Ask your representatives to support smaller class sizes NOW! - February 21, 2012
ALERT: Please contact your representative today and ask them to support SB31: Classroom Size Amendments. This bill would place a cap on class sizes in grades K-3. It passed the Senate and will soon face a vote in the House. The UEA supports the proposal provided funding it does not reduce spending in other critical areas.
Proposed Budget Problematic for Utah Schools - February 16, 2012
ALERT: The Public Education Appropriations Committee met on February 15 and proposed several items that are problematic for Utah schools. more
Urgent Request for those in Utah County! - February 3, 2012
ALERT: If you live or work in House District 61 (West Provo/Vineyard area) please contact Representative Keith Grover immediately (keithgrover@le.utah.gov, 801-319-0170) and ask him to drop his HB106: Limitation on Collective Bargaining. See more about this issue here.
'Public Education Employment Reform' proposal introduced - February 10, 2012
Sen. Aaron Osmond has now publically released his SB64: Public Education Employment Reform proposal. The UEA Legislative Team worked closely with the Senator and other education groups to be certain the views of educators were represented in the final bill. The UEA is supporting this proposal AS ORIGINALLY DRAFTED. In an email to all UEA members, UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh explained why. See more about the proposal here.
Day Twenty-One - February 21, 2012
Senate Floor (Reported by Mark Mickelsen): Sen. Lyle Hillyard opened the morning session of the Senate by sharing good news about the state’s revenue picture. “We do have more money. We did not drop,” Hillyard said, noting that one-time money is up $5 million and ongoing money is up $9 million. The difficult task of appropriating money based on the varied needs of the state now rests with the Executive Appropriations Committee.
Congressman Jim Matheson appeared before the Senate and told lawmakers that he voted to extend payroll tax cuts for one million working Utahns. “This tax cut is good for our country,” he said. Matheson also talked about the importance of enhancing our national energy policy. He said we need to lessen our dependence on oil provided by hostile countries, noting that the United States’ dependence on foreign oil has dropped from 57 to 45 percent.
Sen. Stuart Reid circled SJR22: Joint Resolution on State Spending Limitations and said he is preparing a substitute bill. The UEA opposes SJR22 because it is the type of legislation introduced in other parts of the country as a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR. It would limit state spending to the prior year’s budget, adjusted by inflation and population change. It would require any future surplus revenues to be held in reserve or refunded to taxpayers unless specifically directed by a three-fifths majority of both houses. Because SJR22 is an amendment to Utah’s Constitution, it would require a two-thirds majority vote in both houses, plus a majority vote in a general election in order to take effect.
In Colorado, results of similar legislation were so devastating that voters passed a referendum to roll back its provisions. By arbitrarily linking future spending to the current budget, SJR22 would effectively guarantee the state’s current last-in-the-nation education spending and highest class-size status in perpetuity.
Sen. Aaron Osmond’s SB64: Public Education Employment Reform legislation was also circled during the Senate’s afternoon session. Sen. Osmond said he is working on some changes suggested by his colleagues.
By a vote of 21-1, SB196: Software for Special Needs Children passed on second reading in the Senate and is up for final passage. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, requires the Utah State Board of Education to contract with a provider to provide computer software and activity manuals to improve social skills and student achievement for students with autism and other special needs in pre-school through grade 2. The bill also directs the State Board of Education to distribute the computer software and activity manuals to those school districts and charter schools that demonstrate a commitment to implement programs as prescribed by the provider.
“This is a bill that deals with computer software for students with disabilities, especially those with autism,” Sen. Niederhauser said, noting that the program has been functioning well in nine districts. Enactment of this bill appropriates $3 million one-time money from the Education Fund to the Utah State Board of Education to contract with a technology provider as outlined in the bill. Asked about the costs involved, the senator said the successes of the program “have been profound.” Sen. Niederhauser said $3 million could provide software to almost all students in the state “that would benefit from the software.”
