Trust Lands
Utah PTA believes that income from trust lands granted to the state at the time statehood was achieved are essential to educational funding in Utah. Utah PTA's goal is to represent beneficiaries of this trust in resulting legislation.
School Trust Lands" School Trusts Lands were granted by the United States to each state joining the union beginning with Ohio 1803 through Alaska in 1959. These lands were granted in trust for the support of public education. Initially, each state received one square mile in each six square mile township. As western states were added, the grants expanded to two sections per township. When Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico entered the union they were granted four sections per township." What are School Trust Lands and how did we get them?
In 1894, Congress granted one‐ninth of all the land in Utah to a trust to support public schools. This grant was not a gift; it was granted in exchange for Utah not taxing the federal lands which make up nearly 2/3 of the land in Utah. The state of Utah accepted the grant along with the obligation to be the trustee. The trust principles impose fiduciary duties upon the state, including a duty of undivided loyalty to, and a strict requirement to administer the lands (and revenues generated from the lands) for the exclusive benefit of the beneficiaries. Who manages the land? The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration manages the school trust lands in the most prudent and profitable manner for the schools. The Trust Lands Administration was created in 1994, patterned after a corporate business structure. At that time, the agency was separated from other government agencies to eliminate potential conflicts of interest. This past year, the Trust Lands Administration deposited more than $138 million into the permanent school fund. How does the Trust generate money? Revenues are generated through leases, sales, minerals and real estate development. Revenues from the land are placed in a permanent savings account known as the permanent State School Fund, which is not spent. The State Treasurer invests the money. The investments are balanced to both grow the size of the fund and generate interest and dividends to be distributed to our schools. The principal balance (capital gains) is not used, but is instead allowed to continue to grow – only the interest and dividends are distributed each year to support our schools. In 1983, there was just $18 million in the fund that had accumulated in the 79 years since statehood. Currently (2011) the balance of the fund totals over 1 billion dollars, and $22.6 million has been distributed in interest and dividends to our Utah schools in the 2010‐2011 school year. An average elementary school received $24,690, an average middle school/junior high school received $35,821, and an average high school received $47,821. How does the money improve public education? Since September of 2000, the money distributed from the School LAND Trust program goes directly to each public school in Utah on a percentage and then per pupil basis. The school community council determines each school’s greatest academic need and prepares a plan to address that need with the school’s portion of the money. Local school boards approve the plans and have responsibility to oversee the program. 2011-2012 Legislative Priorities
1. Child Safety From Exposure to Alcohol/Drug/Tobacco a) E Cigarettes b) Dissolvable and Look-a-like tobacco products 2. Internet/Social Media a) Sexting b) Cyber Bullying c) Non-exploitation of children 3. Funding Quality Education/Public Schools a) Funding Growth b) Tax Deduction/Credits/Backpacking c) Seismic Safety of Schools d) Unfunded Mandates 4. Family Engagement a) Common Core Standards b) Nutrition c) School Community Council Responsibility/Members 5. Process of Elections/School Boards a) Non-Partisan Elections b) State School Board Nomination Process |
What can our PTA do?
Be sure your PTA has representation on your school’s community council. If a member of the PTA board is not currently an elected member of the community council, your board can still have someone attend the meetings to provide input and participate on any community council sub‐committees. Make sure you have a candidate from your PTA executive board nominated during the next election cycle. Work with your principal and community council chair to prepare an article for the school or PTA newsletter discussing the School LAND Trust program and how your school is using their School LAND Trust funds.
