State of Utah Archives: on Education
Aimee Winder Newton:
No one-size-fits-all program; let parents choose
Every child deserves a high quality education. Each student is different and there should never be a one-size-fits-all program for our kids. I will advocate for changes to how we measure schools, improve ways to track student growth,
incentivize high-performing teachers, and focus on policies that bring in more quality teachers to fill the teacher shortage.
I will continue to support the rights of parents to choose the best education for their child, whether they attend a school in a school district, charter school, private school, online school or homeschool.
The federal government should not be involved in education decisions in Utah, and I oppose any efforts to usurp local control.
Source: Ballotpedia.org on 2020 Utah gubernatorial race
Apr 4, 2020
Allen Glines:
Gradually lower tuition, allow student loan forgiveness
- Gradually lower tuition costs across the country until all higher education is free to anyone who wants to pursue it. Will only support versions of this policy that help the economy.
- Incentivize attending trade or technical schools as a means
to address the skills gap and considerable amount of unfilled positions.
- Allow for student loan forgiveness and the ability of individuals to include their student loans in bankruptcy cases.
Source: 2021 Utah Senate campaign website AllenGlines.com
Jul 21, 2021
Chris Peterson:
Pre-K, K-12, and trade schools need more public investment
As a product of Utah public schools and universities, Chris believes in the importance of quality education. Due to a lack of education funding from state legislators, teachers and students have been stretched thin. Utah's kids deserve dedicated
teachers, smaller class sizes, and more mental health and career building services. Chris will also work to expand public pre-k programs, more affordable trade school and community college, and loan forgiveness for public school teachers and farmers.
Source: 2020 Utah governor website PetersonForUtah.com
Oct 9, 2020
Craig Bowden:
Vouchers are a good step towardending public schools
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the statement, "Vouchers for school choice"?
A: My ultimate position is to end public schooling, but this would be an interim step toward greater choice.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Utah Senate candidate
Feb 28, 2018
Danny Drew:
School choice means re-segregation in some states
In Utah, school choice means strengthening our public education options; in some areas of the country, it can serve as a means of re-segregation public institutions. Historically Black colleges were indeed founded as a work around against restrictive
Jim-Crow laws. Lack of equal opportunity is still a sad fact in much of our great nation.
pushing a nationwide school choice initiative takes away our local control. Secretary Devos' plan will result in a tiered system of various levels that will result in an inequity for our children.
Source: 2018 Utah Senatorial campaign website DrewForUtah.com
Feb 28, 2017
Danny Drew:
Local school choice, free from corporate influence
As Utahns we should instead fight to preserve our meritocracy by showing a commitment to all children, and work to develop solutions that strengthen public education. This is why I support giving local municipalities the control to
select educational options appropriate for their children, free from corporate influence. In Utah, that solution should include more flexibility of choice; in other areas their solutions should be locally appropriate.
Source: 2018 Utah Senatorial campaign website DrewForUtah.com
Feb 28, 2017
Danny Drew:
Public schools should meet unique needs of disabled kids
Drew explained that a DeVos-funded PACs emptied their pockets to support a voucher program in Utah. [Former Governor Jon] Huntsman then had no problem in 2007 signing into law in the Parent Choice in Education Act, which was overturned by voters.
Drew's son needed unique schooling opportunities, but private schools were not affordable. Drew was upset when DeVos, in her Senate confirmation hearings, didn't know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was.
Source: Good Men Project on 2018 Utah Senatorial race
Jun 21, 2017
Gary Herbert:
Continue to increase funding for public schools
Utah has long been committed to funding our public schools, our colleges and universities, and our technical institutions. In fact, few states in the country spend as much of their overall budgets on education as we do. Our unique demographics--which is
a way of saying we have larger families--mean we must continue to increase funding to maintain and enhance the solid education and training our students receive. I cannot say enough about the importance of supporting public education.
