Education

Deon Turley

E-mail: deon@utahpta.org
Phone: 801-261-3100

The Education Commissioner is a strong supporter of public education and works to maintain the integrity of our public education system. The Education Commissioner will also work to support, build, and enrich the educational process at all levels of PTA.

Utah‘s Constitution places the responsibility for public education
with the non-partisan, elected Utah State Board of Education. The
State Board, in turn, appoints a State Superintendent who holds one of
only four state offices mandated by the Utah Constitution. The State
Board has the authority to adopt and direct the implementation of core
standards and curriculum.

Summer and Fall 2007
The Education Interim Committee asked the State Board to review Utah’s
mathematics standards.  Specifically they wanted the standards to be
more competitive and similar to international standards and standards
such as Massachusetts or Indiana.  USOE with the assistance of an
advisory panel began reviewing Utah’s mathematics standards,
instruction and pre-service teacher training.  The Fordham Foundation
came out with an evaluation of state standards in Mathematics and
English Language Arts that encouraged states to re-think and
strengthen standards.

January 2008-January 2009
State Education leaders began talking informally about the advantages
of working together to upgrade Mathematics and Language Arts
Standards.

April 2009
Utah participated in the common core state standards meeting sponsored
by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National
Governors Association (NGA) held in Chicago, Illinois.  The purpose of
the meeting was to discuss the possibility of a common core, determine
a potential process and timeline for the work, examine the tasks
needed for state adoption and come to consensus on whether the states
should proceed.  After the meeting, Superintendent Harrington
discussed the issue with the USOE administrative team, the State Board
leadership, Governor Huntsman, and the governor’s deputy, Christine
Kearl.  A decision was made to bring the matter to the State Board’s
attention for their consent to sign a MOU committing Utah to the
common core standard process.  Adoption would only be sought after a
review of the proposed core.  It was also decided that the common core
standard proposal would be presented to the LEA’s for comment and to
the Legislature at an interim committee.

May 2009
On May 1, 2009, Superintendent Harrington presented the common core
standards proposal to the State Board. After considerable discussion
the Board gave consent to sign the MOU.  Governor Huntsman also signed
the MOU.  The development would be for Math and English Language Arts
only.

Superintendent Harrington discussed the common core standards proposal
with the LEAs at a meeting held on May 14, 2009.The LEAs expressed
support for moving forward with common core standards.

June 2009
On June 17, 2009, the State Superintendent presented the common core
standards proposal to the Legislature’s Education Interim Committee.
No action was taken.  USOE began monitoring the common core standards
development process and provided feed back to legislators as
requested.

July –December 2009
USOE held several meetings where common core standards were discussed
as a part of the agenda.  Meetings included conversations with
superintendents, charter directors, curriculum directors, legislators,
PTA members, higher education representatives, and business leaders.
As a part of the State Board’s Promises to Keep Initiative, USOE
created Utah’sComprehensive Reform PIan.  The plan included a process
for reviewing, adopting and implementing the common core standards and
aligned assessments.  In addition, USOE continued monitoring the
common core standards development process and provided feed back as
requested.

January 2010
The State Board was briefed on progress toward developing the
standards for Mathematics and Language Arts.  The State Board agreed
that revisions of the two cores and new assessments should be a part
of the Promises to Keep Initiative and long term improvement plans.
Superintendents were also briefed.   USOE continued monitoring the
common core standards development process and provided feed back to
the developers.

February-May 2010
USOE continued monitoring the common core standards development
process and provided feedback as requested.  The State Board was kept
informed of progress at each Board Meeting.

June 2010
On June 4, 2010, the State Board gave preliminary approval for Utah to
move ahead in accepting the common core as a framework for setting the
state's own standards and curriculum in both English language arts and
mathematics.   Because the standards are a framework, not a detailed
curriculum, the Board decided that public comment during the summer
plus that received during the past year would suffice as input.

