Take Action
StayConnected
In The News
August 26, 2010
Will Corroon’s Education Plan Cut Seminary?
August 25, 2010
Utah not only state looking at grading schools
August 24, 2010
Jeb Bush: Class size limits unnecessary in education reform
Jeb Bush tells Utah educators how to improve schools
Some Utah leaders want to copy Florida by grading schools
In Utah, Former Fla. Gov Slams Class Size Limits
Jeb Bush Comments On Utah Class Sizes During Visit
Former Florida Guv Tells Utah How to Improve Schools
Former Fla. Gov. Bush slams class size limits while visiting state with largest classes
In Utah, former Florida gov dings class size limits
Jeb Bush Shares Roadmap for Transformational Education Reform in Utah
March 22, 2010
Debate over teachers, unions, and taxpayer dollars
Utah Legislature: District to help fund charter schools?
March 9, 2010
Utah Legislature: Bill regulating teacher union rep funding fails in House
March 7, 2010
Utah charter schools: After 10 years, proponents say they're a success, but not everyone agrees
March 2, 2010
Bill to prohibit paid teachers union leave advances
February 27, 2010
Some food for thought: Vouchers save money
February 26, 2010
Utah Legislature: Parents hope special needs stipend survives
Take Action
Take Action
CAPTION: PCE sponsored rally at the Utah State Capitol
Advocating for Education Innovations is as easy as clicking your mouse. Click the boxes to the right to find out how you can easily TAKE ACTION to improve K-12 education in Utah. | |
 |  |
Action Alerts!
"Until we, the parents, taxpayers, business and community leaders, and policymakers demand comprehensive solutions nothing will change." -Robyn Bagley, PCE Board Chair
The ACTION ALERTS listed below are things you should do RIGHT NOW to have a positive impact on K-12 education in Utah. Check this page regularly or join PCE's email list to stay on top of issues that require your immediate action.
SB55 Authorization of Charter Schools by Higher Education Institutions | Participating During the Session |
SummaryAllows a board of trustees of a higher education institution to authorize the establishment and operation of a charter school and specifies the responsibilities of a board of trustees that authorizes a charter school.Go HERE to see an overview and the benefits of this bill. STATUS: Bill reviewed from senate for enrolling Act Now1. Contact your RepresentativeThank You for your help in passing SB55 and ask them to VOTE YES on SB55
Go HERE to find the Representatives on the House Education Committee Go HERE to find your Representative and Senator NewsDeseret News 2/2/10 |
What You Can DoContact your LegislatorAttend a Committee Meeting Carson Smith DayWe will be having our 2nd Annual Carson Smith Appreciation Day at the Capitol on February 26th. Please join us for the day and communicate with your legislator about this phenomenal program!Time: 10:00 am Place: Rotunda of the CapitolLunch will be served at noon. Please RSVP by contacting PCE. |
SB 77 School District Leave Policies | Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship |
SummaryProhibits granting paid association leave. Requires reimbursement to a school district of the costs for certain employees, including benefits, for the time that the employee is on unpaid association leave.Go HERE to see an overview and the benefits of this bill. STATUS: On Senate Second Reading Calendar Act Now1. Contact your Senator and ask them to VOTE YES on SB772. Contact all Senators and ask them to vote yes on SB77 3. Contact and ask those House members who voted against the bill in 2009 to support it this year Go HERE to see last year's House Education Committee Vote (2/27/09) Go HERE to find your Senator or Representative. Go HERE to see the Senate Education Committee Vote (2/2/10)
|
SummaryThe Executive Appropriations Committee should not cut funding to this program to relieve budget shortfalls; it is counterintuitive. Policymakers should recognize that the cost of a scholarship to the taxpayer is significantly lower than the cost for the student to attend public school, saving the taxpayer dollars. Most importantly, the Carson Smith Scholarship allows Utah families to choose the best education option to fit their child’s unique needs. In fact, the recent legislative audit showed 100% satisfaction with the Carson Smith Program.Go HERE to see how this program is impacting students in Utah. Salt Lake Tribune 1/20/10 Go HERE to view the Legislative Audit Act Now1. Contact all members of the Executive Appropriations Committee and ask them NOT to cut Carson Smith Scholarship funding.2. Contact all members of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee and ask them NOT to cut Carson Smith Scholarship funding. 3. Become a volunteer during the session and help us lobby for this amazing program. Contact us and let us know that you'd be willing to come to the Capitol. 4. Contact your Senator and Representative and ask them to continue to support the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship. Go HERE to see contact information for members of the appropriation subcommittees Carson Smith DayWe will be having our 2nd Annual Carson Smith Appreciation Day at the Capitol on February 26th. Please join us for the day and communicate with your legislator about this phenomenal program!Time: 10:00 am Place: Rotunda of the CapitolLunch will be served at noon. Please RSVP by contacting PCE. |
