Sutherland Institute called for a renewed focus on education with real innovation by launching the website OurStudentsNow.org
This new website features:
- Scholarship information for students with special needs (take the quiz to check your eligibility)
- State and private online-schooling options
- Resources to match up with the right tutor
- Private schools in your area
- Forms to get you started with homeschooling
- Forms to opt out of state testing
- Ways other states are innovating by allowing education funds to stay with the child
- A social media series that recognizes innovations from local leaders
- Community-driven solutions that don’t require legislation (check out this Harvard Business School study)
- Child nutrition programs
- Opportunities to make your voice heard about Utah’s potential tax increase
- Sharable images for social media to recruit others in this cause
“Money for public schools is only as effective as the policy it funds, which is why we should demand ‘No Taxation Without Innovation,’” said Christine Cooke, Sutherland education policy director.
“Trying to improve education through a ballot initiative that throws more money at a flawed system is bad process and bad policy. There are ideas worth funding, but we should demand justification for a tax hike that would affect hardworking Utahns or burden the state economy,” Cooke said. “If a tax hike initiative only funds a version of our current education system, we should oppose it vigorously. But if it’s accompanied by a real discussion about innovation and increased education choices that meet the needs of kids – we should all be willing to pull up a chair and join the discussion.
“Sutherland is thrilled to launch this new website that serves as a tool for parents, students, educators, policymakers and community leaders to have their voices heard on the tax increase and to find innovations worth funding. Stand with us in saying, ‘No Taxation Without Innovation,’” Cooke said.