Source: Utah 2010 State of the State Address
Jan 26, 2010
Gary Herbert:
Increase funding for applied technology colleges
Last year, we united behind a commitment to education. We provided for 12,500 new students, we increased per pupil spending, we covered the increased cost of healthcare for our teachers, we invested millions in enhanced individualized instruction
and help for at-risk children, and we put millions more in higher education, including our applied technology colleges.Education is the largest and most important investment Utah makes. While we recognize that money isn't everything, we should still
take note--that while so many states face shrinking budgets and bleak forecasts, Utah has the means, the vision, and the commitment to rank education as its top priority. The proof of that investment is unmistakable. The national average
Advanced Placement test score is 2.84. Utah's is 3.1. More than 27,000 students prepare for college through concurrent enrollment, and compared to other states with a high percentage of students taking the ACT, Utah ranks second in our test scores.
Source: 2013 State of the State Address to Utah Legislature
Jan 30, 2013
Gary Herbert:
Fervently committed $40M to STEM education
We must remain fervently committed to STEM--science, technology, engineering and math education. As we discuss the future of STEM, the watchword is alignment--workforce alignment.
Nothing matters more than preparing our children to face the new, interdependent global economy. So this year I propose we invest $20 million for STEM education.
Eight state institutions of higher learning are reprioritizing their budgets to match that funding dollar for dollar.
That's a full $40 million for STEM programs to make Utah's future workforce the smartest, most skilled, and most innovative workforce this nation has ever seen.
Source: 2013 State of the State Address to Utah Legislature
Jan 30, 2013
Gary Herbert:
Collaborate to rewrite No Child Left Behind
Utah's state school board will not call for federal legislation to identify state governors as key partners in education. In a split 7-7 vote, the board rejected a request from Herbert's office to sign a letter supporting amendments to the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which would require the governor's signature on plans for spending federal education dollars in Utah. The letter and amendments are being pushed by the NGA as a means of strengthening collaboration between state leaders as
federal legislators work to rewrite the controversial No Child Left Behind Act.The board Chairman suggested Utah's education governance is better managed through local legislation or a popular vote, rather than forced on the state from Washington.
After the vote, Herbert's education adviser acknowledged the rewrite of ESEA and No Child Left Behind is a moving target, but said the governor's office would continue to push for strengthened relationships with or without the board.
Source: Salt Lake Tribune on 2016 Utah gubernatorial race
Jun 19, 2015
Gary Herbert:
Invest $1B in schools & $30M in counseling
There is no better investment we can make than in our students. That's why we set a five-year goal to invest an additional $1 billion into public education, and $275 million into post-secondary education by the year 2021. We can help students who are at
risk of academic failure and keep our schools safe by investing $30 million into counseling and mental health services. We can also put over $100 million into upgrading facilities, two-thirds of which should go in to school safety improvements.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 30, 2019
Gary Herbert:
Teach students the value of capitalism instead of socialism
I would like every student to have a better understanding of basic free market economics. I have been disturbed by some of the rising generation's fascination with socialism. I support [the] bill to strengthen the curriculum in our required financial
literacy course to include instruction on the core economic principles that have given us our freedom and our prosperity. It is imperative that [they] understand the basic economic principles of free-market capitalism that have made America great.
Source: 2019 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 30, 2019
Greg Hughes:
For charter schools, parental choice, more local control
Throughout his legislative career, Greg Hughes has been a leader for education reform, fighting
for more local control, parental choice, charter schools and increased innovation in education delivery and education funding. He has also consistently fought back against federal encroachment in our education system.
Source: 2020 Utah gubernatorial campaign website GregHughes.com
Apr 15, 2020
Jeff Burningham:
Education should be free from federal influence
Parents and teachers know best what each child needs. It's time to empower parents to choose the best education path for their child and unshackle teachers from top-down mandates so they can do what they do best: teach.
Education should be handled at the state and local level and should be free from federal influence.
Source: 2020 Utah gubernatorial campaign website JeffBurningham.com
Jan 6, 2020
Jeff Burningham:
Old industrial age education not prepared for new economy
Burningham said, "We need to trust our teachers that they know and parents that they know what's best for their children. I fear that there's a mismatch between how we're educating our children and the jobs that actually exist and are coming.
