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SALT LAKE CITY — As a long weekend began for Utah students, hundreds of teachers met in Salt Lake City Thursday to consider innovative solutions to implement in their classrooms and to make their voices heard with lawmakers.
The first day of the Utah Education Association's annual convention included training for teachers, a look at innovative practices, and a discussion with state legislators. But a prevailing concern expressed by those educators was the feeling that parents and teacher are being left out of policy decisions that impact what goes on in the classroom.
"We should be trusting our educators," said UEA President Sharon Gallagher-Fishbaugh. "Parents are the first, most important teachers, so they need to be partners in that work. We need to get policymakers out of the business of micromanaging public education.
"That's the biggest frustration," she said.
A panel discussion between education advocacy leaders and state lawmakers delved into historically divisive topics, such as Utah's school grading system and per-pupil spending in the state.
National Education Association Vice President Becky Pringle said educators should be allowed a more active role in forming education policy, rather than just giving input.
"That's what's wrong with education policy," Pringle said. "The people who know and understand teaching and learning aren't making the decisions. We're asked for our input, but we're not necessarily listened to. We have to turn that on its head so that we are making the decisions that are best for our students and for our schools."
Sen. Jim Dabakis, D-Salt Lake City, said portions of Utah's income tax have been diverted away from education, and that those funds should be given back to the classrooms to raise teacher salaries, reduce class sizes and bring Utah out of last place in the country in per-pupil spending.
"The money is there," Dabakis said. "We're getting close to a billion dollars without raising taxes had we just left things alone.
"We've got to find a way to raise a lot of money, a lot of money," he said. "All of the participants have to stand up like Alcoholics Anonymous and say, 'We have a problem.'"
House Speaker Greg Hughes raised the possibility of transitioning from a 180-day school year, with classrooms sitting empty for part of the year, to a year-round model to make the most of space and resources. It would be, at least, a partial solution because lowering class sizes and raising teacher salaries at the same time can "work against each other" financially, he said.
"We've got to find a way to build more classrooms, get these classrooms smaller and hire more teachers," Hughes said. "But if anyone, especially candidates, are telling you, 'I'm going to lower class size and I'm going to raise your pay at the same time,' I don't think they're being honest with you. I really don't. I think we've got to pick the way that is most impactful, the way you want us to stare at those dollars, and help us prioritize them."
Ashley Nash, a third-grade teacher at American Preparatory Academy, said the conference is a useful resource for her as a new teacher in developing camaraderie with other teachers and voicing her concerns about education policies.
"What's helpful here is finding out there are associations and to stand up and get involved and find out you have a voice, and that really, decisions should be made (by) the educators, not by people who aren't educators," Nash said. "That's kind of what rings through these conferences: 'You have a voice; stand up and do something.'"
Contributing: Deanie Wimmer