HB268 Public School Innovations | PCE's Policy Principles |
SummaryAllows a school or group of schools in a school district to create an innovation plan and adopt the plan upon approval by the local school board and State Board of Education. Encourages innovation in education by providing local school communities and principals with autonomy and greater control over levels of staffing, personnel selection and evaluation scheduling, and educational programming with the goal of achieving improved student achievement. Provides a means to gain waivers from district policies, state policies, and collective bargaining agreements.Go HERE to see an overview and the benefits of this bill. STATUS: Assigned to House Education Committee |
OverviewIncreasing choice- We support any policy that increases choice. Choice in education increases accountability and improves the overall quality of our education system.Empowering parents-Parents have the right and responsibility to steer the direction of their child's education. We support any policy that empowers parents with a voice in the decisions that impacts their child's education. Transparency-Transparency is necessary for democratic accountability, and enables policy makers, voters and parents to make informed decisions regarding k-12 education. Efficiency in funding-The most efficient funding happens when the education dollars stay in the classroom, and follow the student. Quality Instructors-Teachers are one of the most important factors influencing student achievement. They should be compensated as professionals with salaries based on their effectiveness and the demand for their individual expertise.
Our Bills2010 PCE 's initiated bills
|
Charter School Funding | Legislative Calendar |
SummaryCharter schools are a critical part of K-12 education. They provide parents and students with a choice, bringing new options to underserved communities and introducing competition and innovation into the education system. Here in Utah, charter schools are popular, successful and in high demand. Currently there are 15,000 students on waiting lists for just 25 of the state's 72 charter schools. Charter school students already receive less funding than traditional district school students and are doing an excellent job meeting the needs of the students they serve despite the funding inequity. Policymakers need to give charter schools the same respect that they give to the traditional public schools. They need to embrace not reject or stunt the growth of those avenues of education where innovation and a focus on meeting the individual needs of students is thriving.Act Now1. Contact all members of the Executive Appropriations Committee and ask them to continue to support Charter Schools and Charter School funding.2. Contact all members of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee and ask them to continue to support Charter Schools and Charter School funding. 3. Become a volunteer during the session and help us lobby for Charter Schools. Contact us and let us know that you'd be willing to come to the Capitol. 4. Contact your Senator and Representative and ask them to continue to support Charter Schools. NewsDeseret News 1/12/10 Deseret News 11/6/09 |
This WeekMonday, March 8 8:00AM- House and Senate Floor Time 4:10PM- Executive Appropriations Committee AGENDA 5:00PM- House and Senate Floor Time Tuesday, March 9 8:00AM- House and Senate Floor Time 4:10PM- Executive Appropriations Committee AGENDA 5:00PM- House and Senate Floor TimeWednesday, March10 8:00AM- House and Senate Floor Time 4:10PM- Executive Appropriations Committee AGENDA 5:00PM- House and Senate Floor TimeThursday, March11-Last day of 2010 Session 8:00AM- House and Senate Floor Time 2:00PM- House and Senate Floor Time 7:00PM- House and Senate Floor Time Bills To Watch2010 PCE 's initiated bills
|
jaksjdflkjasdkjfalksjflkajsdflasdf;lkjasd;lfkjasdlkjfkslajsldkjfaklsdjfklajsdfkj knbkgjalkn
Additional News |
New Century Scholorship/Regent Scholarship and Concurrent Enrollment UPDATE: 8/18/09 Today at the Capitol House Speaker Clark announced "Earlier today, the majority legislative leadership and Governor Herbert instructed the Utah Board of Regents to fully fund the New Century Scholarship,” Click on the News tab to see the media coverage. Due to economic downturn and increased numbers of qualified applicants, the award amount for the New Century Scholarship and the Regents' Scholarship have changed. New Century Scholarship: 75% of a Utah college tution for this year with next year's amount still be to determined. Regents' Scholarship: 75% of a Utah college tutition for this year with next year's amount still be to determined. See the legislative briefing written by Chris Bleak, the Utah House Speaker's Chief of Staff Utah's Concurrent Enrollment program continues to be one of the best public education bargains! It allows High School students to obtain an Associates Degree by taking courses that grant college credit. The program has been recently updated to better represent college coursework and is available to Juniors and Seniors.
