Comments about ‘Report: Utah education spending dropped 8 percent since '08’

Old proverb:

You get what you pay for.

A cheap $ education pays for a cheap [shoddy] education.

catcrazed,
thank you

lifelong repub,
Utah doesn't have a teachers' union? Why do kids get two days off from school each fall so the teachers' union can have their convention?

out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh, and so many speak of their preference for money rather than feeding the children what they need to be productive. there is some sense to the position that too much money is spent buying the 'new generation' of texts for 'no child left behind', which in itself cripples public schools. Someone needs to clarify 'teachers' unions' in Utah for those posters who get their information from a single, nationally-focused, source. it's ok for you to go anti-social 'isrred' (supra), but children are inherently dependent.

hey coach! Do you think it possible that the students in your 40+ classes are possibly more mature and more engaged in group activities than 40+ 7 year-olds? Maybe you should try them on for size before you make your comparison.

"Utah doesn't have a teachers' union? Why do kids get two days off from school each fall so the teachers' union can have their convention?"

Where have you been?

FYI: It is now known as Fall Break.

For the past several years, in my district at least, Fall Break has not been at the same time as the UEA convention. Teachers who want to go to the UEA must take an (unpaid) personal day and pay $55 to cover their sub.

If money was the answer, our kids would be well educated. Half our people are on welfare, and half our doctors, engineers, and chemist are from other countries.

Utah took the right step by reducing spending. We need to focus on teaching,and learning, rather then accountability, and programs.

So much of the money pumped into education is wasted, and doesn't lead to improvement. We hold the record for educational funding, and no matter how much is spent, more will be needed.

Our country is sixteen trillion in debt, and some just don't get the idea of being frugal. Sixteen trillion equals $500,000 for every second in a year. It's not going to be pleasant when it's pay back time, and we get fore closed on.

We're not getting what we pay for.

Bob Pomeroy:

40 students, whether they be 7 year-olds or 6th graders or 8th graders or HS age is problematic. I'm sorry you misunderstood the satire (I wasn't saying that those teachers with 35 or 37 had it easy--that situation is sick and wrong!). My own situation is entirely accurate (five classes of 40 plus students). While handling 40 7-year-olds may be harder or whatever, and that could be debatable on some fronts, having 225 overall students and trying to give meaningful one-on-one attention and evaluate their work isn't all that great of a situation. Hopefully we could both agree on that as I try to point out the absurdity of class sizes many of our public school teachers face at whatever level.

If "the glory of God is intelligence," then Utah can't be aiming very high.

Regular public education is one of the few places where children from more difficult backgrounds may find some opportunity to excel and end the cycle of "generational poverty." But Utah's swerve to the hard right in recent years has had our state spending less and less of each year's revenue on education. Then when charter schools became popular, even more money was diverted from the education of the regular and special needs students to favor the selective charter schools. (aside: Don't claim that charters accept all students. They only draw from a pool of families with motivated parents ready to do more than other struggling parents can do, then they selectively counsel out the more difficult students back to the district schools)

Right-wing "patriots" say they believe in the American dream, but do not want the disadvantaged students to participate. They are classists.

I remember the complaints in the '90's about the percentage of school district budgets that went to administrative overhead. Wouldn't it be wonderful, the public school critics dreamed, if more money could get "to the end of the row" (classrooms and teachers). Then the critics pushed charter schools, where an even smaller portion of each school's budget makes it to the end of the row. Ask any school auditor what percent of a charter school's budget goes to administrative services, and you find it to be significantly higher than regular district schools. You'll also find this bloated flow of taxpayer money going to corporate educational service providers who lobbied so hard for charter schools in the first place.

"increasing funding for teachers union members"

You mean paying teachers a livable wage, so they can devote their time to educating your kids without having to worry about how they are going to feed their own kids?

We already have great teachers young and old in the state.......I wish people would quit focusing on teachers as the "problem". "Carman" like a lot of other people in Utah, continue to focus on teachers. "Carman" suggests 3 things to improve education but he doesn't even mention the only thing we need to improve schools.......lowering class size. Lower class size and the teachers will be able to do their jobs better. Extending the school day and year is just extending the problem when you could lower class numbers and get the job done. You've never been in a classroom and witnessed a classroom of 27 first graders, second graders etc.... at the end of the day if you are suggesting longer days and school year. Let Utah teachers experience the national average of 15-18 students in a classroom and many things will improve. Teachers would overwhelmingly choose lowering class size than getting a pay raise.......hands down!!!