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SALT LAKE CITY — A large majority of Utahns would like to see even more funding spent on public education than the Utah Legislature recently approved, according to a recent Deseret News-KSL poll.
The Legislature increased education funding by about 2.2. percent this year, and reallocated other funds in order to send a total of about $3.5 billion to schools. Lawmakers chose to fund the estimated 14,700 new students expected to enter the public education system in the fall. It's the first time new funds have been allocated for new students in three years.
Should lawmakers have spent more on public education?
| Definitely should have | 52% |
| Probably should have | 19% |
| Probably not | 15% |
| Definitely not | 12% |
| Don't know | 2% |
Still, 71 percent of the 432 people polled between March 15-17 said they want the Legislature to spend more on Utah's students. The survey had a 4.75 percent margin of error.
Despite the increased spending for the next fiscal year, it's likely Utah will remain last in the country for per-pupil spending, barring any other state legislatures slashing their budgets this year.
The most recent census data available show that for the 2007-08 school year, Utah spent on average $5,765 per student. Idaho was second-lowest at $6,931 — but that was still 20 percent higher than in Utah. Nationally, schools spent $10,259 per student on average.
However, other census data show Utah is ranked No. 10 among the states for how much of state and local government dollars go to education: 33.1 percent in 2008. So even though Utah's spending per student may be low, a greater share of government dollars go to education than most states.
Debra Roberts, chairwoman of the State Board of Education, said she thinks many lawmakers are realizing schools in the state are extremely efficient, and they can't tighten budgets any further.
"They are at that strangle-hold point where there just isn't anything left to go," she said. "I think they (state lawmakers) are finally getting that there is no fat left."
A new assessment system that better gauges student understanding and progress will greatly benefit the state, she said, but it's going to cost some money. She said she hopes the board and lawmakers can work together and get on the same page about what to fund.
"We're at a point in time where we really have strong direction of what needs to happen," she said.
Rep. Merlynn Newbold, R-South Jordan, said the poll results likely reflect the public's desire for the economic recovery to happen faster. Newbold said that wish is shared by both citizens and lawmakers. The trouble with slow economic growth, however, is the demand on schools has significantly increased.
"The economy is rebounding," she said. "It's not responding at the same rates of some of those costs."
Newbold said she's hopeful even more funding will be available in the future, but given the economic climate, the Legislature had its priorities straight this year.
"Education has been the top priority — very clearly the top priority," she said.
E-mail:mfarmer@ksl.com
