TA Brainstorming

Utah schools could possibly be getting one step closer to becoming year-round.
A bill was passed in the House of Representative’s Education Committee Friday that could potentially provide $11 million to schools for the option of continuing to teach math and science classes during the summer.
This summer program could possibly help provide the lacking number of science and math teachers by providing them with a further salary and the students by giving them an opportunity for expected smaller class sizes.
The program would provide struggling students a chance to get help and excelling students an extra opportunity to take classes, as well as a chance for all students to graduate early or just with extra credits.
The program will not be mandatory for all schools to participate in, and teachers individually will also have the choice to accept or decline the program. The teacher’s salaries will be paid by the proposed $11 million, but the individual schools will have to foot the bill for other things such as janitors.
“If we pay 100 percent of everything, of course the school will say ‘Sure!’” said Representative Ron Bigelow, R-West Valley. “If you let the school pick up some of the cost, the school will either be determined to make the program work or just choose not to participate.”
The program will be named “USTAR”, (Utah Science Technology and Research) with relationship to the USTAR program used by uiversities.
“The Governor’s office felt a relationship between the two to get individuals into university programs,” Bigelow said. “There will be no athletics, no anthropology, social studies or anything else. Just math and sciences.”
The bill will be debated in the House floor session and was passed unanimously passed the committee.

H.B. 270 Utah science Technology and Reseach Initative Centers
Sponsor: Representative Ron Bigelow R-West Valley
This bill will provide funding for summer classes to be taught in only math and science.