Utah lawmakers make quick work of Common Core questions
05/17/2012
(Deseret News) Questions raised by critics of the Common Core State Standards were dealt with swiftly during Wednesday's meeting of the Interim Education Committee, but opponents said the issue requires more discussion.
National Teacher Day honors America’s teachers
05/07/2012
Throughout National Teacher Week, May 7-11, thousands of communities across the country take time to express their gratitude to local educators and to acknowledge the crucial role teachers play in ensuring that every student receives a quality education. This year, the National Education Association teamed up with Parenting magazine for two groundbreaking projects that highlight teachers’ dedication to their profession and their students.
Public debates Common Core standards; both sides remain entrenched
04/27/2012
(Deseret News) Opponents of the Common Core expressed their fears of federal control — through funding or influence — and a perceived violation of state sovereignty. An equal number of supporters applauded the standards' rigorous academic benchmarks and the inter-state consistency that result from their adoption.
Hundreds debate Common Core standards at Utah forum
04/27/2012
(Salt Lake Tribune) Hundreds packed the Granite School District board room, offering arguments for and against the standards, which outline skills students should learn in each grade in math and language arts. The standards were developed as part of a states-led initiative in hopes of better readying students for college and careers.
At 98, she is still 'part of the action'
04/19/2012
Although she’s been retired from education longer than most are in their careers, Dorothy Jonas continues to make regular contributions to the Utah Education Association Political Action Committee.
Politics, misinformation feed Common Core debate, education official says
04/18/2012
(Deseret News) Utah has been a part of the consortium of states implementing common educational standards for more than two years. But the topic has gained notoriety in recent months, from multiple bills debated during the legislative session asserting the state's educational sovereignty, to candidates for public office frequently being questioned on their support or opposition to the standards.
Two school board veterans get the boot
04/18/2012
(Salt Lake Tribune) The nominating committee wrapped up its work Tuesday after two days spent interviewing most of the 59 candidates vying for nine state school board seats. As required by law, the committee chose at least three candidates for each seat to send to the governor, who now will choose two to appear on the ballot.
Four incumbents, so far, survive Utah state school board process
04/17/2012
(Salt Lake Tribune) A governor-appointed nominating committee interviewed 35 of the 59 candidates vying for nine state school board seats on Monday. Committee members then, as directed by law, voted for at least three candidates for each seat to forward to the governor. The governor chooses two candidates for each seat to appear on the November ballot.
Calculation error leaves schools short by $25 million
04/12/2012
(Deseret News) A miscalculation in funding has caused the state's education budget to be short by $25 million, the Utah State Office of Education announced Wednesday, but officials say they have the money to fix the mixup.
$25 million education budget error discovered
04/11/2012
In a statement issued April 11, the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) announced it discovered a miscalculation in the data used by the Utah Legislature to appropriate school funding for the upcoming fiscal year. This miscalculation left a shortfall of approximately $25 million between what was appropriated and what is needed to fully fund student growth for the upcoming school year.
Will new education law make a difference in the classroom?
03/28/2012
(Deseret News) The bill was sponsored by first-year state Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, and represents months of collaboration between lawmakers and members of the education community. But some groups said Osmond's bill did not go far enough and they criticize him for backing away from tougher standards tied more directly to classroom performance.
With help from third-graders, Herbert signs ed reform into law
03/28/2012
(Salt Lake Tribune) Sen. Aaron Osmond, R-South Jordan, spent months working with teachers and school administrators to develop the employment reform law. It received widespread support in the education community and the Utah Legislature.
New study says Utahns top priorities are economy, education
03/27/2012
(Utah Foundation) In this election year, Utahns are more confident that the state is heading in the right direction than they were two years ago. However, they are still not as confident as they were in the 2004 and 2008 elections. Their concerns about issues like jobs and the economy, public education, and healthcare remain strong.
PTA Golden Apple award winners named
03/16/2012
(Deseret News) Each year, Utah’s PTA and television station KUED recognize outstanding educators, volunteers and school PTA groups who go above and beyond. State winners are selected from a group of nominees submitted by individual schools throughout the state.