Like I said, we're in this old industrial age education complex, but we're in a new economy." Burningham said the current educational system tends to focus on things like checking boxes, memorizing facts and jumping through hoops.
Source: StGeorgeUtah.com on 2020 Utah gubernatorial race
Sep 16, 2019
Jon Huntsman:
UCAT system: technical college for industry needs
Workforce demands in quantitative skills continue to increase; yet, our workforce preparation is inadequate. We can and must do better in embracing our knowledge-based economy. The Utah College of Applied Technology was created to be responsive to
industry and meet the demands of a growing technical workforce. While there are still issues to be ironed out, but we all agree on the goal: a UCAT system that is more responsive to real-time business needs and is more accessible to Utah's students.
Source: Utah 2009 State of the State address
Jan 27, 2009
Jon Huntsman:
Early learning is critical; so are languages & math
Early childhood learning is critical for their long-term success, quality of life and our state's competitive edge in attracting world-class jobs. Early results indicate kindergarten students are
6 times better prepared for a successful first grade experience if they attended full-day kindergarten. We are leading the nation in educating our kids in 21st century languages like Chinese and Arabic. So, to the thousands of students studying
Mandarin Chinese I say: Gongx gongx. "Congratulations!"
Yet, our kids' literacy in these critical foreign languages must be matched by their mastery of numbers, an area that is in need of strengthening. We must keep pace.
Through additional emphasis and reprioritizing, I have asked both public and higher ed to make this year the "Year of Math."
Source: Utah 2009 State of the State address
Jan 27, 2009
Jon Huntsman:
To produce first-rate students, pay for first-rate teachers
Our strong economy now allows us the opportunity to fortify our foundations for the future. These foundations--which include education, the economy, quality of life, and governance--each has a set of reinforcing fundamentals.
The first foundation is education.When I speak of focusing on our fundamentals, I speak of teacher compensation. Teaching must be reinforced as being among the most noble of pursuits. We must compensate fairly those who inspire our next generation of
Utahns. If we hope to produce first-rate students, we must have first-rate teachers.
Educational excellence begins with the recruitment, retention and commitment of teachers who are passionate about educating our youth--the only future we have.
I refuse to stand by idly as we lose good educators to other states in our region. Together with my colleagues in the legislature, we have made significant strides in bolstering education the last two years. We can do more. We must do more.
Source: Utah 2007 State of the State address
Jan 16, 2007
Jon Huntsman:
2007: signed the Parent Choice in Education Act
[Gubernatorial candidate Danny] Drew explained that a DeVos-funded PACs emptied their pockets to support a voucher program in Utah. Huntsman then had no problem in 2007 signing into law in the Parent Choice in Education Act, which was overturned by voter
Drew's son needed unique schooling opportunities, but private schools were not affordable. Drew was upset when DeVos, in her Senate confirmation hearings, didn't know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was.
Source: Good Men Project on 2018 Utah Senatorial race
Jun 21, 2017
Jon Huntsman:
2007: statewide vouchers, "Parent Choice in Education Act
In 2007, Jon Huntsman Jr., then the governor of Utah, signed a statewide school voucher program into law. The "Parent Choice in Education Act" enabled all children in the state to access a scholarship to attend any private school of their choosing.
Opponents of school choice decry the use of public money to fund private schools. There is a wrinkle: the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and, more specifically for Missourians, the Blaine Amendment to the Missouri Constitution, which
stipulates that "no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion."
In 2002, the Supreme Court ruled that excluding religious institutions from school choice programs
and funding amounted to discrimination. The court is currently weighing a challenge to Missouri's Blaine Amendment. Newly inaugurated Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley insists, "Blaine Amendments cannot be allowed to trump the First Amendment."
Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch on 2018 Utah Senate race
Jan 20, 2017
Jonathan Johnson:
Common Core runs counter to family & local control
I oppose Common Core. It runs counter to the conservative principle that small government, local control and family based decisions work best. Currently, Utah has adopted the Common Core Standards.
