Hillcrest Junior High School in Murry will be the site for a ceremony on Thursday at 2:15 p.m. where Gov. Spencer Cox will sign the remaining education bills passed by the Utah Legislature during its 2022 general session.
SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer Cox is hosting another ceremonial signing of the remaining education bills passed in the 2022 Legislature.
The event will be held at 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 at Hillcrest Junior High School in Murray.
“Providing access to instructional resources and opportunities for everyone are priorities of the Cox-Henderson administration as outlined in the One Utah Roadmap,” according to the governor’s spokesperson Rossina Lake.
On the table will be Senate Bills 127 (Early Literacy Outcomes Improvement) and 172 (Higher Education Student Assistance).
The governor is also expected to sign House Bills 30 (Student Tribal Regalia Amendments), 162 (Period Products in Schools), 193 (Full-Day Kindergarten), 230 (Refugee and Immigrant Student Policies Amendments), 302 (Educational Language Services Amendments), 346 (Funding Independence in Foreign Languages), 386 (Educational Innovation Program), 396 (Paid Professional Hours for Educators) and 428 (School Safety Amendments).
It was a good year for education, according to state Sen. Chris Wilson (R-Dist.25).
“We budgeted $383 million in ongoing revenue to increase the public education by 9 percent and another $124.6 in ongoing funding to state’s basic school formula, bring the total increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit to 6 percent,” he says. “We also spent 9.6 million in ongoing and $9.4 million in one-time funds to increase third grade reading scores across the state.”
Wilson explains that students who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are less likely to graduate and be on public assistance later in life. S.B. 127 addresses this issue by aligning existing literacy programs toward a common goal.
Feminine hygiene is an important consideration when addressing female health and education. H.B. 162 will make feminine hygiene products available in all K-12 schools in Utah.
H.B. 193 will increase funding for the enhanced kindergarten program by $12.2 million and ensure that it goes to areas with the highest need.
“Enrollment in school is often a refugee family’s first interaction wit a Utah institution,” Wilson explains. “H.B. 230 supports the refugee students throughout the school enrollments process.”
As shown by COVID-19, teachers are now faced with the challenging task of prepare lessons for students with diverse needs and in multiple formats.
“H.B. 396 now requires the State Board of Education to provide one-time funding for additional paid professional hours for educators,” Wilson says. “This offers teachers flex days for instructional planning and development.”
Invited to the ceremonial signing are Senators Ann Millner, Lincoln Fillmore, Evan Vickers, Todd Weiler, Dan Thatcher and Jani Iwamoto.
Also invited to the signing ceremony are Representatives Karianne Lisonbee, Steve Waldrip, Douglas Welton, Jefferson Moss, Bradley Last, Candice Pierucci, Sandra Hollins, Val Peterson, Dan Johnson and Angela Romero.
Representing the state will be First Lady Abby Cox; Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction; Dave Woolstenhulme, of the Tribal Leaders Committee of Utah System of Higher Education; Gail Miller of the Larry H. Miller Group; Nubia Pena, senior state equity advisor; and Brittney Cummins, senior state education advisor.
The Hillcrest Junior High School is located at 178 East, 5300 South in Murray.