Is tax hike needed to lift test scores?

Homeowners: Would you pay more property tax to help students do better in school?

The president of the Utah Taxpayers Association, at the Governor's Education Summit on Tuesday, suggested giving extra pay to high-quality teachers agreeing to work in "challenging" schools and to those who raise test scores. He suggested eliminating part of homeowners' property tax exemption, if voters agree, as a potential money source.

The concepts "would have to get . . . through the Utah Legislature," said Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper and chairman of the public schools budget subcommittee.

"The public (and Legislature aren't) going to buy into significant funding increases for public education unless they feel confident it's not going to be the same ol' thing," Stephenson said. "The question is, what kind of reforms are going to excite both legislators and the public."

The idea of tinkering with the exemption on property tax on primary residences — not commercial property or secondary homes, such as cabins — has been discussed by the legislative tax reform task force. But in those talks, task force members concerned about a major tax increase for homeowners have generally discussed it as a revenue-neutral move.

Using the idea as a funding source for education, and putting it on the ballot for a public vote, is a new twist — and one that Stephenson said might not be necessary, if the economy brings big new money to public schools.

The idea was pitched at the Governor's Education Summit, called to examine where Utah's school system is headed, to understand and work on its strengths and weaknesses, and establish a vision to keep it rigorous and relevant for an increasingly complicated "world stage."

"I think it's quite obvious to everyone here, we need the summit because it's important to bring policymakers together for open dialogue to establish common ground," Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. told about 200 attendees, including education bosses, parents and legislators. "That will allow us to move public policy forward and let us focus on kids in the classroom at the end of the day."

Huntsman hopes to hold annual summits.

Stephenson presented differential teacher pay and signing bonuses as part of a panel discussion on student achieve- ment.

Extra pay for teachers raising student achievement or agreeing to work in more challenging schools could come in signing bonuses, like those given to teachers of high-demand subjects like math, science and special education, Stephenson said.