As governor I will work to end it and reverse the trend of giving up our decision making power to D.C. and return control to local districts and parents.
Source: 2016 Utah Gubernatorial campaign website, HireJJ.com
Dec 10, 2015
Jonathan Swinton:
Reduce size of federal Dept. of Ed.; shift to local schools
Our children are the greatest future asset we have. Investing in them is key to their development and our future as a country. 74% of Utahns want us to provide more financial support to public education, yet, the Republican State legislature continues to
balk at providing more support to our kids and teachers, and the Federal government provides insufficient support and is too involved in our schools. Here is how we can do it:- Increase Education Funding Support From Federal Government:
We need to shift the use of more Federal tax dollars toward supporting education.
- Let Local Educators Determine What To Do With Federal Dollars: The people that best know what is needed for our children is their teachers, schools, and districts.
- R
Source: 2016 Utah Senate campaign website, VoteSwinton.com
Oct 9, 2015
Mia Love:
Local & parental control over schools, not federal
As a mother with three children enrolled in public schools, education is extremely important to me. American families want better quality education, lower education costs, and more local control over decisions related to education. In recent years the US
Department of Education has expanded the federal role in education to unprecedented levels. Utah--not the federal government--knows what is best for Utah's student. I trust Utah teachers & parents over Washington bureaucrats. These are my proposals to
address the problems surrounding education:- Return control of schools to local levels
- Support Utah's teachers by opposing one-size-fits-all federal programs that take flexibility away from innovative teachers
- Bring down the cost of college
tuition by allowing schools to compete for students and not allowing a federal government takeover of higher education
- Support the right of parents, local school districts, and the state of Utah to develop curriculum and set testing standards.
Source: 2014 Utah House campaign website, Love4Utah.com
Aug 8, 2014
Mia Love:
Disbanding the federal Department of Education
Love's proposed budget cuts would sap more than $100 million in federal funds to public education in Utah, including more than $38 million in special-education grants; nearly $21 million in grants to low-income Title I schools; and millions more for
other programs.Love has previously proposed disbanding the U.S. Department of Education and turning programs over to the states. How much would Mia Love's budget save?
- End K-12 subsidies: $52.7 billion nationally; $147 million in Utah
-
End college assistance: $33.1 billion nationally; $471 million in Utah
- Cut Earned Income Tax Credit in half: $22.5 billion nationally; $207 million in Utah
- End Environmental Protection Agency grants: $6.5 billion nationally; $36.3 million in Utah
- Eliminate Corporation for National & Community Service (includes AmeriCorps): $600 million nationally; $6 million in Utah
Source: Robert Gehrke in Salt Lake Tribune (Utah), "Million/billion"
Sep 6, 2012
Mike Leavitt:
Emphasize market relevance in state colleges
Our education emphasis can not stop in our primary grades. All Utahns need access to higher education. We are expanding our system of branch campuses, and increasing the velocity of our entire system.
I have challenged the Board of Regents to reduce the time students take to get a 4-year degree to 4-years. We also need to double in five years and triple in eight years the number of engineering, computer science and tech graduates in Utah universities,
colleges and applied technology centers. Let this be the beginning of a new emphasis on market relevance in the allocation of resources at our colleges and universities. I have proposed an aggressive building program
to add the physical capacity on our campuses, and funding to assure we have qualified faculty and up-to-date equipment. We need 15,000 engineering and computer science students by 2005.Our economic future depends on it.
Source: 2001 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001
Mike Leavitt:
14.8% increase in funding for public education
Education and economic expansion have never been closer allies. For that reason, I have proposed a four-year education improvement plan starting this year with a giant step forward in funding, 14.8%.
The plan calls for more textbooks, class size reduction and paying teachers equivalent with other professionals.
Source: 2001 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001
Mike Leavitt:
U-PASS: Accountability and skills testing in every grade
By the end of next year, we will have put into operation our accountability system, U-PASS. Students will be tested continually to assure they are learning the necessary skills, especially in reading.
