Common advice in government work is to save when things are good so you can spend when times are bad. This saying has been used on the national stage in recent years to advocate more spending during recession.
However, regardless of whether times are good or bad, there are some things that should never be touched. Cuts in educational programs and public education should never be an option. This is especially crucial for Utah. We should be using all available funds to better our education so we do not fall behind.
Utah has one of the lowest overall budgets on education and the lowest spending per student. The Utah Education Task Force presented numbers in May showing that in order to reach the national average in spending per pupil, the state would have to invest $2.6 billion.
Astonishing numbers aside, Utah has performed moderately well in national testing with the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) showing 73 percent proficiency in mathematics, above the national average of 72. Many other areas show similar statistics, meaning Utah is getting the most bang for its buck of any state in the country.
Unlike its average education statistics, Utah’s economy has been in full gear. Gov. Gary Herbert stated that “every sector is growing here except for one. You know which? Government!” Private sector employment has been booming, with a 4.5 percent increase so far in 2013.
The economic downturn affected everyone, but Utah’s rebound was incredible. The state’s unemployment rate stands at 4.6 percent, the fifth lowest in the country. The Economist magazine recently wrote that “Employers like Utah’s skilled workers and enterprising universities.”
Utah’s long term unemployment may be related to how the state handles K-12 education in the near future. While conservatives will not raise taxes to fund education, solutions seem few and far between. Neighboring states like Nevada and California have proposed major tax increases to fund education even while their budget deficits have risen.
Tax increases are not even in the equation in Utah while school populations rise tremendously. Some minor voices in Utah’s Republican Party have suggested the need for spending increases, but none have been acknowledged. However, the solution is simpler than a tax increase.
Despite a surplus, Utah’s 2013 fiscal year budget only shows 28 percent of the budget allocated for public education. This implies that the state is not using its funds wisely or efficiently.
Incredibly, there are just over six million dollars that will be put into reserve from the education budget for the fiscal year. It seems silly not to put that money to work for the good of the state. Though some politicians have pointed out that spending in education does not correlate to better test scores, the NAEP has shown that in other states there is a correlation.
Providing better education for Utah’s students should be the main priority. Middle-of-the-road testing should not be. Let’s use this economic surplus to invest in the future of Utah. This is not radical, just rational.
The time for saving budget for reserves is over. The state must be proactive — some things should be a priority whether the state is doing well or not. Shouldn’t education be one of those?