Public Education - Ben Leishman Last Updated: March 20, 2014
Budget Summary
Appropriations made as part of the public education budget provide the majority of the operating revenues supporting Utah's 41 school districts and 95 charter schools. These local education agencies (LEAs) receive funding through the Minimum School Program and the School Building Program. The public education budget also includes multiple statewide support agencies and programs collectively called "Education Agencies." Budget changes for the the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind budgets are included in the education agencies section.
Projections indicate that 622,813 students will enroll in public schools this fall, an increase of nearly 10,300 or 1.7% over fall 2012.
Operating and Capital Budget* (in millions)
Major Funding Initiatives
The following bullets highlight major funding items approved by the Legislature. Items funded from one-time sources or as supplemental in the FY 2014 budget are noted.
Minimum School Program
The following items support operations or programs in the LEAs. The amount of funding received by each LEA will vary depending on participation levels and qualifying criteria outlined for each program.
- Enrollment Growth - $61.2 million, adjusts program funding levels for the additional students anticipated to enroll in public schools this fall. Major funding items include:
- Basic School Program - $41.5 million for 14,547 additional Weighted Pupil Units (WPUs);
- Related to Basic School Program - $5.2 million for a 1.7% increase to certain programs historically adjusted for growth;
- Charter School Local Replacement - $13.5 million to provide the rate of $1,660 per student;
- Charter School Administrative Costs - $1.0 million to provide $100 per student.
- Supplemental Enrollment Growth - $2.9 million one-time, to fund cost associated with new teachers hired by LEAs in the current year that qualify for Educator Salary Adjustments.
- WPU Value Increase - $62.5 million, provides for a 2.5% increase in the WPU Value. The value for most WPUs will increase from $2,899 to $2,972. The WPU Value for the Special Education and Career & Technical Education Add-on Programs will increase from $2,659 to $2,726. Additional programs in the Related to Basic School Program were also increased by 2.5%. These programs include: Pupil Transportation, Concurrent Enrollment, At-Risk Students, Accelerated Students, Youth-in-Custody, and Adult Education.
- Dual Language Immersion - $300,000, to allow additional schools to provide dual language immersion programs beginning in Fall 2014.
- Teacher Supplies & Materials - $5.0 million one-time, maintains funding to reimburse teachers for out-of-pocket expenditures on classroom supplies, materials, or field trips.
- Beverly Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program - $2.0 million & $3.0 million one-time, expands the program to additional schools in fall 2014. The program provides subject-area arts specialists in participating elementary schools.
- Local Revenue - $25.7 million, estimated growth in local property tax revenues that support the cost total of the Basic School Program and Voted & Board Local Levy Programs.
- Voted & Board Local Levy Programs - the state guarantee rate increases from $27.36 to $27.92 per qualifying WPU in FY 2015.
Governor's Office of Economic Development
Legislators increased funding for the STEM Action Center created during the 2013 General Session. The program has a joint education and economic development focus and funding is appropriated to the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED). [Notes: These items are provided for information only, amounts are totaled in the Business, Economic Development and Labor budget.]
- STEM Action Center - $5.0 million & $15.0 million one-time, expands the program to more students, includes an endorsement and professional development component, and creates an applied science initiative in the middle and high schools.
Education Agencies
This subsection contains significant budget changes in the Utah State Office of Education, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and other related line-items and programs.
- Fine Arts Outreach RFP Program - $200,000 one-time, provides short-term grants to professional organizations in the fine arts to provide education programs in the public schools.
- UPSTART - $3.0 million, a software program for pre-K students.
- Suicide Prevention - $159,000, aimed at providing resources and programs for suicide prevention.
- Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Teachers - $400,000, represents 5 new teaching positions.
- Charter School Support Specialists - $354,000, increasing the oversight and support position of the State Charter School Board.
- Utah Common Core Professional Development - $500,000, to provide training to teachers on Utah Common Core standards.
- Statewide Online Education - $500,000 and $150,000 one-time, content taught to home school and private school students.
- Elementary Reading Assessment Tool - $800,000, for reading assessment software.
- Information Technology Academy - $300,000 one-time, for software licenses.
Significant Intent Language
- Charter Schools - Senate Bill 2 includes intent language authorizing funding and enrollment capacity in charter schools approved by the State Board of Education under provisions found in UCA 53A-1a-501.9. Authority for these schools was created in House Bill 344 "Establishment of Charter School Amendments" (2013 General Session). Intent language also authorizes an increase of up to 8,450 charter school students in FY 2016 over the projected total of 66,578 students in fall 2014.
