Dear Santa,
I have been a very good boy this year. We advocated for the passage of the Utah Fits All Scholarship to help parents choose the best education for their children. I met many new microschool founders who shared their amazing stories and challenges with me. With that in mind, I hope you will bring these three Christmas gifts.
Gift 1: Remove zoning and building occupancy barriers for microschools.
Santa, too many cities just don’t know what to do with microschools. Some try to regulate them like a traditional private school. Others treat them like a daycare or preschool. Will you help me convince the Utah Legislature to pass Senate Bill 13 Micro-Education Entity Amendments from Senator Fillmore. This bill will clarify how cities and towns should interact with school founders.
And as a bonus, it makes it much easier to start one of these amazing new schools!
Gift 2: Maximize the use of the Utah Fits All Scholarship.
Last year, the Utah Legislature passed the Utah Fits All Scholarship allowing parents to decide how their child will be educated and by whom. This law is already bringing amazing new education models to Utah and allowing parents to truly customize their child’s learning experience.
But the parents of Utah need to show the legislature that they appreciate the scholarship by using all available funds. So, for my second gift, will you please help parents find and apply for the Utah Fits All Scholarship? They can join the email list on the Utah Education Fits All website. Applications for their students will be available at the end of February 2024.
Gift 3: All parents are able to find the best education for their child.
This one may take a while, but will you help every Utah parent find the best education for their children? I want them to find an education that matches the greatness and potential that these parents see in their children.
Imagine the types of learning models that would be created if every parent looked for and found an education that fits their child in this way. It would be amazing!
That’s it. That is all I want for Christmas this year.
Sincerely,
Jonny
Libertas Institute
Lehi, UT
Education Policy Analyst
Jon is the Education Policy Analyst at Libertas Institute. He previously taught fifth and sixth grade and served as an elementary principal in Weber School District for 14 years.