| Show School Costs Will Rise 13 Under N New v C Law Uintah School District be able to increase its operating program by per distribution classroom unit next year under the new school finance program approved ved by the 1963 Utah LegIs- LegIs LegIslature Legislature lature This represents an in- in increase increase crease of above the act act- actual ual program In effect this year These facts were brought out in a comprehensive anal anal- analysis ysis of 1963 school legislation prepared by Utah Foundation the private governmental re- re research research search organIzation ACCORDING to the Foun- Foun Foundation's Foundation's dation's calculations Uintah School District will be able to finance a school operating program of or g per distribution under the new school legisla legisla- legislation tion without resorting to further fur fur- the ther special elections This compares with nn an actual pro gram of or per distribution unit in the 63 1962 school year A further increase of or 1165 per distribution unit is pos pos- possible possible sible if the voters were to ap- ap approve approve prove of such action at a spec spec- special special ial leeway election called for forthe forthe the purpose The Foundation explains that a distribution unit is al al- al allowed lowed for each classroom unit of 27 pupils in average daily attendance Additional distri button units are provided for supervisory personnel small schools and special classes for handicapped i children voca voca- vocational education and other special purposes During the current 63 1962 school schol year Uintah School District had an estimated distribution units which is an average of unit for each nn 2264 pupils in average dally daily attendance Throughout the state there is a total of distribution units or a state state- statewide statewide wide average of 2323 pupils for each distribution unit THE FOUNDATION study observes that the new school program should permit sub sub- substantial substantial salary boosts for most teachers A number of dis dis- districts already have offered contracts to teachers calling for salary increases ranging from to 1072 per year In general the smallest inn creases were for beginning teachers with the th experienced teachers receiving the largest salary boosts Foundation analysts point out that approximately 79 of the added funds provided under the new school finance law will come from increased sed state aid and only 21 from higher local taxes These percentages per per- percentages will vary consider consider- considerably considerably ably from to district In some local districts all of the additional school funds will come from state aid while in others much of the increase will come from local taxes THE REPORT indicates that the maximum program without further election can be financed in Uintah School District with an increased lo- lo local 10 ca cal property tax levy of mm mills Moreover if voter approval ap- ap approval for additional local lee lee- leeway leeway way were secured a still fur fur- further ther increase of mills would be possible However since this special voted leeway must be approved by the pee peo- people pie in an election held on or before the first da day r of May no additional election leeway cnn can be authorized before 1964 In addition to the increased operating program the 1963 Utah Legislature boosted boasted the amount of state aid going for school building purposes Al Al- Al Altogether together the Foundation study estimates that 10 mil mil- million million lion in state aid will be distributed dis- dis distributed to local districts for building purposes during the next biennium This compares with 65 05 million in state school building aId which was available during this 63 1961 biennium |
