Deputy superintendent outlines PEA budget priorities, highlights one-time and ongoing requests

Deputy Superintendent of Operations Scott Jones presented an update on the board’s budget priorities and the recommendations PEA moved forward to the Executive Appropriations Committee.

Jones walked the board through a redlined matrix that showed reductions and reallocated funds. He said PEA recommended reducing some items that freed about $25 million toward priorities such as the WPU (weighted pupil unit) phase‑in and critical USB FTEs. He confirmed PEA recommended supporting a 1% ongoing increase on top of the 4% base adjustment the board had previously requested.

On one-time requests, Jones noted PEA reworked earlier proposals: for example, school safety had been revised from $100 million to $50 million in an earlier board request, then to a $75 million recommendation after further caucusing. He called attention to a $20 million student information system (SIS) request; Jones said that funding would not force districts into a single vendor but would be used to support required system improvements and a descriptive plan to the legislature if EAC approves the request.

Jones also described a $4 million one‑time bridge for USDB (Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind) to sustain FTEs for another year and reiterated that staff will prepare the detailed justifications required by EAC if the larger requests are adopted. Board members raised questions about the sufficiency of critical-needs FTE funding and possible interactions with pending bills that could change attendance or reporting requirements.