Issue Position: Ensure Quality Education

Smart Investments: I have had the privilege of growing up in Davis County and attending some of the finest public schools in our state. As a father of four, I am proud of our education system, it has served my family well. I remain fully committed to doing everything I can to ensure each child in our education system is provided the highest quality education. Our children and their educational needs are a top priority when deciding how to spend taxpayer dollars. Over the last few years at the legislature, we have made a big push toward evidence-based decision-making. By doing this, we can ensure that Utah provides the best educational outcomes possible with the limited resources available. Together, we can work to ensure that our state continues to lead the country in educating our children.

UPSTART: I have been a longtime champion of Utah's UPSTART program, an early education initiative targeted toward individualized reading, mathematics and science curriculum. As a result of UPSTART, the State Office of Education found that children who have used the program have been two to three times more prepared to enter kindergarten than those who have not. UPSTART provides critical and economically efficient tools to parents and educators. I will continue to support programs like UPSTART because they are an excellent option for low-income families, rural families, and parents who would prefer to help their children learn their pre-K skills at home.

Parent Choice: We all know that even in the same families, children are very unique and have different needs. My goal is to create an education environment best suited for each child. This means allowing parents and teachers the freedom to meet each student on their level with the best resources and methods available.

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