HB0215S03 | Funding for Teacher Salaries and Optional Education Opportunities

Description
General Description: 

This bill establishes the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program and provides funding for the program and a doubling of an educator salary adjustment.

Highlighted Provisions: 

15          ▸     establishes the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program (program);
16          ▸     requires a program manager and the State Board of Education (state board) to
17     submit reports on the program to the Public Education Interim Committee;
18          ▸     includes the program in a list of programs for which the Legislature applies an
19     inflationary factor in determining the cost of ongoing appropriations annually;
20          ▸     amends the Teacher Salary Supplement Program to provide increased salary
21     supplements for teachers within local education agencies that offer services to
22     eligible students under the program;

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0215S03
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Jan 28, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Candice B. Pierucci
Republican - District 49
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$85,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2024: to State Board of Education -- Contracted Initiatives and Grants -- Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, as an appropriation: from Income Tax Fund, ongoing $42,500,000; and from Income Tax Fund, one-time ($41,500,000), leaving $1,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2024.
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Although Utah PTA supports the teacher salary increase and we appreciate that efforts were made to improve accountability within the bill, we cannot support this bill. The first priority of the legislature should be to establish and maintain the public education system and to provide for our students within the system. Unfortunately this bill appears to benefit students who leave the system and leaves our most at-risk students behind. We strongly disapprove of how this bill has been rushed through with little stakeholder input and would request that the process be slowed down and guardrails be implemented to truly provide quality educational opportunities for all students.

Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill has the potential of dramatically reducing the amount of money available to support students within the public education system in Utah.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose funding mechanisms such as vouchers, tax credits, deductions;and, be it further

Resolved, That UtahPTA and its constituent associations will always oppose funding methods that divert funds away from public education system if the accountability methods are not equal to or greater than those of public education system; and, be it further

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations and its constituent associations oppose the dilution of the constitutional mandate to fully fund public education and oppose income tax cuts and credits that directly reduce the amount allocated to public education funding

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

1. EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system by: supporting a 6.5% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers; supporting increased access to full-day kindergarten by funding K-12 students at a full WPU; and supporting policies to increase proficiency levels in public schools, improving attendance, and increase academic excellence for all Utah students.