Every child will read at grade level, or we will provide extra help until they do. Special consideration needs to be given to the progress of our ethnic minority students. We are losing too many of them.
Source: 2001 State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001
Mike Weinholtz:
Increase school funding for K-12, more than 3%
Education is the key to a stronger economy and a bright future for our children, but we are dead last in K-12 per-pupil funding. As governor, I will work to increase school funding for K-12 and higher education, better prepare our students for college
and careers, and close the achievement gap. The governor and legislature will pat themselves on the back for a 3% bump in K-12 education funding this past session, but this is not nearly enough to give our students and educators the resources they need
to succeed and still doesn't return funding to pre-recession levels. Our K-12 funds have been cut in two key ways. First, in 1996, the state constitution was amended to allow funds previously designated for K-12 education to also go to higher education.
Second, the change from a progressive state income tax to a flat tax further cut funds for education. Now, Utah is dead last in the nation for per-pupil spending, putting our children at an unfair and harmful disadvantage.
Source: 2016 Utah gubernatorial campaign website MikeForUtah.com
Jun 17, 2016
Mike Weinholtz:
Promote trade schools; more publicly-funded college
It is becoming harder for many to receive a post-high school education. Three out of every four high school graduates were not ready for entry-level college courses. Public funding has dropped, which has raised tuition to the point where many can't
afford to go to college. Those that do are burdened with student debt and delay buying homes & starting families after graduation.We must ensure our students are prepared for higher education and that tuition remains affordable for everyday Utahns.
As governor, I will:- Fund K-12 public education better so we can prepare our students for college;
- Increase taxes for the top 1.5% of wage earners in Utah (those earning $250,000 or more a year)
to add more than $175 million to the education budget each year and help to reduce costs for 171,000 students; and
- Promote trade schools as a real way for people to learn the skills that suit them best.
Source: 2016 Utah gubernatorial campaign website MikeForUtah.com
Jun 17, 2016
Rebecca Holcombe:
Resigned as secretary of education over voucher proposal
Holcombe suggested that one reason she left as secretary of education was Governor Scott's determination to "eliminate local control of our schools" and replace it with "a statewide voucher plan that would pull millions out of our public schools--and
give that money to private schools that mostly benefit privileged Vermonters." She added, "That's not who I am. I don't think that's fair. And, you know, I had to leave."Holcombe appeared to be referring to a draft policy memo completed nine months
after her departure by her successor, Education Secretary Dan French. It envisioned breaking down the state's school districts into one and affording public and private school choice to all students. As soon as that document became public in January,
Scott distanced himself from it. "I don't think we're ready for anything like that at this point," he told Vermont Public Radio at the time. According to a Scott spokesperson, the governor has never advocated a statewide voucher system.
Source: Seven Days e-zine on 2020 Utah Gubernatorial race
Jul 16, 2019
Spencer Cox:
Provide opportunities to attend technical schools
He described what he sees as a need to boost education for youngsters as well as people who are "not finding their place in the economy." He said there should be opportunities for young Utahns who are not attending universities to enroll in
technical schools, giving them the chance to quickly become "retooled in their skills" to position themselves for the workforce.
Source: Summit County Park Record on 2020 Utah gubernatorial race
Jun 4, 2019
Spencer Cox:
Change the way we fund schools, what's best for entire state
Education has always been called the great equalizer, but it can't be that way if our kids are not treated equally. It means changing the way we fund schools. It means challenging some of our long-held assumptions and setting aside what may be good
for your own individual school and district to instead support the best interests of the entire state. The best way we can bring to life the American promise is to make sure that every single child has the same opportunity as every other child.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature
Jan 21, 2021
Vaughn Cook:
Boost school funding & reduce class size
Vowing to boost school funding and reduce Republicans' clout, Utah County businessman Vaughn R. Cook has formally launched his Democratic bid for Utah governor.
Beyond more public spending, Cook called for greater involvement in public schools by the private sector and senior citizens, as well as innovative thinking on ways to improve the quality of education.