2012 Legislative Summary
03/09/2012
Prior to the beginning of the 2012 Utah General Legislative Session, Utah Education Association leaders identified four critical priorities: passing comprehensive employment reform (SB64), preserving collective bargaining, maintaining rights to payroll deduction of dues, and protecting orderly termination procedures. These goals were all met.
2012 Legislature: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
02/14/2012
This week marks the midpoint of the 2012 Utah Legislative Session. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, legislators are working hard to make the changes they believe will make a difference for Utah’s students. So far, the UEA is tracking more than 120 education-related bills.
Governor Visits UEA Board Meeting
02/07/2012
The Governor began his comments to the Board by expressing his gratitude for teachers and the work they do across the state. He also said he believes the UEA and public education have a much stronger voice now than in recent years, a fact he attributes “in large part to the efforts of Sharon and those from the UEA who are reaching out” to business and political leaders.
Bingham High chemistry teacher wins statewide honor
12/01/2011
(Salt Lake Tribune) In her 19th year in education, Brown has won the prestigious Excellence in Teaching award, a statewide honor given each year to 10 outstanding educators by the Utah Education Association. Brown won $1,500 from the UEA and partner Arch Coal Foundation.
Murray elementary school teacher earns statewide kudos
11/10/2011
(Salt Lake Tribune) “I was blown away, overwhelmed, a little emotional,” gushed Johnson, who won $1,500 from the UEA and partnering Arch Coal Foundation. “I wasn’t expecting it; it was a shot out of the dark.”
Educator honored for extra effort
11/09/2011
(Davis County Clipper) “It’s huge,” said Donna Tippetts. “It’s why I became an educator and a coach to begin with – to make a difference for kids.” Tippetts recently received another reward as well, when she was recognized at the Utah Education Association’s Superstars in Education banquet with an Excellence in Teaching Award.
NEA’s ‘Priority Schools Campaign’ addresses needs at SLC school
10/05/2011
In May and August 2011, leaders from the Salt Lake Teachers Association (SLTA) and the Utah Education Association (UEA) met with administrators and teachers at Salt Lake’s Glendale Middle School to discuss the school’s needs and how to improve student outcomes at the consistently low-performing school. They were joined by experts from the National Education Association (NEA).
CARF grant brings students, authors together
10/03/2011
(Standard-Examiner) She obtained a grant from the Utah Education Association's Children At Risk Foundation that would pay the salary for the authors, buy special writing books for the students and cover the cost of printing a literary school magazine -- the first of its kind for an alternative high school like Two Rivers.
‘Orderly Termination Act’ Changes Considered
09/16/2011
Under terms of the proposed legislation, individual school boards would be required to establish employment policies and procedures, which “may be subject to negotiation with employees or their associations as determined by each board.”
Arch Coal to Sponsor ‘Excellence in Teaching’ Awards
09/15/2011
The UEA is pleased to announce a partnership with the Arch Coal Foundation to sponsor the “Excellence in Teaching” awards. The awards are presented each year to 10 Utah public school teachers whose efforts in the classroom have significantly impacted the life of an individual child or group of children.
Back to the Table in Ogden!
09/14/2011
In a letter to all Ogden City School District employees, newly appointed Supt. Brad Smith said the District and OEA “will engage in interest-based negotiations for the 2012-13 school year.” In addition, he said the District and OEA bargaining teams “will immediately explore and shortly commence joint training in interest-based negotiations.”
Are teachers underpaid? Half of Utahns think so
08/21/2011
(Salt Lake Tribune) Exactly half of Utah residents believe public school teachers in the state are paid too little, according to a Salt Lake Tribune poll. Forty-one percent think teachers are paid “about right” and 6 percent think the pay is too high. Women were much more likely than men to rate teachers as underpaid, with 68 percent saying the pay is too little compared with 31 percent of men.
Proposals Target UEA/Public Schools
08/17/2011
“Not since the voucher battle in 2007 has public education faced so many attacks. The actions being studied by the Education Interim Committee are part of a concerted national effort to privatize our public schools. Our teachers should be treated with dignity and respect, yet these proposals are clearly directed at silencing the voice of teachers and weakening their association.”
