Jon Huntsman - Education

Summary

Governor Huntsman has a mixed record on his educational policies. As governor, he signed legislation to circumvent portions of No Child Left Behind, indicating support for state control of education. Governor Huntsman also signed a large program for school vouchers, but did not act to protect the program when it was overturned the following session. 

In 2005, Governor Huntsman signed HB 1001. This legislation placed state educational requirements above the federal requirements set forth in NCLB. Utah was the first state to enact such measures. Specifically, the legislation allowed school officials to prioritize resources first according to state goals, program needs, and accountability standards and then allocate resources to federal goals. Governor Huntsman's opposition to federal control of education was further on display in debates, where he called the NCLB program an unmitigated disaster.

In 2005, the state of Utah passed legislation to create a state wide voucher program that would grant money to people based on income. Although Governor Huntsman signed the legislation into law, when opponents managed to get a referendum to overturn it on the ballot, Governor Huntsman stated that he did not lead the fight to implement vouchers and he would not engage in the fight to overturn them either.

HB 1001

In 2005, the Utah state legislature passed and governor Huntsman signed HB 1001. This legislation placed state educational mandates above that of the federal requirements laid out in No Child Left Behind. It was seen as a strict rebuke to NCLB and Utah was the first state to enact such legislation.

53A-1-903. Federal programs -- School official duties.
(1) School officials may:
(a) apply for, receive, and administer funds made available through programs of the federal government;
(b) only expend federal funds for the purposes for which they are received and are accounted for by the state, school district, or charter school; and
(c) reduce or eliminate a program created with or expanded by federal funds to the extent allowed by law when federal funds for that program are subsequently reduced or eliminated.

(2) School officials shall:

(a) prioritize resources, especially to resolve conflicts between federal provisions or between federal and state programs, including:
(i) providing first priority to meeting state goals, objectives, program needs, and accountability systems as they relate to federal programs; and
(ii) providing second priority to implementing federal goals, objectives, program needs, and accountability systems that do not directly and simultaneously advance state goals, objectives, program needs, and accountability systems;

(b) interpret the provisions of federal programs in the best interest of students in this state;

(c) maximize local control and flexibility;

(d) minimize additional state resources that are diverted to implement federal programs beyond the federal monies that are provided to fund the programs;

(e) request changes to federal educational programs, especially programs that are underfunded or provide conflicts with other state or federal programs, including:
(i) federal statutes;
(ii) federal regulations; and
(iii) other federal policies and interpretations of program provisions; and

(f) seek waivers from all possible federal statutes, requirements, regulations, and program provisions from federal education officials to:
(i) maximize state flexibility in implementing program provisions; and
(ii) receive reasonable time to comply with federal program provisions.

(3) The requirements of school officials under this part, including the responsibility to lobby federal officials, are not intended to mandate school officials to incur costs or require the hiring of lobbyists, but are intended to be performed in the course of school officials' normal duties.

Parent Choice in Education Act

In 2007, Governor Huntsman signed the Parent Choice in Education Act. The legislation enacted a school voucher program that would grant between $500 and $3000 to each child in the state based on their income level. A base income called the income eligibility guideline was set at the maximum annual income allowed to qualify for reduced price meals for the applicable household size as published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture by notice in the Federal Register. The amount available for a scholarship is set based on the level of income in comparison to this guideline.

• Less than or equal to 100% of the income eligibility guideline $3,000
• Greater than 100% but less than or equal to 125% of the income eligibility guideline $2,750
• Greater than 125% but less than or equal to 150% of the income eligibility guideline $2,500
• Greater than 150% but less than or equal to 175% of the income eligibility guideline $2,250
• Greater than 175% but less than or equal to 200% of the income eligibility guideline $2,000
• Greater than 200% but less than or equal to 225% of the income eligibility guideline $1,750
• Greater than 225% but less than or equal to 250% of the income eligibility guideline $1,000
• Greater than 250% of the income eligibility guideline $500

Later in 2007, a referendum was passed that repealed the Parent Choice in Education Act. Governor Huntsman took a neutral stance on the repeal of the legislation. He stated that "I didn't lead the charge for vouchers. I'm not going to lead the charge against vouchers. I will support the will of the people come Feb. 5. Whatever then follows in the legislative session that is consistent with the will of the people, I will be inclined to support."

