Pub. 9 2019-2020 Issue 3

9 Menu of Tests Constitution Democrat Independent American Libertarian Republican Unaffiliated United Utah (blank) Grand Total 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 3 2 19 34 14 6 5 One Statewide Test Table Should Utah use the same test to evaluate LEA performance statewide, or should LEAs be able to choose from a menu of approved tests? No,keepthe restrictionson fundingstreams intact. Constitution Democrat Independent American Libertarian Republican Unaffiliated United Utah (blank) Grand Total 1 5 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 10 38 23 7 Yes, relieve restrictions on funding streams. Table The Legislature currently distributes funding to school districts and charter schools through dozens of restricted programs, instead of letting local school leaders decide what will work best for their students. Do you support giving LEAs more local control by relieving them of the restrictions on these funding streams? Other questions evoked significant differences of opinion between candidates, even between candidates from the same party. For example, 32 candidates said Utah should use a “menu of tests” to “evaluate LEA performance statewide,” while 13 candidates said Utah should use “one statewide test.” Breaking those groups down by party gives an even more nuanced picture. Of the 12 Democratic candidates, seven preferred a menu of tests, while five preferred one statewide test. On the Republican side, 19 candidates preferred a menu of tests, and six want a single statewide test. Among the 11 candidates not affiliated with the two major parties, only three preferred one statewide test; the other eight support a menu of tests. In perhaps the most intriguing set of responses, a substantial majority of candidates prefer to relieve schools of the restric- tions on how schools can use the funding the state provides them. Overall, 38 candidates prefer that option, while 10 prefer to keep the limits on those funding streams intact. When broken down by party, the picture shifts a bit. The overwhelming number of Republican candidates (23 of 25) prefer to ease funding restrictions. Among the Democratic candidates, opinions are much more closely divided. Five candidates want to keep existing restrictions, while seven prefer to ease them. Among candidates not affiliated with the two major parties, three prefer to keep existing restrictions, while eight want to ease them. It is important to note that this questionnaire is not scientific. Some candidates responded that the possible responses to some questions were narrower than their more nuanced positions allow. To some degree that critique is fair, although every survey suffers from the same limitation, as does every legislative vote: legislators must vote “Aye” or “Nay.” Governors either allow a passed bill to become law or they veto it. IRS regulations prohibit a 501(c)(3) nonprofit like UAPCS from engaging in election efforts. However, those regulations encourage nonprofits to educate the public about important issues, such as charter schools and education. UAPCS does not endorse candidates, but we do help the public and can- didates better understand each other. We have published the full responses of each candidate, sorted by candidate, on our website, www.utahcharters.org.