Why School Boards Matter Part II - A Letter from USBA's President, Peggy Jo Kennett

There is a national movement afoot in a certain segment of big business, that is backed by big money, to privatize public education through legislation. As Board Members we need to be diligent in combating efforts to reduce the role of School Boards and to keep the public in public education. Public education is vitally important because it is the foundation for a responsible and independent society, and weakening the public school system will weaken the fabric of society. The history of our country speaks volumes about the value of an educational system that is responsive to the citizens it serves. School boards make that possible.

As School Board Members, we can affect the attitude in our communities toward public education by touting all of the great things that are happening in our schools. Of course there is room for improvement, but we are doing great things already! Your community needs to hear, see, and feel that your Board is working to raise student learning and success.

Updates on the Utah State Legislative Session - Dr. Patti Harrington

The Utah Legislative Session is going full speed right now, with members carving out the FY14 budget and working on hundreds of bills they want to see passed before the March 14^th midnight deadline. The budget is central to their work and of all the important legislative matters to follow, nothing compares to our need for a solid and positive public education budget for next year. What can we hope for in the FY14 budget and how has sequestration influenced that budget?

A base budget for public education in FY14 has already passed the Legislature, and it includes the additional $25 million mistakenly omitted in this year’s budget. Additional funds for next year will be carried in a second public education budget bill, expected in the waning hours of the Session. We are hopeful that it will include full funding for enrollment growth, and additional dollars to add to the amount of the Weighted Pupil Unit. We have worked to seek to restore the line item on retirement and Social Security and hope that is part of the second budget bill. Click here to read the full article.

NSBA Annual Conference is Coming

The National School Boards Association's 73rd Annual Conference is scheduled for April 13-15. The NSBA Annual Conference & Exposition is the one national event that brings together education leaders at a time when domestic policies and global trends are combining to shape the future for our students. You can register and learn more information by clicking here.