The Utah Education Crisis [Original by Kurt R.]

Every year the debate is the same: How are we going to effectively fund education in Utah? I can tell you how to NOT adequately fund education… Keep doing what we're doing. If we really are committed to the acceleration of Utah students to the top in Math, English, Science and Engineering, then why are we pumping millions of dollars into courses that have nothing to do with these subjects?

On an increasingly consistent basis, hundreds and hundreds of high school students forgo these subjects and enter into the Applied Technology Courses - programs that pull valuable resources and money from these essential courses. The original idea for the ATC program was to be an alternative to students who were struggling to simply graduate high school, but that day has come and gone.

Year after year, education tax dollars are being funneled to build multi-million dollar complexes such as the new MATC complex in Lehi and the Granite districts complex so any student - regardless of their competency level - can forgo these critical subjects and get a free education in an ATC course.

It's time for the Utah Education system to scrap the ATC programs and reallocate that money into improving the efficacy of critical subject education courses. For one, reducing class sizes to ensure a more comprehensive understanding is only the beginning of the path leading more students to higher education. Money currently being used to fund these multi-million dollar facilities could be spent in hiring more teachers and administrative staff to accommodate smaller class sizes.

Students who want to get ATC training have the option to enter the private education system after high school and should pay for it themselves. Furthermore, there are numerous funding programs at their disposal after high school. To try and learn Math, English, and Science skills after the formative years of a person's life only serves to delay sufficient retention of these vital subjects.

What would the end result be if we started graduating thousands of more students ready for college instead of hundreds of more cosmetologists and dental technicians?

My Addition to the article:

If a child can't read or has trouble reading, they will ultimately fall behind in ALL aspects of their schoolwork. Recently the Alpine School District has all-but terminated the 'Reading Recovery' program that my wife, Cassy has taught for more than 13 years, and she has won awards, accolades and spoken (and un-spoken) thanks from parents whose students fall into the gap between mainstream and resource courses.

Cassy, and other Reading Recovery teachers have literally given hundreds, if not thousands of students a fighting chance to compete and excel in the increasingly broken education system in Utah. The chance go beyond ATC courses. This is a crying shame.
Shame on you Alpine School District!
Shame on you Board of Education.
And shame the media for hiding these articles.