In 2009, the State Legislature passed Senate Bill 81, which discontinues Concurrent Enrollment classes offered in 9th and 10th grade and strengthens the courses offered to better reflect the rigor of college coursework. In Recent News:
Graduation Rates- Utah Students Falling Behind In 2004, we were number one. A year later we were number 8. Now, in Education Week’s most recent report on U.S. high school graduation rates, Utah ranked 26th at 72.2%, just three percentage points above the national average. In fact, Utah’s graduation rate has fallen more than any other state, save one, since 1996. The current report did not include a breakdown of graduation rate by race and ethnicityIn Recent News: Quoting a Deseret News editorial, “The Utah State Office of Education can quibble all it wants with the numbers in the latest Education Week Diplomas Count report. The truth is, whether the number for the state's graduation rates in 2006 was [83] percent, as state officials say, or 72.2 percent, as the report says, it's far too low.”
Follow New Canyon District The new Canyons School District provides a unique opportunity for parents and taxpayers to observe the creation and development of a school district from the ground up. In the 2009-10 school year the District will begin serving 33,000 students in 44 schools. The split of one district into two provides a lesson in per pupil funding as comparisons are being highlighted between Jordan and the Canyons District. We learn that the local revenue portion of per pupil funding varies greatly, meaning total per pupil spending is not equal district by district. A recent Salt Lake Tribune article (June 28, 2009) reported, "The district [Canyons] generates about $3,545 in property taxes per student (compared with Jordan's $2,164)." Property taxes account for only 29% of total per pupil funding.
You can also use UtahsRight.com to check out the same information on your own school district.www.UtahsRight.com provides “data that Utahns have a ‘right to know,’ and brings to one central location a host of public information that had previously been scattered on various government and private Web sites or unavailable online-- all of it easily searchable. Performance-Pay Pilot Program An innovative Performance Pay pilot program for elementary teachers was approved in the 2009 legislative session! Great public school teachers will now be recognized and rewarded based on student gains and other criteria. Those criteria are: - 40% Student Learning Gains
Follow the progress of this innovative new performance pay pilot program.
New Law Brings Greater Transparency to Taxpayers on Education Spending Collective Bargaining Agreements will now be available online! A new law passed by the 2009 legislature provides accountability to taxpayers by requiring school districts and public schools who have collective bargaining agreements with the teacher's union to post these agreements on their websites effective May 12th. In the past this type of disclosure was at the sole discretion of the public school governing boards. In Recent News:
Free Online. A-Home Preschool Program UPSTART is a new Utah state–funded, computer–based preschool program that prepares 4 and 5 year-olds for school with a start in reading, math, and science. The Utah legislature provided the funds for this free, at-home pilot program as a way to help Utah’s children better prepare for kindergarten. Children are required to use it 15 minutes a day, five days a week. The program monitors each child's online time and progress. Tests are administered before, during and after using UPSTART to evaluate their progress. The program uses award-winning software developed by the Waterford Institute. The curriculum, which has been used across the nation in schools and preschools, has been offered in Utah only for home use. Due to immediate demand and interest in the program, the 1,300 available spots have already been filled. Pre-registration for next year is now taking place. Waterford's contract with the state stipulates that 30 percent of the UPSTART student population must be from families with incomes up to 200 percent of the poverty level. Waterford provides computers and high-speed Internet connections at no charge for families that can't afford them. To learn more about the program, eligibility, and how to apply call 1-800-669-4533 or click the link below. In recent News:
Education Interim Committee- Utah State Legislature Although the majority of K-12 state education policy happens during the 45-day General Legislative Session, the Education Interim Committee studies key education issues facing the state and recommends legislation for the upcoming session.
Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship
The Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship is a school choice option for children with special needs. This state funded program provides scholarships to K-12 students who qualify for an IEP to attend one of nearly 50 eligible private schools in Utah. In order to receive a full year's scholarship for the 2009-10 school year, applications must be received no later than July 1.
A 2009 amendment to state law requires public schools to notify parents of children with an IEP about the Carson Smith Scholarship annually. Students receiving an IEP for the first time are to be notified within 30 days. Parents are encouraged to learn more about the scholarship to determine if it is a good option for their child. |
