Utah Legislature: School programs at risk as budget decisions draw near

SANDY — Decked out in his white chef's garb, Kameron Hadlock admits he is a bit worried as he drizzles lemon cream cheese icing onto a flaky pastry.

It's not his cooking creation that concerns the Jordan High School senior, who is in his second year of the school's ProStart culinary arts program. It's what could happen to the program amid statewide budget cuts.

"This helps us prepare for college," Hadlock said, adding he wants to be a chef and own a restaurant chain one day.

ProStart is just one of myriad education programs on the chopping block as lawmakers draw closer to making tough budget decisions.

The Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee plans to vote today on its recommendation for the education budget beginning July 1. From there, lawmakers are waiting for revenue figures to come in so they can better calculate budgets and make choices, possibly by mid-February.

ProStart administrators are scheduled to testify today before the committee vote.

Designed to prepare students for careers in the restaurant or hospitality industry, ProStart was developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

"It gives students a feel for what it would be like to work in the industry," said Shauna Young, family and consumer science teacher and ProStart instructor at Jordan High.

ProStart also aids students in deciding whether to pursue culinary arts on a higher level. It weeds out students before they enter college and could waste time and money on a degree they aren't cut out for. Or it can open a student's eyes to an undiscovered talent.

"It's a whole new field I would have never tried," said Sarah Brazell, a senior and second-year ProStart student at Jordan High. She now wants to earn a bachelor's degree in culinary arts and work as a wedding cake decorator.

Many ProStart students are taking concurrent enrollment classes for college credit. Those who complete two years of classes, do a 400-hour internship and pass two exit tests, automatically receive a $2,000 scholarship to any hospitality or food service program nationwide.

The education committee spent the last two weeks hearing testimony from numerous program leaders, everything from science outreach programs to the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship.

In January the committee moved forward the required prioritization for 4 percent cuts across the board for the current school year.

And legislators are looking at a 5 percent cut in the new budget. Lawmakers could ax specific programs or skim from all programs.

Committee members are tight-lipped about the recommendations.

"I think we'll be fine. We're going to do what it takes," said Rep. Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan, co-chairwoman of the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee.