Year-Round School Proposal Gains Traction

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) A proposal to convert Utah public schools to year-round or extended-day schedules is gaining traction among state leaders. Governor Huntsman yesterday announced he thinks the state needs to "think seriously" about the proposal:

"Why? It makes better use of all our buildings which we have to heat and air condition. And it makes better use of our teachers to whom we negotiate a 180-day contract and we ought to be negotiating a 228 to 230 day contract," says Huntsman.

Huntsman told state lawmakers and education officials that he would like to see the plan implemented as a pilot in a couple of school districts next year. The proposal was developed by a task force intent on finding solutions to the state's shortage of public school teachers. They conclude that retaining and maximizing existing teachers is the best first step. State Senator Howard Stephenson plans to run a measure creating the pilot program and believes teachers will jump at the chance to work more days for more money:

"It would end the forced lay-off that professional educators have every year, which makes it unattractive as a career," says Stephenson. "We could increase the pay for teachers as much as 40 or 50 percent by switching to this program."

It would also require families to be flexible, admits Stephenson. No longer would students be able to build their vacation plans around three months off each summer. Offering public teachers the chance to contract for 230 days rather than 180 each year would boost beginning salaries from the current $29,000 to about $47,000. Huntsman says the proposal is worth a try if it can make Utah schools more attractive to qualified teachers.

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