A proposed elimination of a cap on school trust land money could put more funds into the hands of local schools' community councils.

Currently, up to $12 million in dividends and interest earnings on the Schools and Institutional Trust Lands account can be distributed to the community councils. But after that, the money is dedicated to school supplies.

That cap would be removed, however, by HB43, which unanimously passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday.

Although it is a minimal portion of the overall education budget — about one-half of a percent — the money earned by the SITLA account is utilized by community councils to address specific problems within their schools, said Janet Cannon, vice chair of the State Board of Education. For example, a school on an Indian reservation would be able to purchase books which focus on the culture and history of Native Americans as a complement to their standard history texts.

"The removal of the cap is in the best interest of the students," she said. "It's a good use of this fund. It will help the beneficiaries of the school lands program, who are the children."

Along with the state board, the bill also has support from the Utah Parent-Teacher Association, the Utah Education Association and the SITLA board.

Another benefit of providing more money to the community councils is that parents become more involved with their schools, said Gary Cameron, president of the Utah School Superintendents Association.

"They become advocates for public education and advocates for public land," he said. "It would be good to remove this cap to stir even more interest in this program."

House Majority Whip Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, the sponsor of the bill, said removing the cap will put those closest to the schools in charge of at least some of the money. If the community councils do spend the money "on things which are not on the top 10 list for either the school or the parents," then the council members will have to answer for those expenditures during the next council elections.

Rep. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, said the spending of the SITLA money probably receives more attention from parents than the much larger sums that come from the state and (especially) federal governments. Because of that focus on the money and the community councils, increasing the amount provided would only be a benefit, she said.

"We are losing so much local control of our schools to the federal government," Dayton said. "There isn't any amount of money which goes through the scrutiny that this money goes through."

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