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Show I Local PTA concerned for public education By KALYN SECRETAN Dr. Harold Jacklin met with the Pleasant Grove PTA Council at the Lindon School for the regular monthly meeting with local principals prin-cipals and PTA presidents. He reported the bid has been accepted for the new high school gym. The proposal of $270,000 was well below the allocated fund set aside for the project. He expressed concern about the proposed cuts from the State Board of Education. The basic education funding called the WPU will not be cut and continue as it has in the past where schools receive monies for every student attending each day. There will be a reduction in expenditures ex-penditures of state supported programs. If programs are eliminated it will be totally up to the district to find funding. Proposed cuts will be found in Drivers Education where the state provides $12 per student. If this is cut, parents will be expected to pay. Summer vocational programsand '-regular '-regular vocation classes receive special funding. Student " transportation now covers secondary students beyond two and one-half miles. It may be changed to students beyond three to three and one-half miles. School lunch for senior high students may be eliminated. Future building projects could be eliminated. Council president Eva Er-canbrack Er-canbrack supplied each school with a paper to go home with the students. They are requesting parents respond in the areas they are willing to take cuts. The Utah State PTA reaffirms its support for a system of free, appropriate ap-propriate public education for the children and youth of the state. They believe that full-year half-day half-day kindergarten, appropriate educational service for handicapped and gifted students, and school sponsored drivers education programs are essential components of that free, appropriate education. PTA also supports full funding of the Career Ladder Program, unless a conflict develops between Career Ladder monies and basic program funding. A resolution passed the State PTA Convention in May that resolved that the Utah Congress of Parents and Teachers petition the Utah State Legislature to increase tax revenue sufficient to adequately fund public education. "Are you willing to pay enough of a tax increase to pay for everything you want for your children's education or will you take cuts? If so, what would you be willing to cut?" Dr. Jacklin asked. . The following are the proposed ! cuts: Driver;; education, behind the wheel, summer ' vocational programs, student transportation up to three miles, school lunch for senior high students, school building aid, and a list of special purpose optional programs such as the media center, extended year and day, elementary guidance, community com-munity education, career education field trips, elementary music, textbooks and lab fees, gifted and talented, responsible parenthood, bilingual education, class size reduction and other special needs. The PTA would like parents to respond to the questions and the local council will in turn report to the State PTA who hopes to be in a position to state where parents are willing to make cuts in education. |