Educator Evaluation Standards Tentatively Set
08/12/2011
(KCPW) As local school districts work to put together new state mandated teacher evaluation committees, the State Board of Education recently approved preliminary evaluation standards for educators and administrators across the state.
Ogden teachers rally over contract ultimatum
07/15/2011
(Standard-Examiner) District teachers, with their representatives and supporters wearing red T-shirts to show solidarity, on Thursday rallied at Liberty Park, then walked along Monroe Boulevard to district offices to express righteous indignation with a new Ogden School District teachers’ contract.
Ogden teachers attack new contracts with rally
07/15/2011
(KSL-TV) "I put in 20 years in this district, taught thousands of kids, made it my life, given all that I've had to make them better, and I got kicked in the face for it," Ogden Education Association President Doug Stephens told the men, women and children gathered.
Ogden teachers, other unions rally for collective bargaining
07/15/2011
(Salt Lake Tribune) Wearing red T-shirts and waving black-and-white signs, an estimated 800 people rallied in Ogden’s Liberty Park on Thursday to protest the city school district’s decision to not negotiate a contract with its teachers union.
Ogden Teachers Rally For Wage Negotiations
07/15/2011
(KUTV-2 News) Last fall, the Ogden Board of Education and the Ogden Education Association (OEA) reached an impasse in 2010-11 contract negotiations for wages, benefits and working conditions.
Ogden teachers furious over pay raises
07/15/2011
(ABC-4 TV) Teachers from multiple school districts were holding signs reading, teachers are not the problem, and there are two sides to a contract.
New Mobile App for Discounts
06/22/2011
Introducing the new UEA/Access My Deals Mobile application! All the great deals available only to UEA members are now on your phone!
Teacher Pay Still Losing Ground
05/27/2011
(NEA Today) According to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), public school teachers in 2010 earned about 12 percent less than comparable workers – a pay gap that’s been persistent for the past two decades and that accelerated between 1996 and 2000, an economic boom time for other workers.
Watson replaces McCoy as UEA General Counsel
05/16/2011
UEA General Counsel Michael McCoy retired in April after nearly four decades representing teachers. He is succeeded by local employment law attorney Tracey M. Watson.
Press Release: Smithfield Educators Receive $5,000 Grant
05/13/2011
Richard Rigby and Carla Cox of Birch Creek Elementary in Smithfield, Utah have received a $5,000 Student Achievement Grant from the NEA Foundation to improve students’ mastery of technology by introducing Smart Boards and other technology in the classroom.
UEA Press Release: Teachers from around the west donate books to Utah students
05/12/2011
Salt Lake School District Superintendent McKell Withers and Utah Education Association President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh joined with the Cat in the Hat at an event celebrating the book donation on May 12. The two school leaders read to Kindergarten and first-grade classes while the Cat interacted with students and handed out books.
Press Release: Teacher leaders recommend overhaul of evaluation and accountability
05/11/2011
Based on recommendations of a workgroup of NEA leaders convened by NEA President Dennis Van Roekel this spring, the NEA Board of Directors has approved for final action a policy statement that revamps teacher evaluation and accountability. The statement reflects the first broad endorsement by NEA of the need for evaluation and accountability reform.
Rally to Support American Labor
04/05/2011
On April 2, 2011, a group of about 2,000, including several hundred educators, gathered on the steps of Utah’s Capitol to remember that dream and to stand in solidarity with working people in other states where well-funded organizations are attacking the rights for which Dr. King gave his life.
Poll: Utahns want more money for education
03/27/2011
(Deseret News) The Legislature increased education funding by about 2.2. percent this year, and reallocated other funds in order to send a total of about $3.5 billion to schools. Lawmakers chose to fund the estimated 14,700 new students expected to enter the public education system in the fall. It's the first time new funds have been allocated for new students in three years.
UEA PRESS RELEASE: Public Education Budget
03/11/2011
“Our legislature has demonstrated its commitment to funding public education by avoiding major budget cuts and providing for growth,” said UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh. “This budget will help educators focus on delivering a quality education without worrying about what will be cut next.”
