July 11, 2000
Here's a big change in school funding:
For the first time, every Utah school will get a monthly check that's guaranteed to increase, and parents will largely determine how the money is spent.
Sounds like a pipe dream, but Education Specialist Nadine Wimmer tells us it's about to become reality.
The State School Board today voted to change the way it divies out money from school trust lands.
For schools, the implications are exciting.
Here's what sets one class apart from the rest of the school--it actually has a current pull-down map.
So parents weren't surprised to learn social studies scores were suffering.
Paula Plant/Upland Terrace Elementary: "THEY STARTED TO EXPLAIN HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO TEACH SOCIAL STUDIES WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE MATERIALS. THEY DIDN'T HAVE WALL MAPS THEY COULD TEACH FROM."
Nadine Wimmer, Eyewitness News: "BUT NOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON OLD GLOBES AND OUTDATED MAPS. THEY'RE BUYING NEW ONES FOR EVERY CLASS. IT'S THE FIRST YEAR THIS SCHOOL AND EVERY OTHER IN UTAH CAN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES HOW TO SPEND THEIR SHARE OF THE STATE TRUST LAND MONEY."
Margaret Bird/State Office of Education: "IT'S EXCITING BECAUSE PRIOR TO THIS, IT ALL WENT INTO THE BIG POT AND NOBODY KNEW WHAT IT DID."
Right now, schools are the second largest land owner in Utah.
The money made on those lands goes into a trust.
And this year, the interest alone is enough
to pay the average elementary $6,000,
the largest high schools $25,000.
And these numbers could easily double within a few years.
Barbara Smith/Davis District School Board: "SCHOOL TRUST LANDS MONEY IS THE ONE POT OF MONEY THAT IS GOING TO GROW EVERY YEAR AND IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY IN THREE YEARS, AND THAT'S VERY EXCITING."
"THAT WAY, ANYTHING THAT'S EVER DONE ON THOSE LANDS WILL BENEFIT CHILDREN, FROM THAT MINUTE FORWARD, FOREVER."
Parent committees will help each school determine its needs.
Then once the local school board has approved, schools will for the first time have a source of funding they can count on.
"IF YOU SEND THE MONEY TO THE SCHOOLS SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A VOICE IN IT, TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR YOUR KIDS, EVERY CHILD SHOULD BENEFIT."
The monthly checks could start arriving at schools as soon as August.
