Teachers Have it Tougher than You Think

Teaching sounds all rosy, especially in elementary school. It must be easy to walk in the door around 9 am and leave at about 3. And the summers...oh the wonderful summers. The reality is that teaching is 24/7, and I'm not overly concerned if you believe it or not.

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Don't Punish Teachers with Test Scores

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, a former Utah Teacher of the Year who recently was elected president of the National Education Association, kicked off the Utah Education Association's convention at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy. Her opening address condemned the use of standardized tests as a measurement of teacher effectiveness and encouraged educators to "let the test scores fall wherever they fall." 

"I'm not afraid of tests. I'm not afraid of data," she said. "I'm afraid of pretending that this test score means something that it doesn't."

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The Best Reform Ideas Come from Teachers

In our combined 70 years working in classrooms, lunchrooms and public education, we've learned that our students do better when policymakers listen to those who know best: teachers and education support professionals. Nobody is more passionate about ensuring that there is a great educator in every classroom than teachers, and nobody fights harder for the resources our students need and deserve. Together with parents, educators have led the effort to secure adequate and equitable funding for our schools.

Read the complete commentary by NEA and UEA presidents - Click Here

New State Superintendent Chosen

A divided state school board picked Ogden School District Superintendent Brad Smith on Friday to lead Utah's public schools, choosing a controversial figure criticized by many of his employees but beloved by school reformers.

Smith received eight votes in favor, the minimum required for board actions. He expects to start work in early November.

Read the Article in the Salt Lake Tribune - Click Here

Class Size Matters

Smaller Class Sizes Spell Success

Read the Editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Becky Lockhart is an Inspiration!

Lockhart inspires others to branch out.

Read the Letter to the Editor

New UEA Executive Director

The Utah Education Association has appointed Lisa Nentl-Bloom as the Association's executive director. She begins her new assignment Sept. 1.
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Former Utah Teacher Elected NEA President

Lily Eskelsen Garcia, an elementary school teacher from North Salt Lake, has been elected president of the National Education Association, the nation's largest union representing nearly 3 million educators, making her the nation's highest-ranking Latina labor leader. Nearly 8,000 NEA delegates voted for her to lead the organization during its 152nd Annual Meeting and 93rd Representative Assembly, held June 26-July 6 in Denver.
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There is Never Enough

How hard is teaching? Click Here to find out.

Thank Utah Teachers, Then Get them Better Pay

Every parent and grandparent should say thank you, a lot, to teachers. This acknowledgement of a job well done is particularly needed from the Legislature. 

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Anti-Eduction Factions Gain Control

It seems like a harmless enough statement, appearing on the State Board of Education's announcement of an opening for state schools superintendant and request for applications.

Under the list of qualifications, it states: "A candidate need not be licensed as a public educator."

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Funding Not Enough

Although lawmakers like to boast about their commitment to schools, additional money will, again, merely fund basic education for more than 10,000 additional students expected next year and mandated expenditures such as employee health and retirement funds.
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Enough is Enough

Teaching is my life's work. I have spent 35 years in public education. It is from this perspective, as we face a record number of education-related bills in the Utah Legislature, I must respectfully say, "Enough is enough."
Read the Commentary by Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh

Schools Need More than IPads

The needs of Utah schools are many and diverse. Lockhart is wrong if she believes, as she has said, that technology will "transform the system" by itself. If she wants to be the education candidate for governor, she should offer a way to boost revenue, not only for iPads but for early-childhood education, better teacher pay and all the other items Utah schools so desperately need.
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School Funding Not Nearly Enough

Virtually all legislators claim "public education" as their top priority when campaigning. We'd like to see them make good on that claim.
Read the SL Tribune Editorial

Funding Doesn't Always Reach Classrooms

When lawmakers decided to boost per-pupil spending last year by 2 percent, many Utahns cheered, envisioning that cash raining on teachers and classrooms.

In reality, much of that money was spoken for - by the state retirement system - long before it ever hit schools, a Salt Lake Tribune investigation has found.

Read The Article from the SL Tribune

School Board Seeks Public Comment on Revised Calendar

The Board of Education of the Davis School District postponed adopting a 2014-15 school year calendar during its regular meeting Tuesday.

Board members said they had heard from several patrons concerned about the proposed one-day Spring Break. District staff were then directed to draft a proposal that includes a multi-day Spring Break.

Board members would like to receive public input on that proposed calendar. To view the proposed calendar, click here. To comment, Take Survey. Comments will be taken until 4 p.m. Jan. 16