February 7th, 2024

Despite recent requests to increase funding for the yet-to-be-launched Utah Fits All Scholarship program, it is far too early to expand an untested, unproven voucher program that risks hurting public schools.

• The history: During last year’s legislative session, HB215 established the Utah Fits All Scholarship, a voucher program which made school choice “scholarships” of $8,000 per student available to qualifying families. These scholarships are to be funded by public dollars and can be used by parents to support homeschooling or private and religious school tuition.

• At the time of HB 215’s passing, the program was granted $42 million to fund scholarships for 5,000 students and was set to open to applicants in February 2024 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

  
  

The latest: Some legislators recently requested an additional appropriation of $108 million to expand access to the voucher program in fall of 2025, citing overwhelming demand that outstrips initial projections.

If approved, this would mean that the voucher program would skyrocket from $42 million in funding during its first year to $150 million during its second year–all before even one student has been awarded a single scholarship.

While initial interest in the program may be high, a program as complex and experimental as the Utah Fits All Scholarship demands careful testing, evaluation, and accountability measures before an expansion of this magnitude. It is true that some questions about the logistics of the program have recently been answered; however, crucial gaps remain.

In particular, important questions around academic accountability have yet to be satisfactorily resolved. The Utah Fits All Scholarship currently stipulates that participating students must either submit a portfolio to the program manager or sit for an approved assessment. While one of these two accountability methods is required, the choice is left to the student’s parents.

However, no public school is offered such wide latitude in reporting student performance. No public school can report student outcomes by simply submitting a student-created portfolio as evidence of learning. Without proper academic accountability measures, this “scholarship” program risks publicly funding poor-quality education that could widen disparities in learning outcomes–leaving many students behind.

Additionally, a fundamental tenet of financial transparency is to ensure that all expenditures of public funds adhere to established guidelines and that tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively to achieve desired outcomes. The Utah Fits All Scholarship Program should be no exception. These principles form the foundation for maintaining public trust and ensuring that public dollars are used for the public good.

Without time-tested accountability practices and a solid bedrock of evidence, such a rapid expansion of the program stands to jeopardize the education of Utah’s students as well as the long-term health of our public education system.

ACTION ALERT: Contact your legislators today. Clicking on this link will take you to your district map so you can find your legislator and their contact information.

Join our movement and help ensure a thriving public education system!

• Plan to attend your neighborhood caucus on March 5: The biggest opportunity to impact Utah elections is that evening!

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

• Use your voice: Share our message on your platforms and within your networks. Use your influence to inform others about education policy!

• 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.

Join us as we make education Utah’s top priority!

February 13th, 2024

Don’t let the legislature erode trust in our locally elected school board members!

Two bills currently in the Utah State House (HB 161 and HB 173) outline how a local school board decision could be challenged by referendum, posing potential threats to the crucial role of our elected school boards.

The Value of Locally Elected School Boards

Locally elected school boards are the backbone of our thriving public education system. School board members intimately understand the needs of their district’s students because they are our neighbors, our friends, and our families: they live and work in the areas they represent, giving them an unparalleled ability to make informed decisions that affect their own communities.

As a result, school board members’ roles are not merely administrative: rather, they are part of the very fabric of the community they represent.

The Potential Effects of HB 161 and HB 173

Thanks to the election process, school board members are already accountable to voters. Duly elected school board members derive their authority from the communities they serve and who have voted them into office. They have been entrusted with the profound responsibility of making decisions for our children and must be empowered to do so. Additionally, all school boards operate in open, public meetings where stakeholders can voice their concerns, provide feedback and contribute to the decision-making process.

However, by enabling public referendums on decisions made by elected school board members, HB 161 and 173 will erode public trust of our elected school boards and undermine the vital relationship between local communities and their schools.

These two bills will threaten school boards’ authority by potentially adding unnecessary bureaucracy, delaying swift, responsive decision making, and contributing to the politicization of school boards by extreme ideologies or special interest groups.

