Hillyard: funding WPU is important first step to helping education

LOGAN – Lots of requests, and lots of needs. That’s what State Senator Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, says about the upcoming session of the Utah legislature where he will once again serve as vice chair for public education.

Hillyard says he was glad to hear the governor talk about the money available for education.

“My first priority has always been funding the WPU (Weighted Pupil Unit),” Hillyard exclaims. “That spreads it equitably across all school systems, gives more flexibility to local school boards to make the key decisions they need to make.

“Sometimes people get the idea that we in the legislature set wages. We don’t. We give money back to the local school districts and they (use it) slightly different with different needs. Sometimes they spend it more on benefits, sometimes they spend it on salaries, some on other programs. That’s my number one priority.”

Hillyard says lawmakers will be taking a close look at ways to target money this year to the younger children (kindergarten through third grades). He says technology is also very important but he wants to make sure that is being used.

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