Summer 2011
USOE held several meetings where common core standards were discussed
as a part of the agenda.  Meetings included conversations with
superintendents, charter directors, curriculum directors, legislators,
PTA members, higher education representatives, and business leaders.

August 2011
The core standards for Mathematics and English Language Arts were
approved during the Board's August 6, 2011 meeting.

What is being done to implement the Common Core Standards?

June-August 2010: Adopt Standards
•       Prepare preliminary comparisons of current standards with new
standards
•       Present to the Utah State Board of Education.
o       Preliminary approval in June
o       Final approval in August

September 2010-March 2011:  Prepare for Implementation
•       Standards Maps
•       Decisions on Intervention, Advancement, ELL learners
•       Develop Core Curriculum
•       Course Development
•       Performance Expectations
•       Pathways for Graduation
•       Articulation with Higher Education
•       Stakeholder Group Participation in Development
•       Presentations to LEAs
•       Prepare Professional Development

April 2011-June 2014:  Proceed with Implementation Timeline
•       Professional Development (content, strategies, best practice)
•       Course Implementation
•       New Assessments
•       New Material Resources

A link with facts:

http://www.schools.utah.gov/CURR/main/College-Career-Readiness-Standards/Common-Core-FACTS-revised-2-28.aspx

Lastly here is one more pamphlet to get Titled: "Fact vs Fiction":

http://www.schools.utah.gov/core/DOCS/coreStandardsPamphlet.aspx

The mission of the Education Commission is to:

• Become knowledgeable about education issues in Utah.
• Promote the objects of PTA to help children in the home and school.
• Be a catalyst in strengthening the education of children through parental training.

Please join us at the Love of Reading Conference, held at the Zermatt Resort in Midway on February 17-18.  The presentations on Saturday the 18th are particularly focused on instilling a love of reading in our children.  PTA members may apply for a scholarship that covers the registration fee for that day but the deadline to apply is February 1! Please pass on this information to others.

More information is found at their web site: http://www.uvuengagedreading.org/

PTA Take Your Family to School Week is just one of the PTA programs revitalizing parent involvement in education. PTA has worked to bring families and schools together since its founding on February 17, 1897.  Each local unit should host an event during that week, because research shows that when parents and families are involved, students achieve and have more success in school.  There are many resources available to help you run this program.  Click on the link below to find FAQs, Event Ideas, Timeline & Planning for the event, and lots of downloadable posters, signs, and commitment cards.  Many of these resources are in English and Spanish.

For more information on PTA Take Your Family to School Week, please visit: http://www.pta.org/take_your_family_to_school.asp

I love to read and enjoy talking about favorite books with friends. There are several book clubs in my neighborhood and I would love to take part but I am usually too busy to join the meetings.  

I recently discovered the second best thing; I call it my 60-Second Book Club because I can enjoy a quick book review, comments about an old favorite title, suggestions for encouraging my children to read, or insights about literacy, all in about a minute.  

It is an online weekly news column called "Book Matters" by Teri Harmon, a columnist for the KSL.com.  She also keep a blog by the same name.  Here is what she says about "Book Matters" in her bio: "Book Matters is a column dedicated to mothers who love reading and want their children to love it too. Teri hopes this column, in tandem with her blog,  book-matters.blogspot.com, will help bring more books into more homes and encourage families to read and be excited about the written word."

If you are looking for a 60-minute book club this year, I highly recommend "Book Matters".

