Policy
Education
Human beings are magnificent. We were born with a God-given ability to learn and the capacity to grow. As Aristotle put it, “All men by nature desire to know.” Education is broader than any one school system. It’s a series of opportunities to learn, which should be delivered in ways that allow us to meet the unique needs of children. The growing diversity of our student population requires an equitable education for every child, which contemplates both productive citizenship and employment and which is delivered by the best teachers – whoever they are.
This vision for education requires humility and the pursuit of good ideas – wherever they come from. We can achieve this by empowering parents to create learning paths as unique as the student, rejecting approaches that undermine decision-making authority of those closest to the student, respecting taxpayers as owners of the public education system, and protecting the marketplace of options and the innovators who contribute to it. Education is necessary because each individual has the potential to accomplish great things. Education should reflect these truths, and we believe it can.
Education
Human beings are magnificent. We were born with a God-given ability to learn and the capacity to grow. As Aristotle put it, “All men by nature desire to know.” Education is broader than any one school system. It’s a series of opportunities to learn, which should be delivered in ways that allow us to meet the unique needs of children. The growing diversity of our student population requires an equitable education for every child, which contemplates both productive citizenship and employment and which is delivered by the best teachers – whoever they are.
This vision for education requires humility and the pursuit of good ideas – wherever they come from. We can achieve this by empowering parents to create learning paths as unique as the student, rejecting approaches that undermine decision-making authority of those closest to the student, respecting taxpayers as owners of the public education system, and protecting the marketplace of options and the innovators who contribute to it. Education is necessary because each individual has the potential to accomplish great things. Education should reflect these truths, and we believe it can.
Published Research
Conversations
Making up ground in education scores #utpol #education
How curriculum impacts civic decision-making #utpol
How school boards are the vestiges of true democracy #utpol #education
The burden of regulation on teachers' schedules #utpol
The need to end address discrimination
Adapting school districts to the new era of education
Will school districts overflow with open enrollment?
Making up ground in education scores #utpol #education
How curriculum impacts civic decision-making #utpol
How school boards are the vestiges of true democracy #utpol #education
Insights & Takeaways
CommentaryUtah advanced parent-driven education but left reforms on the table
Legislators should explore improvements to open enrollment transparency for parents and find innovative ways to increase parent access to classroom curriculum.
Impact AnalysisWhat Utahns think about transparency of school district open enrollment data
New Sutherland Institute/Y2 Analytics survey data – broken out into political groups and age ranges – provides insight into attitudes toward open enrollment data reform at the school district level.
InsightsSutherland Institute supports Utah’s new high school civics bill
Americans are faced with issues that make them wonder how our government works, but too few are equipped to engage meaningfully in the civic processes that surround us.
InsightsNew report and survey data highlight areas for open enrollment reform
Utah voters strongly support making information about open enrollment more transparent to parents.
CommentaryOriginal public meaning, not subjective intent, should guide Utah judge’s evaluation of scholarship law
The court can make a great contribution by getting the legal issues right.
Impact AnalysisWhat does the new PALM pilot program bill do for teachers?
HB 325 would create a program in which teachers in selected areas could receive incentives for making their learning materials more easily accessible to parents.
Press ReleaseSutherland releases new open enrollment policy reform recommendations
Sutherland Institute released a new research publication evaluating open enrollment, with proposed reforms to the law and its implementation.
InsightsWhat do academic scores on the ‘Nation’s Report Card’ tell us?
Students haven’t made up for the learning loss from the pandemic, and in many cases, they are still declining. But there are some wins and promising trends.
InsightsNew Supreme Court case at intersection of religion and parents’ rights in education
Despite state law, Maryland school district declined to give parents notice of teaching of sensitive sexuality-related topics and the ability to opt their children out. The parents sued.
InsightsNew research shows why religiously motivated colleges and universities offer far-reaching benefits
Religious schools created much of the infrastructure for education historically and continue to educate many students.
CommentaryUtah should prepare for changes to the U.S. Department of Education. Here’s how
States may have a unique opportunity to evaluate what state and local control really means without the same pressure from D.C. that has existed in the past.
InsightsWhy parent-friendly school district websites deserve more recognition
To further advance parent access to curriculum, Sutherland Institute is launching the Partners in Learning Certificate project.