NESS Funding FY 2014

Garfield County School District recently adopted the FY 14 Budget.  During this process, it became clear of the importance of the State Legislatures allocating funds for public education.   All districts in the State of Utah received a 2% increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU), which accounts for an increase of about $132,802 in multiple line items in the Garfield School District Budget.  Garfield School District has eight schools that qualify as Necessary Existing Small Schools (NESS).  Thanks to the Legislatures efforts, the District received an increase of approximately $340,000 in NESS funding.  As a result, the District was able to offer the following new classes to students.  These classes were previously not offered, but because of the increase in NESS funding students had more class options than ever before.

Panguitch High School:                                 Bryce Valley High School:            Escalante High School:

Study Skills                                                            LA12                                                       Physics

Math Study Skills                                                  Study Skills                                              Chemistry

Music/Choir                                                           Intro to Health Science                           Spanish

History 1700                                                         Math 1050                                               Physics

Drama                                                                   Keyboarding                                           Pre-Calculus

Drafting                                                                 Leadership Principals                             Study Skills

Wood Working                                                      Business Economics                               Desktop Publishing

Math 1050                                                             Pre Calculus                                           History 1700

Painting/Art                                                           Spanish 1

Child Development                                               History 1700

Medical Terminology                                             Physics

Digital Media                                                         Chemistry

Plant and Soil Science                                          Voc Ag

Teen Living                                                            Bio Ag

With the increase in NESS funding for the 2013-2014 school year, the Garfield School District will hire one additional science teacher and one additional elementary Teacher.  The District will also cover the cost of increases in Insurance and Utah Retirement System.

I would personally like thank several key legislators for helping rural Districts like Garfield provide additional educational opportunities to students.

Senator Ralph Okerlund, Senator Evan Vickers, Senator Hinkins, Senator Urquhart, Representative Kay McKiff, Representative Brad Last, Representative John Westwood, Representative Mike Noel, Representative Don Ipson, Representative Merril Nelson, Representative Lowery Snow, and Representative Jon Stanard.

On the National Level, I would personally like to thank US Senator Orrin Hatch for all of his work in securing Secure Rural School (SRS) Federal funding in FY 13.  U.S. Congressman Rob Bishop has also been instrumental in helping with Federal Land management issues in an attempt to secure revenue for SRS funding.

–Superintendent Ben Dalton