The Utah State Board of Education on Thursday will consider asking the governor to veto a bill that aims to streamline the state’s education code.
The Utah legislature passed House Bill 360 during this year’s session. It requires the state school board to prepare a report summarizing the last 15 years of policy changes in Utah’s public education system and develop a 10-year plan detailing outdated policies and programs that can be repealed. They’re expected to present the findings to the state Education Interim Committee in 2016 for approval. The bill’s sponsor, Republican Representative LaVar Christensen told the Utah House of Representatives earlier this month the education code has grown far too bloated.
“Year after year we get a new idea, “Christensen says. “And nobody ever evaluates whatever happened.”
State School Board Vice Chair Dave Thomas says some board members aren’t comfortable with the language requiring the board get approval from the Education Interim Committee.
“So really the distinction is between the legislative authority over education and the executive authority over public education and as you might imagine, those lines get a little bit blurred.”
The discussion about HB 360 is the only item on the board’s agenda Thursday.