Budget Summary
Appropriations made as part of the public education budget provide the majority of the operating revenues supporting Utah's 41 school districts and 95 charter schools. These local education agencies (LEAs) receive funding through the Minimum School Program and the School Building Program. The public education budget also includes multiple statewide support agencies and programs collectively called "Education Agencies." Budget changes for the the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind budgets are included in the education agencies section.
Projections indicate that 622,813 students will enroll in public schools this fall, an increase of nearly 10,300 or 1.7% over fall 2012.
Operating and Capital Budget* (in millions)
Major Funding Initiatives
The following bullets highlight major funding items approved by the Legislature. Items funded from one-time sources or as supplemental in the FY 2014 budget are noted.
Minimum School Program
The following items support operations or programs in the LEAs. The amount of funding received by each LEA will vary depending on participation levels and qualifying criteria outlined for each program.
- Enrollment Growth - $61.2 million, adjusts program funding levels for the additional students anticipated to enroll in public schools this fall. Major funding items include:
- Basic School Program - $41.5 million for 14,547 additional Weighted Pupil Units (WPUs);
- Related to Basic School Program - $5.2 million for a 1.7% increase to certain programs historically adjusted for growth;
- Charter School Local Replacement - $13.5 million to provide the rate of $1,660 per student;
- Charter School Administrative Costs - $1.0 million to provide $100 per student.
- Supplemental Enrollment Growth - $2.9 million one-time, to fund cost associated with new teachers hired by LEAs in the current year that qualify for Educator Salary Adjustments.
- WPU Value Increase - $62.5 million, provides for a 2.5% increase in the WPU Value. The value for most WPUs will increase from $2,899 to $2,972. The WPU Value for the Special Education and Career & Technical Education Add-on Programs will increase from $2,659 to $2,726. Additional programs in the Related to Basic School Program were also increased by 2.5%. These programs include: Pupil Transportation, Concurrent Enrollment, At-Risk Students, Accelerated Students, Youth-in-Custody, and Adult Education.
- Dual Language Immersion - $300,000, to allow additional schools to provide dual language immersion programs beginning in Fall 2014.
- Teacher Supplies & Materials - $5.0 million one-time, maintains funding to reimburse teachers for out-of-pocket expenditures on classroom supplies, materials, or field trips.
- Beverly Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program - $2.0 million & $3.0 million one-time, expands the program to additional schools in fall 2014. The program provides subject-area arts specialists in participating elementary schools.
- Local Revenue - $25.7 million, estimated growth in local property tax revenues that support the cost total of the Basic School Program and Voted & Board Local Levy Programs.
- Voted & Board Local Levy Programs - the state guarantee rate increases from $27.36 to $27.92 per qualifying WPU in FY 2015.
Governor's Office of Economic Development
Legislators increased funding for the STEM Action Center created during the 2013 General Session. The program has a joint education and economic development focus and funding is appropriated to the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED). [Notes: These items are provided for information only, amounts are totaled in the Business, Economic Development and Labor budget.]
- STEM Action Center - $5.0 million & $15.0 million one-time, expands the program to more students, includes an endorsement and professional development component, and creates an applied science initiative in the middle and high schools.
Education Agencies
This subsection contains significant budget changes in the Utah State Office of Education, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and other related line-items and programs.
- Fine Arts Outreach RFP Program - $200,000 one-time, provides short-term grants to professional organizations in the fine arts to provide education programs in the public schools.
- UPSTART - $3.0 million, a software program for pre-K students.
- Suicide Prevention - $159,000, aimed at providing resources and programs for suicide prevention.
- Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Teachers - $400,000, represents 5 new teaching positions.
- Charter School Support Specialists - $354,000, increasing the oversight and support position of the State Charter School Board.
- Utah Common Core Professional Development - $500,000, to provide training to teachers on Utah Common Core standards.
- Statewide Online Education - $500,000 and $150,000 one-time, content taught to home school and private school students.
- Elementary Reading Assessment Tool - $800,000, for reading assessment software.
- Information Technology Academy - $300,000 one-time, for software licenses.
Significant Intent Language
- Charter Schools - Senate Bill 2 includes intent language authorizing funding and enrollment capacity in charter schools approved by the State Board of Education under provisions found in UCA 53A-1a-501.9. Authority for these schools was created in House Bill 344 "Establishment of Charter School Amendments" (2013 General Session). Intent language also authorizes an increase of up to 8,450 charter school students in FY 2016 over the projected total of 66,578 students in fall 2014.