The Utah Library Association and EveryLibrary ask you to pledge to Vote FOR Question #1 this November to improve funding for school libraries and k-12 education all across Utah. Question #1 would instruct the state legislature to pass a new 10 cent tax on motor fuels that would allocate 70% to education and 30% to roads. School librarians are named in the proposal, and school library programs would directly benefit from this new funding. This is a unique, important, and high-impact way to fix education funding in Utah and improve student achievement through better school library programs across the state.
We need your help to pass Question #1, and that starts with a Pledge to Vote in support of it this November!
Key Facts about Question #1 and School Libraries this November:
- Utah spends less per pupil than any other state in the nation.
- Half of Utah’s school children and not proficient in English and other key subjects.
- Utah State Standards call for library media programs to help students with the “tools, knowledge and skills to allow every student to read for interpretation and the development of new understandings.”
- Numerous studies show that School Library Media Specialists help students succeed.
- School librarians are specifically named in Question #1 (Line 111).
A contribution of just $5, $10, or $25 will allow us to continue fighting for school libraries across the country.
Because each school has its own unique challenges, Question #1 allows individual districts and schools to determine how to best invest the new funds (FAQ). If Question #1 passes, “[t]he Utah Library Association is committed to working with Principals and School Boards on developing plans that ensure our school libraries get a dedicated share of the funds”, says Rebekah Cummings, ULA President. “ULA supports Question #1 because school librarians need the right resources and support to help students succeed.”
On November 6, 2018, voters across Utah have the chance to bring critically needed funding to school libraries and to help school librarians do their jobs better for all students in the state. Please take the Pledge to Vote in support of Question #1 here on this page and help share this positive, high-impact opportunity for school librarians across Utah.
