Utah Education Association

Lawmakers passed a bill this year that requires that classroom materials and lessons be “consistent with the principles of inalienable rights, equal opportunity and individual merit.”

It took less than two weeks for the hotly-debated bill to pass, all without the support of Democrats.

Lawmakers will also discuss school safety, teen centers and transgender students.

Utah Education Association’s Policy and Research Director Jay Blain said voters should look for someone who is both willing to listen to the public and work collaboratively with other board members and the school district.

As it stands right now, the process for choosing a classroom curriculum varies greatly between the different school districts in Utah.

“I would say all teachers use their own money at some point,” said Utah Education Association President Renée Pinkney. “I know that a lot of elementary teachers, they spend an awful lot of their own money.”

A proposal from Sen. Lincoln Fillmore had many public education advocates worried teachers would soon be faced with a burdensome and unnecessary transparency law.

Last year was rough for teachers because of the pandemic, and they’re facing a lot of the same challenges again this year.

Despite concerns that the pandemic would drive many teachers away, more Utah teachers stayed in their jobs this year than they have over the last five years, according to data from the Utah State Board of Education.

Recent tax collection estimates have given lawmakers more money to work with this year, including an additional $315 million in education funding. That means many school programs that were cut during the 2020 Legislative session stand a good change of being reinstated.

A proposal, passed in a legislative committee meeting Wednesday, would give teachers and school staff one-time bonuses. However, it would leave out Salt Lake City teachers if the district does not offer in-person classes by Jan. 19.

Teachers and school staff have been bumped up on Utah’s priority list to get a COVID-19 vaccination. Starting Friday, some Utahns will be asked to complete contact tracing online rather than over the phone.