By a vote of 21-5, the Senate passed on second reading SB59 (1st sub.): Income Tax Contribution for Elementary Schools, sponsored by Sen. Ross Romero. The bill allows individuals on their income tax to do a check off and designate an elementary or charter school where they want to make a voluntary contribution. The check-off applies to grades K-6 and is meant to provide additional money for public schools, according to Romero.
2012 LEGISLATURE WEEK FOUR SUMMARY: February 13-17
View the complete Week Four archive
Public Education Budget
On February 15, unprecedented action was taken by the Public Education Appropriations Committee to insert many concepts into the Minimum School Program budget bill. Many of the items should have been presented as separate bills, heard in committees, received public input and gone through the scrutiny of the normal bill process. This would have allowed them to pass or fail on their own merits…more
Educator Day on the Hill
At Educator Day on the Hill Feb. 17, more than 80 teachers crowded into the room to listen to UEA Government Relations Director Kory Holdaway talk to them about the challenges facing education with some legislation. Most teachers attended the Senate Education Committee where they heard testimony for and against SB151: Student Opportunity Scholarships, the latest iteration of vouchers, and then SB151 (2nd sub.) which moved the tax credit discussion to Interim Committee.
- See UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh’s testimony before the Senate Education Committee.
Bills on the move this week
(For the current status on all bills of interest see the UEA Legislative Tracking Sheet)
- HB62: Provisions Regarding School Supplies passed the full Senate unanimously. This bill allows elementary teachers to send home list of supplies and then parents and students may voluntarily send them to school.
- HB115: Peer Assistance and Review Pilot Program passed the House on a vote of 51-18. The bill provides $300,000 for competitive grants for school districts to create creates a pilot program for peer assistance, where educators assist other educators in improving teaching practice. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
- HB123: Education Savings Accounts, sponsored by Rep. John Dougall, would create an education savings account funded with $6,400 annually for every high school age student. The bill was held in the House Education Committee. A substitute bill is anticipated to be presented later in the session.
- HB197: Grants for Math Teacher Training provides $500,000 for math teacher training programs by awarding grants to organizations that provide an alternative route to licensure. The bill passed House Education Committee on an 11-1 vote.
- HB206 (1st Sub): Curriculum Options for Secondary School Students passed the House unanimously. This bill allows the parents and students to decide where students can take a Career and Technical Education class – at the High School, ATC or UCAT campus. It now goes to the Senate.
- HB213: School Community Council Member Qualifications, sponsored by Rep. Lee Perry, would allow educators to serve as a parent member of a SCC so long as their child attends another school from where they are employed. The bill passed the House 68-0 and will move to the Senate.
- HB218: Local School Board Business Administrator Changes also passed the Senate Education Committee. The bill prohibits a local school board from appointing a business administrator during an interim vacancy period and entering into a contract that contains an automatic renewal provision.
- HB230: Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Amendments amends provisions regarding governance of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and more clearly defines the qualifications that the Superintendent for USDB must have. The bill passed the House unanimously and will now go to the Senate.
- HB285: Repeal of Higher Education Tuition Assistance Program passed the Senate. The bill repeals the Utah Higher Education Tuition Assistance Program within the State System of Higher Education.
- HJR2: Joint Resolution on World Class Curriculum is a non-binding resolution that urges Utah schools to provide students with a broad, rich curriculum that includes art, music, literature and other subjects in addition to reading, writing and math. The bill passed the House 66-2 and will move to the Senate for consideration.
- SB48: Mission of Public Education, which adds a vision statement for the public education system, passed the Senate unanimously. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Pat Jones, includes language about college and career readiness, literacy, and focuses on preparation so children enter the public education system ready to learn.
- Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee (Reported by Jay Blain): A bill sponsored by Sen. Ross Romero, SB 59: Income Tax Deduction for Elementary Schools would allow individual taxpayers to contribute to their own local elementary schools via their individual income tax returns. It passed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee and will go on to the full Senate.
- SB54 (1st sub.): Amendments Related to Education Funding, designed to make changes in tax and education provisions, was tabled in the Senate Education Committee. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ben McAdams, would have increased the maximum property tax rate allowed under a voter-authorized school district property tax levy; established a set tax rate for the school minimum basic levy; and created a public education restricted account within the Uniform School Fund.
