Our school boards and district administrators have direct management and responsibility for Utah’s schools. The most efficient school districts in the US only place about $0.65 of every $1.00 into actually educating out children. A 35% overhead is extremely high in any business operation; we must not forget that our schools are in the business of educating our children.

An increase in efficiency of only 1% would free over $22, 488,944 for use in the Utah classrooms. Surely our school district officials can find a 1% increase in efficiency and put 22 million dollars back into the classrooms.

As your state representative, I will work to hold schools district administrators accountable to use state funding in the classroom, and to lower administrative overhead and other non-instructional costs. How?

• Every school district shall achieve a minimum of 65% of their budget being spent on “classroom instruction” using the National Center for Educational Statistics definitions:
• Definition of Classroom Instruction by the National Center for Educational Statistics:
• “In the Classroom”
• Classroom Teachers, Personnel
• General Instruction Supplies
• Instructional Aides
• Activities -- Field Trips, Athletics, Music, Arts
• Special Needs Instruction
• Tuition Paid to Out-of State Districts & Private Institutions for Special Needs Students
• "Outside the Classroom”
• Administration
• Plant Operations & Maintenance
• Food Services
• Transportation
• Instructional Staff Support
• Student Support – Nurses, Therapists, Counselors
• School Districts that currently fall below the 65% goal shall be required to increase that percentage by a minimum of 2% a year until the 65% goal is met.
• School Districts would be required to send their annual proposed budgets to the Governor verifying that the 65% goal or 2% annual improvement is being made.
• School Districts that believe they can neither meet the 65% goal nor 2% annual improvement may petition the Governor for a renewable one-year waiver along with their proposal of what can be achieved toward reaching the 65% goal.
• The Governor shall have 30 days to either deny or grant the one-year waiver or grant a partial one-year waiver short of the 65% goal or 2% annual increase.
• The Legislature will have the opportunity to determine what action may be taken if School Districts do not comply with the requirements.