will also help us avoid future budget deficits and tax increases by taking advantage of today’s good economy.

 

Look at Wyoming!

The state of Wyoming is showing a remarkable commitment to public education.  Legislators have chosen to apply their budget surpluses to increasing teacher salaries, lowering class sizes, providing college scholarships to good students, and planning for future school construction.  Their investments are expected to recruit high quality teachers, improve student performance, and stimulate economic growth.  In Utah, we need to consider how to keep all of our best new teachers from moving to Cheyenne or Evanston.  That's some serious competition in the free market!

Read about Wyoming's new plan in Lee Benson's Deseret Morning News column.

 

Bad Ideas I Won't Support

 

Sources and Links
   

 


© 2008 Lisa Johnson for Legislature.