Deon Turley

Utah PTA Education Commissioner

• Drop Everything and Read - http://www.dropeverythingandread.com
• Read with a Child - http://firstlady.utah.gov/literacy
• Read for the Record Jumpstart - http://www.readfortherecord.org
• Read Across America - http://www.nea.org/readacross
• Deseret Media Companies - http://www.readtoday.com
• Ken Garff Road to Success - http://www.kengarffroad.com
• KUED Reading Marathon - http://www.kued.org/?area=outreach&action=readyToLearn
• KUED Annual Young Writers and Illustrators Contest - http://www.kued.org/?area=outreach&action=readyToLearn
• Dia de los Ninos-Dia de los Libros - http://www.kued.org/?area=outreach&action=readyToLearn
• Parental Involvement Literacy Workshops - http://www.kued.org/?area=outreach&action=readyToLearn
• Utah Jazz: Be a Team Player - Read! - http://www.nba.com/jazz/community/reading05.html
• Student Tutoring Achievement for Reading (STAR) - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/star/
• Children's Book Week - http://www.bookweekonline.com

• The Children's Reading Foundation - http://www.readingfoundation.org/parents.jsp
• Teachers Top 100 Books - http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0934913.html
• Bilingual Booklist - http://www.nea.org/grants/29504.htm
• 50 Multicultural Books Every Child Should Read - http://www.nea.org/grants/29510.htm
• Reading Rockets - http://www.readingrockets.org/article/228
• Early Year Activities - http://www.ed.gov/Family/RWN/Activ97/early.html
• Recommended Reading Lists by Age - http://school.familyeducation.com/literature/reading/34576.html?detoured=1
• Activities and Printable Grades 2-6 - http://school.familyeducation.com/reading-and-language-arts/study-skills...
• Family Education - http://www.familyeducation.com/home/
• Developing Gifts and Talents - http://school.familyeducation.com/gifted-education/parenting/34535.html?...
• Literacy Printable Center - http://printables.familyeducation.com/
• Get Ready to Read! Activities for Families - http://www.getreadytoread.org/content/view/260/520/
• Literacy Environment Checklists - http://www.getreadytoread.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=...
• Reading Activities, Booklists, Articles, Brochures, and Multicultural Resources - http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources.htm

More than 30 years of research shows that family involvement promotes student success. No matter what their family income or background may be, students with involved parents are more likely to:

• Earn higher grades and test scores
• Pass their classes
• Attend school regularly
• Have better social skills and adapt well to school
• Go on to postsecondary education

For more information, please read Family-School Partnerships on the National PTA Website - http://www.pta.org/family_school_partnerships.asp

• Utahns for Public Schools - http://www.utahnsforpublicschools.org
• Utah School Boards Association - http://www.usba.cc
• Official Blog of the Utah State Board of Education and the Utah State Office of Education - http://utahpubliceducation.org

• Applied Technology - http://www.schools.utah.gov/ate/newate.htm
• Core Curriculum - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/core
• Common Core State Standards - http://www.schools.utah.gov/core/
• Financial Literacy - http://www.uen.org/financial_lit/
• Fine Arts - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/FineArt/
• Health & PE - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/healthpe/
• Language Arts - Elementary - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lang_art/elem/
• Language Arts - Secondary - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lang_art/sec/
• Library Media - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/library/
• Life Skills - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/lifeskills/
• Math - Elementary - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/Math/elem/
• Math - Secondary - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/Math/Sec/
• Science - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/Science/
• Social Studies - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/socialstudies/
• World Languages - http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/for.lang/

• Utah State Board of Education - http://www.schools.utah.gov/board/
• Utah State Office of Education - http://schools.utah.gov/main/
• UtahFutures.org - http://utahfutures.org
• Utah Charter Schools - http://www.schools.utah.gov/charterschools/
• School Trust Lands - http://www.schoollandtrust.org/
• Special Education Services - http://www.schools.utah.gov/sars/
• Schools for the Deaf and Blind - http://www.usdb.org/
• Title 1 Schools - http://www.schools.utah.gov/TitleI/
• Utah State Office of Assessment & Accountability - http://www.schools.utah.gov/assessment/Default.aspx
• Utah's No Child Left Behind Documents - http://www.schools.utah.gov/nclb/
• Utah Educational Savings Plan - http://www.uesp.org/
• Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority - http://www.higheredutah.org/
• U.S. Department of Education - http://www.ed.gov/index.jhtml