Survey: Utah parents have ample power in child’s education
Tracie Sullivan, The Spectrum
CEDAR CITY – Utah parents appear to have ample control over their child’s education, the Center for Education Reform reported. It ranked Utah sixth out of 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Climbing four spots from its previous number 10 ranking last year, Utah earned an 80 percent ranking on the Parent Power Index, a Web-based report card put out by CER.
The Index evaluates and ranks states based on qualitative and proven state education policies.
According to a press release put out by CER, the higher a state’s grade, the more parents are afforded access and information about learning options for their children.
“The index tool is for parents and policy makers to use in order to understand what policies and laws may be needed to bring about better educational opportunities. There are five main components that comprise state PPI scores — charter schools, school choice, teacher quality, transparency and online learning,” said Kara Kerwin, President of CER.
Utah has improved in several areas, which has helped move it up on the index including improved online educational options, a special-needs voucher and charter schools.
The voucher is available to disabled students ages 5 to 21, although participation is limited to the amount of money appropriated each year by the Utah State Legislature. Currently the state has appropriated $3.9 million, providing funding for 650 students to use the voucher.
CER considers Utah’s charter school laws strong because it provides equitable funding for the schools. However, it threatens parent access by imposing enrollment caps, Kerwin said.
Michelle Cameron recently moved to Utah from West Virginia. With two children in school, Cameron said she feels she has a lot more say in what happens with their education here, especially with her autistic son.
“We have options here we didn’t have in West Virginia like speech therapy, and one-on-one speech therapy too,” she said. “They had quit offering him that there a long time ago, so I was surprised when here they asked me if I wanted to put him in it.
“They also asked me if I wanted him to have time in other classes like cooking and music with the other kids. They never took him out of the classroom in West Virginia even for the minimum time he was supposed to be out.”
In an online discussion about whether parents felt they had control, Lesa Nelson, a Cedar City resident, said she has a significant influence in her son’s education.
“I have always been able to go to any of them (teachers) and express my concerns . . . I have felt I have always had a say in my son’s education,” she said.
But in the same online discussion, several local parents shared their frustration about not having control over their child’s education.
“Around here there isn’t much of a choice other than public or home school,” said Daniel Houchen, a Cedar City resident.
