I agree that the Legislature and the State School Board have a responsibility to set a standard, but I still think this is tinkering with education, requiring local districts to do things that I think they're plenty capable of doing without the Legislature having to put it in statute. – Rep. Mel Brown, R-Coalville
SALT LAKE CITY — As the end of the legislative session approaches, educators remain hopeful that lawmakers will approve a boost to the public education budget consistent with Gov. Gary Herbert's proposal of $500 million.
At the same time, educators say they are growing weary of tight legislative oversight and increasing limits on local control.
"Our students, parents, teachers and administrators are feeling overwhelmed by state mandates," Kristi Swett, president of the Utah School Boards Association, said during a news conference Friday. "Those mandates stifle innovation. We call for an end to public education legislation that decreases local control and constantly redefines programs and regulations."
Ten years ago, the Legislature considered roughly 70 bills related to education. This year, lawmakers are considering more than 120 education-related bills that are either numbered or in process, not counting substitute bills.
While teachers and administrators agree there are many bills proposing concepts that would be helpful in the classroom, some provisions would make their implementation a challenge, according to Brent Bills, business administrator for the Washington County School District.
"A lot of bills that have come forward this year that we're positive about have a lot of strings attached to them," Bills said. "It seems that there are a lot of laws that are trying to be enacted that should be involved in local board policy or in the state board policy, not legislated into law. It limits our ability to react locally to the people in our area and what their wants are and what their concerns are."
House lawmakers had a similar opinion of a bill that would have required schools to better inform parents and students about options for early high school graduation. SB33 would have also increased funding for the Centennial Scholarship, but the bill was rejected Thursday.
"I agree that the Legislature and the State School Board have a responsibility to set a standard," said Rep. Mel Brown, R-Coalville. "But I still think this is tinkering with education, requiring local districts to do things that I think they're plenty capable of doing without the Legislature having to put it in statute."
But the House approved a motion to recall the bill Friday, which could bring it up for debate again.
Two moves educators have expressed support for include assessing the state's method of testing students, and an initiative to bring more technology into the classroom.
HCR7, sponsored by Rep. Marie Poulson, D-Cottonwood Heights, calls on education leaders to conduct a study of Utah's current testing system to look for areas where testing could be reduced. Poulson said the resolution, which awaits approval by the Senate, has been backed by numerous constituents who say students are overburdened by frequent tests and high-stakes annual assessments.
The resolution has drawn increased support in light of a recent firestorm of debate surrounding SAGE, Utah's computer-adaptive annual assessment. Some lawmakers have called on the Utah State Board of Education to repeal the test because of administrative and technical challenges. But educators say they're willing to give the test more time for improvements to be made.
"We really believe as teachers that SAGE has potential. We don't want to abandon it," said Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh, president of the Utah Education Association. "Yes, it needs work. Yes, there have been problems. But we believe it is the solution."
Education leaders are also strongly in favor of a $75 million appropriation to implement a one-to-one student technology initiative. SB222 still has to pass the full Senate and the House. But bill sponsor Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said he hopes lawmakers will readily understand how technology could lead to greater student success.
"I've never been more hopeful about the future of education in our state than I am now, especially if we are able to give teachers the tools they need to more effectively reach every student at their level, their pace, and their learning style," he said.
Stephenson's technology bill is one of a select few that the Utah State Board of Education has officially supported. Brad Smith, state superintendent of public instruction, said the initiative has been within the "top three or four" priorities for the board.
Swett also voiced support for the governor's budget proposal, which she said is "entirely consistent with the priorities of local school boards throughout Utah."
In addition to allocating $503 million in new money for public education, Herbert also proposed a 6.25 percent increase to the weighted pupil unit, a measurement used in funding individual students.
Swett said increasing the weighted pupil unit would ensure that school districts and charter schools can use the funding according to their individual needs in areas such as enrollment growth, technology, infrastructure and professional development for teachers.
Even though state revenue estimates exceed $700 million, meeting Herbert's request would require removing an earmark on sales tax revenues for transportation.
But House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, said legislators won't take action on the $100 million earmark. Hughes also said the increase to public education funding "would be under" the amount in the governor's proposal.
Hughes, however, said removing the earmark could be revisited in future sessions after the gas tax has been resolved.
Email: mjacobsen@deseretnews.com, Twitter: MorganEJacobsen