Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining

Friday, July 16, 2010

Education Spending in Utah

The Census Bureau reported that Utah ranked dead last in spending per student. Utah spends $5,765 per student while Idaho, second to last, spends $6,931 per student. Nationally, schools spent, on average, $10,259 per student. That is almost twice what Utah spends.

Sen. Curtis Bramble (no friend to public education) chose to highlight the fact that the Census Bureau also reported that Utah is 10th in the nation in the percent of how much state and local governments spend on education. (33.6%). He stated (with a straight face I am sure) that "It demonstrates that Utah has a high level of commitment to education." He also smirked (I wasn't there, but he smirks a lot) "All in all, I know that my colleagues in the state Legislature place a very high priority on educating our children." I guess he meant, educating them in charter, home schools and private schools. He failed to add that.

I apologize for my scepticism, but please...The legislature continues to pat themselves on their collective backs about "holding public education harmless"... a lie...last year, while our two districts are refusing to pay contractual step increments to their employees because the cuts in the legislative funding...huh???

See my problem?

Rick