Lawmakers will spend the weekend pondering where to make possible cuts to the state’s education budget, and plan to return with preliminary recommendations on Monday.
The Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee is tasked with suggesting possible ways to cut education by up to 7 percent next school year, though that’s a figure that very likely will change as the legislative session progresses. Several lawmakers referred to the task of recommending where to cut 7 percent as only a "budget exercise." A 7 percent cut would equal about $166 million.
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State Board of Education members told the subcommittee Thursday that if they must make cuts, they would recommend those be made to the flexible funding program, which would allow districts more discretion in deciding how to absorb them.
"That way, local superintendents and their local boards can use the flexibility to try to fill holes where they need it and they can make ultimate decisions about how those cuts are going to happen," said board member Dave Thomas.
Several lawmakers said they were interested in the state school board’s recommendations. Some lawmakers proposed other solutions for cutting 7 percent.
Committee chair Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, said he and his co-chair would come up with recommendations based on what they’ve heard and bring those to the committee on Monday morning.
For this school year, education was cut by only a relatively small amount though no new state money was given to schools to pay for enrollment growth of more than 13,000 students. Gov. Gary Herbert has recommended this year that lawmakers give schools an additional $63 million, largely to help fund more than 14,700 additional students expected next school year.
Over the last couple years, some Utah school districts have responded to cuts by increasing class sizes and shortening the school year.
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