I wonder how much teachers make and the kind of benefits they receive. Maybe another pay increase would motivate them.

We are consisteltly at the bottom of funding in the nation and then were surprised at the findings? For what the people of Utah pay towards each child's education they are getting a great deal. Maybe we should fund the legislature's pay at the bottom and see if we get such a good return.

Old man...

You get what you pay for.

Funding the legislature at the bottom? The problem starts in the school, not the government. Utah fails with the "No Child Left Behind" concept. More emphasis with educational institutes are placed on who you are in school and not on the individual acheivements. The article stresses quality, not quanity. This is a concept that educators in Utah cannot grasp.

In light of this report is there a way I can change my voucher vote?

My ex earns $55,000 a year as an elementary teacher. The contribution towards medical insurance is minimal and they get a bonus for attending courses held in school time (for which salary is paid). They don't work on any of the teacher work days, are rarely at school on time and complaints were received from over 20% of the parents last year. The superintendent does nothing and the board are just a waste of time.
Everyone knows nothing will be done, and if a parent complains, their child will be picked on. There is no such thing as confidentiality and students are discussed in front of other parents and students.
It is more of a surprise that they didn't come last in the list.
Some of these "professionals" are destroying the future of our children for an easy ride and know nothing will be done about it.

It is interesting that the points Utah was marked down for have little to do with education. Not having defined standards for pre-K students? Not defining college readiness? Really...does a definition of college readiness mean more than performance. Also, the lowest mark was received for per-pupil funding. Ironically, people will use this report to hamper educational funding efforts based on the C- grade

For those that say we get what we pay for and the answer is to pay teachers more:

Does this mean that our current teachers are below average and if we raise teacher salaries, we can replace current teachers with better ones, or does it mean that if we give our current teachers more money they will start to care about the kids more?

I disagree with the comment that the problem starts in the schools. It really starts in the community. Schools reflect the communities in which they reside. How many parents care more about the grade their kids are getting rather than what is behind the grade. In other words do your kids deserve their A's or deserve to graduate or are you one of those parents who complain to the teacher about giving too much homework and support social promotion?

You make quite the blanket accusations about teachers. Perhaps your "ex" doesn't go to his professional meetings, but I'm sure there must be a pay dock consequence of some sort. Are there any hard feelings in regards to your "ex" or should we really believe this garbage? I think the bigger problem in schools is parents spoiling their kids and not emphasizing education in the home. I have lived in the East where people are generally more serious about having their kids succeed in school, but in Utah everyone spends all their time badmouthing the education system that they are unwilling to pay for. No wonder kids don't succeed when their parents are giving them such a negative example to follow.

I think it interesting that ALL states are being reported as being at the very bottom of national average when it comes to education funding. The NEA has successfully developed a unique grade system where EVERY state in the Union scores below average for its support of education.

The trick seems to be shuffling the criteria as 50 independent measurements--and then start banging the statistical drum on the data that looks the worst for each state.

If NY funds $9,500 per student, then note that as a percentage of per-capita income, NY is one of the worst in the nation�the answer to the problem: send more money.

If UT funds $7,300 per student, then forget per-capita income and state that its one of the lowest in nation for funding per student�the answer to the problem: send more money.

Over the last 30 years, I've lived or spent significant time in 20 of the 50 states. Consistently, local education, irrespect of where, is harangued as under-funded and poorly compared to the �national average.�

NEA, please tell us which state, in your opinion and grading system, has been given a passing grade? New-math aside: if everyone fails...how is are the "averages" constructed?

Where is the answer to UTAH education? In January through March 2007, I wrote letters to the State legislature (5 to each), the State Board of Education and editor of the other local newspaper on problems with the education system. No replies, not surprised.
So, December, 2007 I wrote to the Utah Foundation with the subject: "Proposal for a Discussion Forum to Improve Utah's Educational System".
It contained the following areas:
Introduction,
Sponsor,
Support Personnel to:
Set up the forum.
Volunteers to sort and process comments.
Moderator
Panel to include the Governor, and educational specialist from his office,
Two Senators and two state congressmen,
President of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Schools.
Public advertising newspaper, etc. to lay out format for the questions that the public wants answered.
How to select attendees.

Guess what, not even an answer from the foundation.

My question is to the others that have commented on the educational system on this blog and other blogs, "What have you done besides complain?"

Boo Who!! Another misinformed, uneducated person weighing in on Utahs' broken education system. Please take your sad story to another forum this simply is not the place for your bitterness...POOR BABY!!