Todd Kiser

Education
Education is extremely important. It is 60% of our state budget. As your legislator I am very supportive of education issues. All of us recognize that Utah’s high birthrate creates an enormous challenge in funding public education. Yet we must meet these challenges to ensure a well-educated workforce. I can assure you that we as lawmakers have not “failed” education.

Will we do more? Yes. In the next decade our public schools will have 100,000 more students than they do now and we must continually address the need for smaller class sizes to help students learn more effectively.

Education is not a cost. It’s an investment in the lives of our families and the future or our state. As your representative I will continue to advocate for increased funding without hamstringing the economy or boosting your tax rates.

Accomplishments of the 56 and 57 Utah State Legislatures
• Increased total education funding by $1.15 billion (45%)
• Increased state tax funding for education by more than $870 million (48%)
• Increased per student spending (the value of the Weighted Pupil Unit) by 17%
• Funded an enrollment increase of approximately 54,800 new students in the public school system (11% increase)
• Appropriated $30 million in one-time funding for an Optional Extended Day
Kindergarten pilot program (4 years)
• Provided educator salary increases, direct to teachers, of at least $4,200 per teacher
• Appropriated $14.1 million to support additional compensation opportunities for some math, science, and special education teachers
• Used $60 million in one-time revenue to boost education technology and on-line testing infrastructure in the schools
• Used more than $33 million in one-time funding to reimburse teachers for out-of-pocket expenditures on instructional supplies and materials
• Appropriated $80 million in one-time funding to support school construction and renovation in the school districts
• Provided $10 million to transition Utah Valley State College to Utah Valley University, increasing the number of full-time faculty and staff and expanding offerings to offer a limited number of master's degrees
• Appropriated $8 million to expand partnerships between institutions, to allow bachelor degree programs to be offered by Utah State University in areas of the State that previously have not had this capability

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