Education First Utah
Weekly Policy Update

December 5th, 2023

● Now, we know that Utahns love their teachers: more than 80% of Utahns say that they are satisfied with their neighborhood schools.

● And yet, our teachers are leaving. According to the Utah State Board of Education’s

2022 Educator Exit Survey, emotional exhaustion, burnout, and job-specific stress were the most influential factors in departing teachers’ decisions to leave. Departing educators also cited demoralization due to political events and waning public respect as major contributing factors.

● Our children can’t afford this rate of turnover. Research demonstrates that high teacher turnover has a particularly negative impact for disadvantaged students and stands to negatively affect all students in a school.

YOU can help reverse this trend

Join the Education First teacher appreciation movement. Education First is a group of local business and community leaders committed to advocating for Utah public schools. Make a difference today by shouting out an exemplary educator in your or your family’s life!

Stay informed this legislative session: subscribe to our weekly policy bulletins and follow Education First on Facebook and Instagram to learn how you can advocate for public schools in Utah.

Before you go, forward this email to a your friends who care about retaining and elevating Utah’s best and brightest educators.

Join us as we make public schools Utah’s top priority!

Best,

Dr. Jeff Stephens

Education First Utah Executive Director

Former Superintendent, Weber School District

Education First Utah
Weekly Policy Update

December 13th, 2023

Did you know that in March 2023 the Utah Legislature passed House Bill 477 (HB477) establishing stable funding for full-day kindergarten in Utah?

• Before HB477, only 3 in 10 Utah students had access to full-day kindergarten (FDK).Thanks to HB477, more than 77% of Utah kindergarteners are enrolled in FDK as of October 1, 2023.

  
  

• Research shows that students in FDK are less likely to need academic intervention in later grades and tend to progress in reading and math at higher rates. By the end of 2023, Utah boasts the largest percentage of kindergarten students scoring at or above literacy benchmarks.

  
  

• HB477 preserves parents’ freedom to choose a half-day or full-day option that best serves their child and empowers schools with the funding and opportunity to offer FDK.

When we make investments like FDK that support children, the returns are always positive. This is the kind of collaborative, pro-public school policy Utah needs, and you can help!

• Contact your legislator and thank them for supporting Utah’s youngest learners and this historic policy.

• Follow Education First on Facebook and Instagram to learn how you can join the movement to empower Utah’s education system!

• Be a force for positive change by forwarding this email to a friend and inviting them to subscribe to Education First’s weekly policy bulletins.

Thank you for joining us as we make education Utah’s top priority.

Dr. Jeff Stephens

Education First Utah Executive Director

Former Superintendent, Weber School District

December 19th, 2023

Did you know that as of mid-December 2023 the Utah State Legislature has already filed 177 education bills for the 2024 legislative session? And the session hasn’t even begun! The number will certainly climb to well over 200 education bills in the 2024 session.

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, one principle remains steadfast: local control is the cornerstone of educational excellence. Unlike legislators at the statehouse, local education leaders, teachers, and parents profoundly understand their students’ needs and must be empowered to respond to the needs and aspirations of their community. Utah schools need local control.

Here’s why:

• Expert-led innovation: Smart education policy elevates and honors the informed expertise of the educators and education leaders who know our schools best. Local control fosters community-level innovations rather than top-down mandates crafted by non-educators.

• Parent involvement: When decisions are made closer to home, those closest to our students–their parents–play a crucial role in influencing and partnering with schools to improve student outcomes.

• Tailored solutions: Utah’s school-age population is more diverse than ever, and what works for one school may not work for another. Local control ensures that schools are nimble enough to serve the rich tapestry of their population.

• Empowered communities: Education is the heartbeat of our society, and advocating for local control is an investment in our communities’ futures. It's about parents and educators collaborating to ensure that the students inside our schools thrive every day.

Help us champion a system that puts power back where it belongs – in local communities. Join the Education First movement to keep local schools under control local!

• Join us: Follow Education First on Facebook and Instagram to learn how you can join the movement to empower Utah’s education system!

• Use your voice: Share our message on your platforms and within your networks. Use your influence to inform others–including your legislator!--about the critical importance of keeping education decisions local.

• Spread the word: Be a force for positive change. Forward this email to your family, friends and co-workers and invite them to subscribe to Education First’s weekly policy updates through the legislative session.

Thank you for joining us as we make education Utah’s top priority.

December 26th, 2023

As we gather with family, friends and loved ones to celebrate this holiday season, I also reflect upon Utah’s many extraordinary teachers, counselors, principals and support professionals who embody the values of hard work and dedication to the success of children. Each of us has been influenced by educators who recognized our potential and helped shape our lives. I still think of my English teacher at Bonneville High School–Mrs. Francis. In fact, she’s the reason I became an English teacher! She modeled for me what it looked like to truly care for kids.

Amid the hustle and bustle of the season, please join me in taking a moment to extend sincere gratitude to the teachers who go above and beyond to foster a love for learning in our students. Here are three simple ways to appreciate teachers this holiday season:

• Take a moment to personally thank a teacher who has made a difference in your or your family’s life through an email, a phone call or a social media shout-out.

• Write and submit a note of teacher appreciation through the Education First Teacher Appreciation Movement.

• Watch and share these wonderful teacher appreciation videos made by students:

Thanking our educators is not simply an act of gratitude. Just like smart public policy, teacher appreciation is an investment in our children’s futures and the wellbeing of our communities. Let us reaffirm our commitment to uplifting Utah’s students and educators in 2024.

I wish you all a holiday season filled with joy, warmth, and gratitude. I look forward to another year of working together to make education Utah’s top priority.

Warm regards,