Special Legislative Session

In a special Legislative Session, lawmakers voted to restore nearly $4.2 million dollars that was previously vetoed by Governor Herbert almost two months ago.  In connection with the funding is reading intervention software programs, preschool, and culinary arts programs.  The Senate voted 27-1 and the House voted 67-6 on SB2001 to restore the vetoed line items.  Included in the $4.5 million is $500,000 in Federal funds, $1.5 million in state revenue, $275,000 for a TV broadcasted Culinary Arts program, $500,000 elementary reading software to measure student’s reading ability, $3 million for K-3 software intervention programs, and $500,000 for an IT program.  Additionally, the legislature agreed to remove $1 million from the Electronic High School program housed at the Utah State Office of Education.  Some of the additional funding will finds its way to Garfield County School District in the form of DIBELS assessment tools, and reading intervention programs such as i-Ready and Waterford UPSTART programs.  The district has completed a competitive grant through USOE to allow our students and teachers to be the beneficiaries of the additional funding.  As a district, we have not received official notice of what the funding will be but we are estimating the additional revenues to be in the $30,000 to $40,000 range.  We will continue to strive to provide the additional funding and programs for our students in GCSD.

Ben Dalton

Superintendent

Garfield County School District