The clock is ticking. Opponents of school vouchers have until 5 p.m. Monday to gather enough signatures to put vouchers on the ballot.

And leaders of anti-voucher group Utahns for Public Schools say they will be putting in double efforts this weekend to collect petition signatures.

No numbers have been released yet on how many petitions have been turned in, since Utahns for Public Schools are still gathering and verifying the signatures.

However, leaders of the group have said previously that they would easily be able to collect the 92,000 signatures required for the referendum. Last month Pat Rusk, former Utah Education Association president and a spokeswoman for Utahns for Public Schools, said the group was aiming at gathering around 140,000.

"We are pushing really hard this weekend with our volunteers to get as many more (signatures) as we can," said spokeswoman Lindsay Zizumbo.

Leaders of the group will announce their results Monday.

The referendum, intended to repeal the new private school voucher program, was filed last month by a number of public school leaders and teacher association members after legislators passed what many call the first universal voucher program in the country.

However, even if voters vote down HB148, the original bill, many say an amendment bill that is not targeted by the referendum will hold the voucher law intact.

The voucher law, referred to as the Parent Choice in Education Act, provides Utah families with a private school tuition voucher ranging from $500 to $3,000 per student attending a private school, based on parents' income. But opponents, including Utahns for Public Schools, don't want state funding going to private schools.

But voucher backers say an amendment to the law, HB174, which passed with a two-thirds majority and therefore would not be subject to a referendum, could stand alone since some lawmakers say the meat of the law is also written in the amendment.

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff announced last week that he shares that opinion.

What the amendment bill lacks is the $9.2 million earmarked to hold districts harmless for five years after a student leaves and enrolls in a private school.

But Utahns for Public Schools have remained undeterred and contend that it would be impossible to implement a voucher program with the fragments of another bill.

"There are two sides to every legal opinion and we believe we are on the right path," said Zizumbo. "We hope that when it comes down to it that the governor will listen to the citizens of Utah."

Meanwhile this week the Utah State Board of Education granted preliminary approval on the rules of implementation for the voucher program that sets up the regulations for administering the program. State leaders currently also have created eligibility applications for both students and private schools.

The board is set to grant final approval in early May.

Utahns for Public Schools will announce the results of their petition drive at 11:30 a.m. Monday in the plaza at the Utah state Capitol.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com