As engaged members of our education advocacy community, join us in opposing HB 161 and HB 173. Contact your legislators today. Urge them to vote no on HB 161 and 173 and preserve the integrity of locally elected school boards!

Join our movement and help ensure a thriving public education system!

• Plan to attend your neighborhood caucus on March 5: The biggest opportunity to impact Utah elections is that evening!

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

• Use your voice: Share our message on your platforms and within your networks. Use your influence to inform others about education policy!

• 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.

Join us as we make education Utah’s top priority!

February 21st, 2024

Caucus Night is just around the corner on March 5th! Did you know that over 80% of Utah elections are decided by as little as .16% of eligible voters in the state? This is because Utah uses a caucus/convention electoral model, meaning that elected delegates select party candidates rather than the general voting population.

Delegates have an extremely outsized influence on statewide elections here in Utah, especially for a group comprising less than one percent of the state's population.

This year is even more crucial as state delegates will be voting on their party's nominees for US Senate, House of Representatives, Governor, and Attorney General, in addition to other statewide offices.

It’s imperative to understand this system if we want to elect representatives who prioritize the things we value, especially the public schools that educate our children and grandchildren. We need public school advocates in every phase of Utah Elections. Advocating for change can feel discouraging, but your voice matters! Here’s how you can get involved:

• Find your neighborhood caucus and attend your party’s 2024 caucus meeting on March 5th to help elect delegates that represent your values.

• Consider becoming a delegate for future elections and play an active role in selecting candidates.

• Vote in local, statewide, and school board elections

Going to Caucus Night or becoming a delegate can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. With that in mind, here are a few things to expect when you attend your neighborhood caucus.

• Before you go, consider pre-registering online to expedite your check-in process.

• Meetings are organized by neighborhood precinct, so you will likely know many of the people there. Feel free to talk to them about what they’re looking for in delegates and candidates.

• If you are trying to become a delegate, be prepared to give a short speech outlining which candidates you support and why.

We hope to get everyone out to attend their neighborhood caucus. It is a crucial year for the future of education. Whether it be through running as a delegate, researching the candidate, or just attending and being involved in the delegate selection, there are many ways to make sure that your voice is heard this election season.

Let’s flood caucus meetings statewide with passionate advocates for education!

February 27th, 2024

Caucus Night is March 5th! Did you know that over 80% of Utah elections are decided by as little as .16% of eligible voters in the state? This is because Utah uses a caucus/convention electoral model, meaning that elected delegates select party candidates rather than the general voting population.

Delegates have an extremely outsized influence on statewide elections here in Utah, especially for a group comprising less than one percent of the state's population.

This year is even more crucial as state delegates will be voting on their party's nominees for US Senate, House of Representatives, Governor, and Attorney General, in addition to other statewide offices.

We need public school advocates in every phase of Utah Elections. Advocating for change can feel discouraging, but your voice matters! Here’s how you can get involved:

• Find your neighborhood caucus and attend your party’s 2024 caucus meeting on March 5th to help elect delegates that represent your values.

• Consider becoming a delegate for future elections and play an active role in selecting candidates.

• Vote in local, statewide, and school board elections

Going to Caucus Night or becoming a delegate can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time. With that in mind, here are a few things to expect when you attend your neighborhood caucus.

• Before you go, consider pre-registering online to expedite your check-in process.

• Meetings are organized by neighborhood precinct, so you will likely know many of the people there. Feel free to talk to them about what they’re looking for in delegates and candidates.

• If you are trying to become a delegate, be prepared to give a short speech outlining which candidates you support and why.

We hope to get everyone out to attend their neighborhood caucus. It is a crucial year for the future of education. Whether it be through running as a delegate, researching the candidate, or just attending and being involved in the delegate selection, there are many ways to make sure that your voice is heard this election season.

Let’s flood caucus meetings statewide with passionate advocates for education!