"We talk about reducing class size--and I believe there is an optimum class size--but it might be smarter to put two teachers in the class," Cook said. "It would save a lot of money if we don't have to build that added infrastructure."
Source: Salt Lake Tribune on 2016 Utah Gubernatorial race
Mar 1, 2016
Spencer Cox:
The largest variable in student outcomes is the teacher
The data is clear. The largest variable in student outcomes is the quality of the teacher. I have said this many times, and I will say it again: If we ran an experiment with two identical students, and you let me pick the teacher, and I let you pick
everything else: the school, the curriculum, the books, the software and electronics, the administration, I will win every time. And if we want to guarantee that we have the best teachers, we must invest in our teachers.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature
Jan 19, 2023
Caroline Gleich:
Provide quality and equitable opportunities for all students
Caroline is dedicated to advancing education in Utah, focusing on providing quality and equitable opportunities for all students.
She supports initiatives to improve educational infrastructure, enhance teacher resources, and promote access to higher education for a brighter future.
Source: 2024 Utah Senate campaign website CarolineForUtah.com
Jun 21, 2024
Phil Lyman:
Ensure parental rights on education choices and curriculum
Ensure parental rights when it comes to education choices and curriculum in public schools. No more criminalizing parents who speak up at school board meetings.State colleges and universities should be bastions for free expression. They should
challenge students to expand their views and to broaden their comprehension of the world around them. Still, they are state establishments and, as such, should refuse to host drag shows, should ban the practice of requiring preferred pronouns on campus,
and should require U.S history and government classes. They should root out insurgent foreign ideology such as
Chinese influence, environmentalist and climate change dogma, and other unfounded and cultish creeds, including religious tenets, that require unnatural adherence.
Source: 2024 Utah Gubernatorial campaign website LymanForUtah.com
Dec 21, 2023
Phil Lyman:
Protect conscience & religious belief in schools
When it comes to K-12 public schools, Utah must…- Prioritize foundational academics first
- Protect conscience & religious belief in schools
- Restore schools to their limited and proper role
- Respect the family's unique & comprehensive role
- Respect the Teachers who play a vital role in public education; Teachers are central to public education
- Reject partnerships, programs, policies & practices that exploit children
Source: 2024 Utah Gubernatorial campaign website LymanForUtah.com
Dec 21, 2023
Brian King:
Tax cuts hurt funding that would go for public education
The proposed budget also provides money to benefit rural school districts, which King said has always been one of his top priorities. "We're kind of talking about this out of both sides of our mouths when we say we want to fund education,"
King said. "But at the same time, the legislature is saying, ‘Well, we want to give everyone a tax cut out of those same plans that would otherwise go to public education.'"
Source: KPCW on 2024 Utah Gubernatorial race
Dec 7, 2023
Brad Wilson:
Provide parents full transparency into children's classrooms
- Defend parental rights in schools and fight the Left's attempts to indoctrinate our kids.
- Provide parents full transparency into their children's classrooms.
- Stop federal overreach to let local parents, educators and lawmakers give our kids the best education possible.
Source: 2024 Utah Senate campaign website ElectBradWilson.com
Apr 19, 2024
Trent Staggs:
Parents must have options to meet their child's unique needs
Our educational system has been corrupted, with more and more of children's education coming from Washington bureaucrats and well-funded teachers' unions. We need greater accountability for schools, options for parents, and results for students.
For reform to be meaningful, parents must have real options to meet their child's unique needs. Furthermore, we must end the cancer of wokeness that has infiltrated so many of our schools.
Source: 2024 Utah Senate campaign website TrentStaggs.com
Mar 1, 2024
John Curtis:
Decisions about education should be made at the local level
I strongly believe that decisions regarding education should be made at the local level by parents, teachers, and school administrators. The best solutions come from those with the greatest stake in the system -- not federal bureaucrats. As your
Congressman, I am committed to helping improve our education system by empowering the states to play a larger role in developing curriculum and the resources they need to hire and keep the best teachers in the classroom.
Source: 2024 Utah Senate campaign website curtis.house.gov
Oct 9, 2024
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026