- SB64: Public Education Employment Reform, sponsored by Sen. Aaron Osmond, passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a unanimous vote. UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh acknowledged Osmond’s work, saying, “This speaks to the power of collaboration. We are in complete support of the bill.” See more about the Public Education Employment Reform Act.
- SB151 (2nd sub.): Students At Risk of Academic Failure Study, a substitute for the original “Student Opportunity Scholarship” school voucher legislation, passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a favorable recommendation. More than 80 teachers opposed to the original bill attended the meeting. The substitute bill calls for interim study of the issue.
- SB152: Charter School Financing, sponsored by Sen. John Valentine, passed the Senate by a vote of 26-2 and now goes to the House. The legislation establishes the Charter School Credit Enhancement Program and requires the Utah Charter School Finance Authority to establish criteria for a charter school to be designated as a qualifying charter school for purposes of issuing bonds. Enactment of this bill appropriates $3 million one-time from the Education Fund to the Charter School Reserve Account.
- SB175: School Grading Amendments passed out of the Senate Education Committee with a favorable recommendation. This bill, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, delays implementation of a school grading system until the 2012-13 school year.
- SB191: Accountability for School Attendance, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Stevenson, requires a school board, charter board, or school district to issue a habitual truant citation to a truant if reasonable efforts have been taken to resolve the school attendance problem and the efforts have not been successful. UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh spoke in favor of the bill. The bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee on a unanimous vote.
- SB196: Software for Special Needs Children provides a $3 million one-time appropriation to make software more widely available to districts and charters around the state. The bill passed the Senate Education Committee on a 6-1 vote.
- SCR5: Concurrent Resolution Encouraging Parental Engagement in the Education of Children, by Sen. Pat Jones, passed the Senate unanimously.
2012 LEGISLATURE WEEK THREE SUMMARY: February 6-10
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2012 LEGISLATURE WEEK TWO SUMMARY: January 30-February 3
View the complete Week Two Archive
2012 Legislature Week One Summary - January 23-27
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A Note to Fellow Educators, from UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh - January 23, 2012
Never in my more than 30 years in education do I recall a year with so many unknowns. In many ways, I feel like I am walking from a storm into a dark cave…unsure if I will find a place of refuge or a hideous beast.
There is a clear movement around the country to dismantle and privatize public education. Since we as teachers are viewed as an obstacle to that movement, there have also been attacks directly on teachers’ associations. For example, some states have lost their ability to collect dues through payroll deduction, others have lost the right to collectively bargain for their salaries, benefits and working conditions. Still others have seen public education budgets eroded by schemes to divert tax dollars to private business...more
Key Issues for 2012 Legislative Session Identified
During the 2011 Utah General Legislative Session, more than 100 bills were introduced dealing with public education. For 2012, the story may be the same. The UEA Legislative Team has identified about a dozen key issues that may be considered. In addition to the annual Public Education Budget, four issues have been identified as the top priorities for the Association:
View the complete 2012 Utah Legislative Session preview (includes reports from Interim meetings and Special Sessions)
2011 Legislative Voting Records
The Utah Education Association tracked more than 110 bills during the 2011 legislative session. The UEA has reviewed the voting records of legislators and highlighted selected bills voted on in the House and/or Senate that could have significant impact on public education and/or the UEA. This analysis is included in the 2011 UEA Voting Record.
It is important to note that a voting record is but one of several indicators used to evaluate legislators. It does not explain the reasons a legislator voted a certain way on a bill, and in some cases the final percentage might not accurately reflect a legislator’s overall support for public education.
From bills affecting general funding, retirement and Association-related issues, lawmakers consider a wide variety of education-related measures during their 45-day session. In addition to using “final floor votes” on most bills, the UEA analysis includes committee votes and votes on important amendments. Often times these votes provide a more critical, or accurate, indication of a legislator’s support or lack thereof. The UEA encourages you to contact your legislators directly to ask them to explain their votes. Contact information for your legislators is available from the Utah Legislature look-up page.
View the 2011 UEA Voting Record Summary