It is also good for you to know that Mike Anderson, Administrator of Schools for Jordan District, was at Capitol Hill today.
Public Education Appropriations Committee is looking at finalizing the base budget. Discussed Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind and the need to attract qualified teachers for this special population or teachers to be willing to drive from the Wasatch Front to rural areas to service students in need.
Science outreach program, by Clark Planetarium, Thanksgiving Point, Hawk Watch, Living Planet Aquarium, etc., budget addressed. This provides free entrance for students attending field trips as well as these groups going to schools, especially those outside the Wasatch Front, for science presentations and professional development.
Arts outreach program, by Utah Opera, Ballet West, Ririe-Woodbury Dance, etc., funding addressed. This also provides free entrance for these performances to those attending field trips or these groups doing assemblies at schools. Asking for an increase of $200,000 ongoing and $250,000 one time funds.
Approving base public education budget. His can still be amended until Executive Appropriations Committee meets on Monday evening. Changes can be made throughout the legislative session.
Motion to consolidate some programs that are based on the same WPU formula be put into the WPU, which would allow local control. Pilot programs that are now ongoing, i.e. Dual immersion, take off mandates as to how money is spent and allow districts to decide how it is spent. Give state school board the responsibility to provide statewide priority programs, like science and arts outreach, and just provide the funding, but allow the state office to decide which programs to run. This would weight the WPU differently. This would give the same number of WPU, but the value would be more (as I understand it), presented by Representative Nielsen. He is willing to have this looked at on Monday or in the interim before next year. There are concerns with global, sweeping change and with details of moving money around. Senator Hillyard said many programs (charter schools, dual immersion) would not be in place if the legislature hadn't provided grants in the past. Agrees that locals should have more control, but he doesn't want to just turn all the money over to local school boards. People seem more okay with income taxes going to education, but not with increases in property taxes. Representative Nielsen said we need to build leadership capacity in local superintendents. This motion failed.
Motion to ask state school board and public education committee to study in the interim and provide recommendations for consolidating some items. Motion to study passes.
Base public education budget has been approved.
After talking to legislators, and debriefing over lunch, we attended the Educational Excellence Task Force Press Conference. Two members of the Jordan School Board, Susan Pulsipher and Janice Voorhies, were in attendance as well. See the following press release.
Teachers present an innovative new vision for Utah public education
Independent task force asks lawmakers to consider their education policy recommendations, detailed in a new report
Although her independent teacher task force was charged with making education recommendations to policymakers, Park City teacher Anna Williams has a bold charge for her fellow public school educators. “Teachers must examine current practice, look beyond traditional roles and be willing to courageously take the lead in creating innovative education solutions for our students,” she said.
After 18 months of study, research and deliberation, the Educational Excellence Task Force presented a report detailing specific teacher-developed education policy recommendations to the Utah Education Association and state policymakers for consideration. The report is titled Educators Taking the Lead: A Vision for Fostering Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
“We are committed to a bold new vision where teachers have the time, support and resources needed to meet the demand of a diverse learning population,” said Task Force Chairperson Williams. “We envision schools rich in learning, where educators and students excel. We choose to transform our profession, knowing that educating our children is the key to creating a healthy, prosperous and compassionate society.”
Thirteen Utah educators who excel in their field and are leaders in their profession participated in the task force. They presented recommendations to UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh at a press conference Jan. 31.
“This report represents a bold vision for fostering excellence in teaching and learning for all Utah students,” said Gallagher-Fishbaugh. “Our hope is that it will serve as a springboard for dialogue in the education community on strengthening the teaching profession and supporting high student outcomes.”
The report outlines very specific “Call to Action” requests for the Utah State Board of Education, the Utah Legislature, school districts, parents, students and even their own teacher association and fellow educators. “It’s important to remember that education excellence is everyone’s responsibility. We all have a role to play and all must step up for every child to have access to high-quality schools staffed by highly effective teachers,” said Williams. “Every member of our great state will reap the benefits of investments in education.”
The Task Force began its work in May 2012, organized by the Utah Education Association as an independent group to study and prioritize critical education issues and create a vision of teaching excellence designed and led by Utah educators.
Task Force members represent a breadth and depth of experience in many areas including classroom teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, specialists, elementary and secondary education, diverse curriculum areas and low-income schools.
The Task Force met regularly with the charge to analyze relevant research to identify priorities for the Utah Education Association and public education in Utah; create a vision of teaching excellence that is led by teachers; develop a comprehensive set of policy recommendations regarding teaching quality and effectiveness; and create a report that will engage policymakers, the public and teacher association leadership in the important dialogue of change.
“Teachers are trained education experts and are in the best position to make policy recommendations that impact their individual classrooms and students,” said Gallagher-Fishbaugh. “The teachers on this Task Force represent the very best of Utah education. I look forward to working with all our education stakeholders in using these recommendations to champion a long-term, student-centered, fully funded plan for Utah public education.”
Educational Excellence Task Force members:
- Anna Williams (chair), instructional coach, Park City High, Park City District
- Eve Bean, assistant principal, Ellison Park Elementary, Davis District
- Laurel Brown, speech-language teacher, Riverview Junior High, Murray City District
- Jennifer Graviet, English teacher, Sand Ridge Junior High, Weber District
- Debra Green, choral director, Sand Ridge Junior High, Weber District
- Judy Mahoskey, sixth-grade teacher, Liberty Elementary, Murray City District
- Suzy Merrill, third-grade teacher, Oakridge Elementary, Granite District
- Jennifer Roberts, sixth-grade teacher, Lincoln Elementary, Davis District
- Dan Rozanas, social studies teacher, Alta High, Canyons District
- Mary Ellen Smith, BYU partnership facilitator, Eastlake Elementary, Jordan District
- Denise Ulrich, second-grade teacher, Foxboro Elementary, Davis District
- Leigh VandenAkker, social studies teacher, East High School, Salt Lake City District
- Patti Zealley, kindergarten teacher, Silver Crest Elementary, Jordan District
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