Education

Utah Public School Finances: FY 1998-99

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The single biggest expenditure of state and local tax revenue in Utah and the nation is for education (public and higher). Today about 42 percent of total direct state and local expenditures in Utah pay for education while the national average for the 50 states and the District of Columbia is 34 percent. About $92 out of every $1,000 of Utah total personal income are spent on education. This is about one-third higher than the … Continued

Utah Public Education Financing and the State School Trust Fund

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Because of Utah’s high birthrate, the state has, in percentage terms, the largest school-age population (ages 5-17) of any state in the nation. The flip-side of the coin is also true, Utah has the smallest percent of adults of working age (ages 18-64) of any state in the nation. These demographic facts make it very difficult to fund education at levels typical in other states. As a result, Utah has the largest class sizes and … Continued

Utah’s Statewide Testing Results: 1999

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Each year since 1990, Utah public school students in grades 5, 8, and 11 have been given an achievement test designed to measure student performance relative to a national norm.Overall, the various tests taken by Utah students show that some Utah schools and students are doing well in comparison to national standards. There are, however, areas of the curriculum, like writing, which need more attention. Some schools, particularly those working with many at-risk students, also … Continued

Accountability in Public Education: An Overview and Analysis

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Since a Nation at Risk was published in 1983, U.S. presidents, congress, governors, legislators, business people, parents and educators have been debating, passing laws, revising curriculum, raising graduation requirements, and testing students in hopes of improving the performance of the nation’s public school children. During this period of reform, school accountability became a popular term. Many reformers argue that improvement in public education cannot be expected unless schools and students are held accountable.