Governor supports 20-pupil limit in grades K-3

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. wants to cut kindergarten through third-grade class sizes to 20 students, boost student spending and attract new teachers, possibly with signing bonuses.

The governor previewed those and other budget initiatives at the Utah Education Association's convention Friday.

"I think it's in perfect harmony with what it is you're trying to do," Huntsman told teachers.

Kim Campbell, president of the 18,000-member teacher union, agreed. "We're encouraged. These are the same kinds of things we're talking about," she said after the speech.

The UEA, however, disagrees with the governor on growing tax dollars for public schools. Huntsman wants to give some tax breaks to lure businesses here to create more tax base and, therefore, money for schools. The union says a bigger investment in public schools alone will attract businesses to Utah.

In terms of boosting school funding, Campbell told teachers in introducing the governor, "he believes like we do." But, she added, "We don't always agree on how that happens."

Huntsman also wants to:

• Boost programs for students learning English as a second language. "We need support, we need help, we need additional resources," he said.

• Continue his full-day kindergarten initiative, which last year sought to create optional programs in low-income areas to prevent academic achievement gaps.

• "Achieve a strong WPU," in reference to the state's basic per-student funding formula.

"We've got to do everything we can with the resources we have available to us," Huntsman said.

He also praised teachers in general, and those who are teaching or have taught his children in particular.

"There is something absolutely magic ... about connections made in a classroom between a teacher and a student," Huntsman said, urging teachers never to underestimate their power.

"Sometimes (you may feel) underappreciated; you're certainly underpaid," he said. But "could you ever be doing anything ... more important? Absolutely not."

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com