Write letters to Utah’s Congressional Delegation, Governor, your state legislators and other elected officials informing them of how the Trust Lands funds are being used in your school. Let them know of your support for the program. Make sure the e‐mail address of your PTA liason and other School Community Council members are on the School LAND Trust website. The principal should enter the information every year. The address is www.schoollandtrust.org. Have your PTA Legislative Vice‐President join the Member‐to‐Member email list at www.utahpta.org to receive important updates about Trust Lands and other issues. Check your computers to be sure that these e‐mails are not blocked so you can receive up‐to‐date information. If anyone in your PTA is interested in helping with the state PTA Trust Lands Commission, have them contact Natalie Gordon, State Trust Lands Commissioner at (801)397‐2145 or at [email protected]. June 2005 Legislative Action Committee (LAC)
The Legislative Action Committee (LAC) consists of the Utah PTA Executive Committee, the Utah PTA Commissioners, and appointees chosen by the Legsislative Vice President and approved by the Board of Directors. The LAC is a recommending body to the executive committee and the Utah PTA Board of Directors. The LAC meets monthly except during the legislative session, when members work individually with commissions to evaluate and recommend Utah PTA positions on pending legislation. PTA Member-to-Member Networks Utah PTA Member-to-Member Network Join the Utah PTA Member-to-Member Network today and enjoy the benefits of regular updates on all legislative matters during interim meetings, advanced notice of legislative events and the opportunity to really make a difference in the lives of our children during the session. E-mail Dawn Davies, the Utah PTA Legislative VP at [email protected] to become a member of the Utah PTA Member-to-Member Network. National PTA Member-to-Member Network You may also join National PTA's Member-to-Member Network. Find out more info at http://www.pta.org. Legislative Links & Resources Utah State Legislature Web site: http://www.le.state.ut.us Utah Senate:
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Utah Legislators Contact InformationLegislative Links & Resources
Utah State Legislature Web site: http://www.le.state.ut.us Utah Senate:
To find out who your Representative or Senator is and to find the information necessary to contact them, go to the following link: http://www.utahsenate.org/map.shtml This is a very easy tool to get information about both your Representative and your Senator. You simply need to type in your address and city and hit "Go." If you click on the name of your representative or Senator, you will see more information about your legislator, including email address, phone number(s), address, and which legislative committees they se |
Utah LegislatorsHow do I contact my Legislators?
To find out who your Representative or Senator is and to find the information necessary to contact them, go to the following link:
http://www.utahsenate.org/map.shtml This is a very easy tool to get information about both your Representative and your Senator. You simply need to type in your address and city and hit "Go." If you click on the name of your representative or Senator, you will see more information about your legislator, including email address, phone number(s), address, and which legislative committees they serve on. |
Why get involved in politics?Voting is a way to speak your mind and let your voice be heard! Your vote is your voice. When we vote, we are actually telling elected officials and lawmakers how we feel about education, public safety, social security, health care, and other important issues. One voice, one vote really does count! Remember: there is power in numbers, and when we vote and get our family members to vote, we can truly make a difference. If you don’t vote for what you believe in, others will – and you may not like the outcome. Our children are depending on us to represent their voices too! Because our children can’t vote, we have to do it for them. That’s how we make our concerns about schools, safety, housing, and other issues heard. When we vote, we are looking out for our kids, and their futures. Voting changes communities! Do you ever wonder why one neighborhood gets passed over for things it needs, while another seems to get it all? One big reason is voting. When we vote, we can get results that we can actually see. Vote to effect change! It was through elections that we voted in officials who were champions for civil rights. Voting is our chance to make a difference in our own lives and within the world. Believe it or not, voting is a way of honoring our history! As long as our country has existed, there have been people who didn’t want us to vote. There were several freedom fighters that stood up for the right to vote. Well, those times may seem ancient, but there are still people today who don’t want us to vote. It’s now our turn to stand up and vote to preserve the honor of those who went before us. Last but not least, because it gives you credibility! Often times, we voice our concerns to elected officials, but if we aren’t voting, our concerns may not matter at all to them. Voting can actually give you the credibility to make your concerns a top priority for legislators. |
Election ProcessBecome A Delegate!
Take a Step Forward for Children and Public Education. Become a Delegate! View the slideshow. Print a handout for use with the presentation here. Print a pledge card here. (Mail signed pledgecards to Utah PTA, Attn: Dawn Davies, 5192 South Greenpine Dr, SLC UT 84123) Attached Documents: Utahans for Public Schools Flier Utahans for Public Schools Training Pledge Card Become A Delegate Powerpoint For a list of resolutions and position statements, go to
Utah PTA Resolutions and Position Statements. |
Voters InformationUtah County Voter and Election Information
Absentee votingRegister to votePrecinct MapsPolitical Party WebsitesRepublican http://utahcountygop.org/ Democrat http://utahcountydems.com/ Constitution Party http://utah.utah-constitution-party.org/ Libertarian http://www.lputah.org/ |