While the start of the new year inspires celebration, it also marks the countdown to the 2025 Utah Legislative Session. Based on the type of bills expected and based on what Legislators should discuss, here are my five New Year wishes for Utah’s public education system during the Legislative session.
Voucher Budget Cut
The Utah Legislature should demand a budgetary decrease for the Utah Fits All Scholarship, a voucher program for private and religious education and extracurricular expenses. This exclusive scholarship program has not provided transparent expenditures nor transparent tracking to substantiate academic gains beyond current public education offerings. Public schools have carried the cost-saving burden by closing elementary schools, moving children around, and cutting back on programs. Higher education institutions are also being asked to cut their budgets, with some institutions planning on a trimming 10-25% of expenses including student services. If our public led institutions are required to slash their budgets, the same should be expected of the voucher program. Because Utah’s income-tax revenue is constitutionally protected for K-12 public education, higher education, and disability services, any additional funding this year should be allocated to improve these public services. These services impact a larger number of Utahns than non-publicly accessible school vouchers.
Discretionary Increase to the Weighted Pupil Unit
In support of the Utah Education Association’s (UEA) request, the Utah Legislature should increase the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) at least 3% above enrollment and inflation adjustment. The Utah Governor’s proposal does not include a discretionary adjustment to the WPU. Last year UEA asked for a 12% increase in the WPU. However, only 5% was appropriated and, of that, 3.8% was due to inflation. Local school districts are asked to improve performance with fewer resources, a burden that falls heaviest on educators. Additionally, school districts are relying on one-time funding mechanisms. Without sufficient ongoing funds, school districts will need to either increase property taxes or substantially reduce resources for improving academic success and roll back programs that attract students to public schools.
Leave Curriculum Requirements Alone
The Utah Legislature should leave curriculum development and requirements to state and local school boards. During the 2024 Legislative Session, a Utah lawmaker attempted to require only the University of Utah to adopt a politically motivated school of general education curriculum while mandating the university to accommodate the proposal by condensing other programs (e.g., firing faculty). This bill could be viewed as a retaliatory action towards the University of Utah as its President spoke in opposition to the sponsor’s bill to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion during the prior Legislative session. Nonetheless, degree requirements and associated curriculum should be guided by professionals and those appointed/elected to make those decisions. Allowing State Legislators to dictate curriculum requirements will place political ideology over student needs.
Fund School Meals
Following Governor Cox’s proposal to allocate funding to the Healthy School Meals initiative, the Utah Legislature should remove existing school meal debt and create a pathway for making school meals free for students qualifying for reduced cost. School meal debt had increased to almost $3 million, adding administration burden to resolve outstanding balances and extreme stress to families trying to make ends meet. It is time to acknowledge that lunch debt is a problem and to provide relief to families who already demonstrate a need for assistance. However, the Legislature should not stop there. Education committee members should discuss how the State of Utah can make universal school meals a future possibility. The budget is there, and it could have academic and societal payoffs.
Dream Big with Preschool
Legislators in Utah should start a discussion about expanding state-funded preschool. Only 3% of four-year-old children in Utah were attending a state-funded preschool during the 2022-2023 school year. Early education has been shown to improve academic performance and reduce absenteeism. Gaps in achievement among those students most vulnerable can also be addressed via early education, saving money at later grades. Given the stagnant proficiency gains over the years and steady achievement gaps across the state, it is necessary to consider innovative methods for jump starting improvement. Utah’s prior actions have not worked fast enough, which is a disservice to tax-paying families. As a result, individual school districts have to take the lead; Park City can be looked at as one example. Investing in preschool is a fiscally responsible decision.
Improving the quality of public education and increasing student engagement and success will require actions beyond the Utah Legislature. State and local school boards also need to act. However, these wishes are reasonable and they are essential steps in the right direction.
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