UEA EDITORIAL: School bills don't represent Utahns
03/04/2011
(Editorial in the Deseret News) It’s clear there are a few powerful, well-connected individuals who would much rather dismantle our neighborhood schools than improve them—with the end goal of creating more private and charter schools that serve (and benefit) only a few.
Newspaper Ad Encourages Support for Governor’s Public Ed Budget
02/28/2011
In an open letter to Utah legislators, 14 local non-profit organizations warned that “Decreasing budgets and increasing demands are on a collision course. This cannot continue without severe implications for the future of our students and our state’s economy.”
(SL Tribune) McEntee: Teacher leaves the classroom, camps on Capitol Hill
02/08/2011
(Salt Lake Tribune) This time last year, Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh was sitting in her second-grade classroom, lamenting a proposed $84-million funding cut to public education in Utah. This year, she’s on Capitol Hill as president of the Utah Education Association, and she’s determined to unravel fiction from fact about Utah’s neighborhood schools.
UEA Editorial: Effective teacher evaluation programs can improve schools
01/29/2011
Some have vilified teacher associations as protectors of bad teachers. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the Utah Education Association and its local affiliates in each Utah school district are constantly seeking ways to improve teacher effectiveness and ensure a quality teacher in every classroom.
21 Utah Teachers Earn National Board Certification
12/15/2010
(Press Release from NBPTS) As the conversation in the education arena expands from teacher quality to teacher effectiveness, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), the organization that sets and maintains the standards for teaching excellence, is pleased to announce that 21 Utah teachers achieved National Board Certification in 2010.
Teachers Unions and Education Reform
12/02/2010
(KUER News) UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh and other guests address claims that one of the biggest obstacles to education reform is the union that protects bad teachers and prevents incentives for more highly qualified professionals.
Press Release: UEA Applauds Approval of $101 Million in Education Jobs Money
11/18/2010
The Utah Education Association praises the Utah legislators who stood up for Utah students and voted in favor of accepting more than $101 million in federal funding for Utah schools. The federal education jobs money targeted for Utah will have a dual benefit of improving educational quality and boosting Utah’s economy.
U-PAC 2010 Post-Election Wrap-Up
11/03/2010
The November 2010 election results were mixed for candidates recommended by the Utah Education Association Political Action Committee (U-PAC).
Audit report: Utah charter schools need better oversight
10/21/2010
The report released by the Office of the Legislative Auditor General found lapses in the financial reporting processes of several schools and a need for better fiscal policies and enforcement by the State Charter School Board.
Editorial: Education plan
10/19/2010
...But those changes will require a substantial financial investment. More money isn’t the complete solution, but continued underfunding is a big part of the problem.
Speaker says collaboration leads to school success
10/16/2010
Alan Blankstein, who authored Failure Is Not an Option: Six Principles That Guide Student Achievement in High-Performing Schools, delivered a keynote address about collaboration at the Utah Education Association’s annual convention Friday in Sandy.
Herbert, Corroon talk to teachers after dual UEA endorsement
10/15/2010
Gov. Gary Herbert wants to help fund schools by growing the economy. His opponent, Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, wants to reexamine the state’s tax structure, use of school buildings, limit corporate incentives and impose limitations on how much money lawmakers may transfer. School funding was one of the main topics both candidates discussed in front of hundreds of educators at the Utah Education Association’s (UEA) annual convention Thursday.
Teachers Learn About Perils of Social Media
10/15/2010
The largest teachers’ union in the state wrapped up its two-day annual convention today at the South Towne Expo Center. KCPW’s Elizabeth Ziegler attended one of the 41 workshops offered. This one was aimed at teaching teachers how to avoid problems on social networking sites.
Teachers push quality public education at annual convention
10/14/2010
The theme for this year's conference is "Speak for Tomorrow Today," a phrase Gallagher-Fishbaugh hopes will encourage everyone to advocate for fair funding for Utah's public schools.
"We are asking for the citizens of our state to recommit to making quality public schools for every child," says Gallagher-Fishbaugh.