Mike Leavitt on Education
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: State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001
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: State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001
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: State of the State address to the Utah legislature
Jan 16, 2001