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Show T to (Mdtam Utah's educators are this year asking a 61 million 1 average class loads 1967-1968 dollar increase to improve public schools in our state. Right now this request is before the Utah State Leg- ytatl T"!-TIdudHs islature. And it has become apparent both to the legis- lators and public alike that if the state is to meet this United states 24 1 pup.s increase along with the increased needs of other state surrounding states - s-4 agencies there will have to be a tax increase. utah Elementary ---aM4-----M-- Raising of taxes is a no more pleasant prospect to class Loads 1 I I 1 i 29-25 pupils educators than it is to anyone else. Educators are tax- 0 5 10 is 20 25 30 payers too. mentary school classloads are particularly critical, since But Utah is now at the crossroads. jt js jn these formative years that the basis of a chMs We must raise revenue - or we must lower services eamj must begjn ,f the rudiments are negected, he . . and standards. In education, the services are already too js pushed unprepared on to the next grade, simpy low. In fact, they are rapidly becoming critical. becguse g teacher ha$ nQt the tjme tQ spend wjth the These are not the emotions of teachers speaking. sow eamer Even few extra mjnutes spent by the These are plain facts. teacher each day could make the difference between, for instance, a poor reader and a child who can read well. PER PUPIL EXPENDITURES 1967-1968 I 1 PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN TEACHERS SALARIES " III till 1957-58 to 1967-68 Wyommg 1 I 1 I I T . . United States I Arizona . $640 61 60 Nevada 1 1 Surrounding States $635 Colorado ?5y5 Utah r"''"T'''"H"''""Tl9 I New Mexico -----. 0 10 20 30 409,0 50 6096 70 $536 Idaho "17 Salaries paid to" teachers in Utah are substantially - .f.n.,. below those paid to teachers in surrounding states and ; $596 the rest of the United States. We train our teachers in National Average i.. m,m state colleges and universities, using tax funds. The Utah I ' $512 teacher can earn more elsewhere, and he leaves the state. $100 ?2oo ?3oo $400 ?5oo $600 $700 Just as important is the fact that we cannot attract better teachers by paying low salaries. Utah is last in its expenditure per child. What does , : . . this mean? It means that your children do not get proper counseling. It means that adequate funds are not avail- ,f the improvement of education necessitates a tax in- a i;u-.: 4. x u- x crease, how will it affect you? Here are some examples: able for good libraries, technical equipment, teaching mat- arials and extended summer programs. And it means that A one mill increase in the assessed valuation of the fewer good teachers are entering the profession. average $20,000 home will cost only an estimated 33 cents Only three states have larger teacher-pupil ratios per month per miM more- than has Utah Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama. If sales tax were increased by one percent, it would Educators agree that 25 students per classroom is abso- mean each person would pay less than $1.50 per month in lute maximum if children are to receive the proper atten- additional sales tax. tion. Utah averages 26.5 children per classroom. Ele- 1 A message on behalf of Utah's children from the 13,400 members of the UTAH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION v Siould you desire to have one of our representatives meet with yur club or civic group, caH 266-4461. U.S. Savings Stamps teach children thrift and good citizenship |