Battle lines are being drawn on a number of education issues as the Legislature prepares for its annual winter session.
During a meeting of the Education Interim Committee Wednesday, task forces that have worked on several issues during the summer and fall reported. The committee endorsed some positions, rejected others as follows:School fees
Setting the stage for extensive debate during the winter session, the committee, in a close vote, refused to sponsor a bill that would eliminate fees on textbooks. The vote in the Senate was tied 2-2 and was turned down by House members 9-7.
The bill was one of several proposed by a task force that has studied school fees issues all summer.
Two philosophies seemed apparent in the committee debate. Some legislators said parents should be willing to pay textbook fees as part of their contribution to their child's education. Others were equally convinced that textbooks should be considered part of the basic education commitment of the state and provided to students from tax sources.
Some of the committee members were reluctant to support a bill that has a $3.6 million fiscal impact. But later in the day, Gov. Mike Leavitt announced that he has provided that amount in his budget to cover the losses junior and senior high schools would experience if they quit charging fees. The governor sided with those who believe textbooks and other materials essential to the school program should be part of the state's contribution to education.
The committee agreed to sponsor another bill out of the school fees task force that would allow school districts to require students receiving waivers for school fees to do school, community or home service in exchange. The provision would not help districts offset their financial losses but would give students a sense of "earning" what they receive, committee members said.
With the difficult issues surrounding school fees still far from resolved, the committee also agreed to support a bill reauthorizing the task force for another year.
Trust lands management
The committee supported in concept a profound management change that will, if passed by the entire Legislature, create a separate office for the trust lands, apart from the Department of Natural Resources. A commissioner, selected by a policy board, would make management decisions. The policy board members would be nominated by an 11-member group weighted with beneficiaries but also representing land users, with final selection by the governor.
William Christensen, who has headed an advisory board charged with devising a management system, told the committee the effort has focused on creating a scheme that will isolate the trust lands, so far as possible, from political and special interest influences. The purpose is to optimize income from the trust lands, which help to support public schools and other government institutions, he said.
The advisory board's proposals have not yet been formalized into a bill, which will be extensive, but the education committee accepted the outline presented by the advisory board and will likely carry the measure as a committee bill.
Career ladders
A bill that would have required school districts to use this year's increase in the career ladder money for teacher in-service ran into heavy opposition. An amendment was approved that changed the language from mandatory to permissive, allowing school districts the option if they like.
Several committee members felt it was unfair to take money that has traditionally been added to teacher salaries for incentive pay and use it for training.
"If it is going to come from their salaries, we need to find another source (for inservice expenses)," said Rep. Orville Carnahan, R-Taylorsville.
Sen. Joseph L. Hull, D-Hooper, agreed the career ladder program evolved to support an underfunded system and give teachers compensation for extra time they spend in the classroom and extra work they do. For years, the appropriation was eroded because it was not increased year-to-year, while the number of teachers competing for the money grew. Last year, the Legislature indexed the career ladder funds to the basic school program, assuring it would grow at the same rate. To take the money now and use it for teacher training would be a disservice to teachers, he said.
Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, the sponsor, argued that using the money for in-service would be consistent with the stated career ladder objectives of improving the teaching climate generally.
Services for the deaf
A bill that would bring Utah into compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act has some elements that are troubling to the higher education community.
The bill suggests that universities and colleges be required to accept American Sign Language as a "foreign language," which would allow hearing impaired students to bypass requirements for a foreign language as a condition for enrolling.
Higher Education Commissioner Cecelia Foxley suggested that the State Board of Regents should be able to handle such issues, rather than having them mandated by the Legislature.
Other elements of the bill would increase training programs to prepare individuals to be interpreters for the deaf, and set up a certification process for them.
The committee did not take action on the proposals.