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Education is always touted as a top priority, if not THE top priority, during the legislative session. But Utah also ranks consistently low for per-pupil spending compared to the rest of the country. In 2020,
Utah was dead-last. During this legislative session, though, lawmakers have passed some pretty education-friendly bills and increased funding by half a billion dollars.
So, we brought in KUER’s education reporter Jon Reed to give us a quick lesson on how lawmakers are funding and regulating schools, teachers and students. We also talked with Heidi Matthews, president of the Utah Education Association, about what’s raising red flags for them and what they want to see signed into law..
Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, discusses amendments to SB107 in the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Friday, Feb. 12, 2021. The language in Weiler’s bill originally took aim at the Salt Lake City School District as the only district that had not offered an in-person learning option at the time. The language now focuses on requirements surrounding “Test to Stay” protocols and thresholds.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY A bill originally seen as a way to push the Salt Lake City School District into returning all students to the classroom is now focusing on testing for students after its sponsor made major changes Friday.
SALT LAKE CITY A bill originally seen as a way to push the Salt Lake City School District into returning all students to the classroom is now focusing on testing for students after its sponsor made major changes Friday.
The language of SB107, sponsored by Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, was substantially altered to focus instead on requirements surrounding Test to Stay protocols and thresholds.
The bill would require the Utah Department of Health to provide support to schools that initiate widespread COVID-19 testing under the Test to Stay program. It also establishes a 2% case threshold, up from 1% of the school population when schools must take steps to mitigate further spread of the virus, which often includes shifting to online learning.
The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed two-time Defensive Player of the Year, three-time All-NBA honoree and four-time All-NBA Defensive First Team recipient Rudy Gobert to a contract extension. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released. Rudy is such a special player. He makes everyone on the court better. We couldn t be more excited about his commitment to this team, to Utah, and most importantly, to keeping this unique culture together, said Jazz Owner Ryan Smith.
“Rudy’s commitment, competitiveness and dedication to winning is why he is one of the elite players in the NBA,” said Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Dennis Lindsey. “The impact he’s had on our team, the state of Utah and so many other communities around the world is immeasurable. We’re ecstatic that Rudy will continue to be an integral part of our franchise as we work towards our goals.”
Utah legislative committee approves $1,500 stipend for teachers in districts offering in-person learning heraldextra.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from heraldextra.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.