Reader comments
Omnibus ed bill draws flak

Great strategy to get pet projects passed as well as taunt the Democrats. Very poor strategy for getting re-elected. We'll remember when Stephenson is up for re-election next. Be patient.

So when his bill gets voted down he combines it with other bills that have passed and holds them hostage?

Software for pre-schoolers? The only soft ware that pre-schoolers should be familiar with is their MOM's soft lap while she reads to them. Feel free to quote me on that.

Pathetic!

The legislative audit shows class size reduction has not been funded since 2000. With the growth we continue to experience, we need to fund class size reduction every year.

I can't believe they can fund 2.5 mil for software for 4 year olds, but can't find 2.5 mil to reduce class size.

Remember this when your legislators come up for re-election!

Legislators received hundreds of emails and calls asking them to reduce class size, but they could not find the funding.

Rather than reduce class size for all children in neighborhood schools, legislators chose to put it towards funding charter schools, taking the money from the already suffering neighborhood schools with large class sizes.

We now fund buildings and maintenance for smaller schools and duplicate staff and services in smaller school districts which increase our taxes.

They ignore the public when they request smaller class size. They ignore the public when they ask to vote against vouchers and they ignore the public when asked to vote against splitting the school districts.

It's time we voted for legislators who vote for what their constituents want and not what those few who pay for their campaigns want.

It is hard to lose, yes? The citizens voted to split the school districts.

The legislators have provided millions of dollars for reduced class sizes but the districts have not chosen to use the funding for that. Charter schools opened and most use their funding to reduce class sizes. Then they are criticized for taking money from the districts when they actually EARN money for the districts.

The districts MAKE money for each of their students who attends a charter school - about $1500 per pupil. This is because the state lets the district keep all the local tax money that would normally go to educate the charter school student. The state then sends the charter school $1500 per student so the charter school can be equitably funded. In Jordan district, this adds up to MILLIONS of dollars per year in extra money they get to keep to use to educate the rest of the students who live within their boundaries.

I'll bet you never heard that from the district or the UEA.