Show New School Program Is Step Toward Uniformity The 1969 changes in Utah's public school finance laws represent represent represent rep rep- resent one more step toward complete uniformity of school financial support throughout the State as measured by dollars per distribution unit This conclusion was reached in a study of the 70 1969 public school chool finance program prepared prepared prepared pre pre- pared by Utah Foundation the private tax research agency Because 0 ot ox this trend toward a uniform program in Utah the increases provided to the local districts by the 1969 Legislature Legislature Legislature Leg Leg- varied widely from 50 per distribution unit in some districts to 1166 per unit in others According to the report the new school finance formula guarantees essentially the same level of financial support per distribution unit in all Utah school districts Only in the eight school districts districts dis dis- districts where the prescribed local mill levy raises slightly more than this guaranteed level of support or and/or in the districts districts districts dis dis- which have had a special election to Increase school support support sup sup- port will local boards be able to exceed the guarantees es established established established es- es by law Foundation analysts point out that Utah has departed from the original concepts of the 1946 Tax Study Committee which es established the present state aid system merely to underwrite and guarantee the minimum school program determined by law This Committee recommended recommended recommended mended that each local community community community com com- may have as good a school program as it wants If it is willing and able to pay for it The new school finance program program program pro pro- gram approved by the 1969 Utah Legislature will raise the level of school support by 1166 per distribution unit next year for most Utah school districts dis dis- The Foundation report notes however that for districts districts dis dis- that do not receive state aid under the board leeway portion of the program such as Salt Lake City Jordan etc the Increase will be less and could be as little as per distribution unit Based on some preliminary computer projections made by bythe bythe bythe the State School Office South Sanpete School District probably probably probably proba proba- bly will receive added funds equal to 1166 per distribution distribution distribution tion unit in 1969 One distribution distribution distribution dis dis- unit is roughly equivalent equivalent lent to 27 pupils in average daily dally attendance An estimated total of distribution units was reported for South Sanpete Sanpete Sanpete San San- pete School District in 1968 These added funds are for all aspects of the school operatIng operating ing program In 68 1967 for example classroom teacher salaries made up about of the school operating budget in Utah When other instructional instructional instructional salaries principals counselors supervisors librarians li librarians librarians li- li etc are included the percentage is The remaining of the school budget covers other school operating costs books supplies supplies sup sup- plies maintenance operations administration etc The new school finance program program program pro pro- gram will provide an additional million In state aid tol to l 10 local o c a l 1 schools next year According to the Foundation report this is the largest increase Increase in increase in- in crease ever enacted In Utah for a single year a aIn In addition to the added state funds existing property tax rates rates are expected to produce an added 16 million in local funds next year because of the growth In th the tax base Note no Increases in local school levies are required by the new school laws Thus total added added added add add- ed Income to the public schools in 70 1969 will be in excess of million The enlarged operating tIng proA pro- pro A AA gram enacted by the 1969 Legislature Legislature Legislature Legis Legis- lature accounts for about million of the Increased school support for next year Only about 25 million of the rise is due to expected enrollment growth and other factors related to natural increase The remaining re remaining remaining re- re 11 million of the increase In Increase Increase In- In crease stems from the elimination elimina tion of a Federal aid offset in computing state allocations aid Since the passage of the original original nal school equalization program m in Utah back in 1947 the level of school support has risen b ban by byan byan y an average of per distribution distribution distribution dis dis- dis- dis unit or 42 each year The increase provided for next year will amount to 1166 per r distribution unit or In order to finance the in increased increased increased in- in creased costs of the 70 1969 0 school program the Legislature Legislature Legisla Legisla- ture required accelerated collection collection collection col col- col- col lection of the state Income withholding withholding withholding with with- holding tax and also sharply y Increased the transfer of funds from the general fund to th the e un uniform ifo rm school fund raising raisin g the state sales tax rate fro from m 3 to 4 to permit this funding |