Education

Bill on NCLB Law Dominates Session

By Michelle R. Davis — May 03, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Lawmakers also upped the state K-12 budget in fiscal 2006 to $2.2 billion, an increase of 5 percent from the current year.

The following offers highlights of the recent legislative sessions. Precollegiate enrollment figures are based on fall 2004 data reported by state officials for public elementary and secondary schools. The figures for precollegiate education spending do not include federal flow-through funds, unless noted.

Utah

Much of the education focus of the Utah legislature this year was on a bill that aims to give state education laws priority over the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

As state lawmakers and educators nationwide watched closely, the Utah Senate and House passed the bill April 19. The measure, which Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. was expected to sign into law May 2, could put the Beehive State at risk of losing $76 million in annual federal education aid. (“Union, States Wage Frontal Attack on NCLB,” April 27, 2005.)

But that legislation was tangled in a web of politics that stretched from Washington to Salt Lake City. As the regular legislative session wound down in January, Gov. Huntsman, a Republican, persuaded senators to delay a vote in order to buy time to broker a compromise with federal officials. But a deal was not reached. During a special session last month, the bill passed handily.

During their regular session, Utah lawmakers passed the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarships, the country’s second state voucher program for students with disabilities; the other is in Florida. Though a broader tuition-tax-credit bill died, the Carson Smith scholarships are slated to provide $1.4 million in voucher money to help parents of students with disabilities to send their children to private schools with specialized programs to serve them. The scholarships could pay out nearly $5,500 annually to each student who qualifies.

Lawmakers also upped the state K-12 budget in fiscal 2006 to $2.2 billion, an increase of 5 percent from the current year.

Events

Teaching Profession K-12 Essentials Forum New Insights Into the Teaching Profession
Join this free virtual event to get exclusive insights from Education Week's State of Teaching project.
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: June 11, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
5 min read
Education Quiz What Is the #1 Factor Boosting Students' STEM Motivation? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Briefly Stated: June 4, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz Why Did A Court Dismiss the Lawsuit Against Lucy Calkins? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read