Iowa Debate

In August of 2011, Governor Huntsman participated in the Presidential debate in Ames, Iowa. He was asked about No Child Left Behind and stated that he did not support the program.

BAIER:  Governor Huntsman, this week, the Obama administration announced that they would grant waivers to some failing public school systems that couldn't meet the standard of the No Child Left Behind program.  If you were president, would you return to full enforcement of this Bush-era law? 

HUNTSMAN: No Child Left Behind hasn't worked for this country. It ought to be done away with. We need to take education to the local level, where parents and local elected officials can determine the destiny of these schools. Nobody wants their schools to succeed more than local elected officials and their parents.

We need choice. We need vouchers. We need more technology in the classroom.

But let me just say, on the default, while I can, just for a moment. I'm the only one on this stage who stood up for a deal, for the Boehner deal, against this nation defaulting. I know I'm a little different than everybody else in that regard.

We are 25 percent of the world's GDP. We are the largest financial services sector by far in this entire world. And the thought that people would just let this nation default when we could have a deal that at least gets things going on cuts, raising the ceiling, gets us toward entitlement reform, gets us toward a balanced budget amendment. I thought Speaker Boehner should be complimented for what he did. This nation should never default. (APPLAUSE)

South Carolina Debate

In the Republican debate in South Carolina, Governor Huntsman stated that No Child Left Behind had not worked for this country. He stated that education should be returned to the local level.

Fox News / Google Debate

On September 22, 2011 Governor Huntsman participated in the Fox News / Google debate. He spoke about the need to localize education.

BAIER: Governor Huntsman?

HUNTSMAN: This is a key question, because it has so much to do with our nation's competitiveness. I feel like I've run my own clinical trial in my home, raising seven kids. We've seen every option. We've experienced everything out there. But as governor I learned some important things. I signed the first -- or the second voucher bill in the United States, Carson-Smith. I've actually done something about this.

We actually worked on early childhood literacy. If you can lock in the pillars of cognitive development around reading and math before age six, you are giving those kids the best gift possible as they then proceed through education.

Finally, you've got to say no to unfunded mandates coming out of Washington. They are totally unacceptable. No one loves their schools more than parents and local school boards, and local elected officials.

Localize, localize, localize.

Op-Ed - Modernizing Education

On January 1, 2012 Governor Johnson wrote an op-ed discussing the need to modernize the federal education system and what he would do as President.

As president, I'll modernize U.S. education
By Jon Huntsman / For the Monitor
January 1, 2012

One of the many reasons that people have lost trust in our nation's economic and political system is the inequality of economic opportunities afforded to our citizens.

Every boy and girl in America, no matter their socioeconomic background, deserves a fair chance to build a good career and improve their economic standing.

Tragically, today that is not the case. Millions of children are trapped in failing schools, sentenced to a life of unfulfilled potential. Every child has a genius within, and education must be the great equalizer that unleashes their God-given skills and levels the economic playing field.

Developing our human capital is also critical to ensuring that America remains competitive in the 21st-century global economy, and continues to produce the best and brightest innovators and entrepreneurs.

My administration will seek to transform and modernize our education system by ending the current one-size-fits-all approach and instead focusing our efforts on how best to serve individual communities, individual schools and individual students.

This means, first and foremost, restoring local control. States and local districts are laboratories of innovation, and Washington must empower them to meet the unique needs of their students.

I was the first governor to reject the unnecessary federal overreach of No Child Left Behind - which imposed a multitude of burdensome mandates and regulations on states - and as president I will seek its full repeal.

Recognizing that competition breeds excellence, we must break down the federal barriers that inhibit states from maximizing school choice, which may include voucher programs, charter schools, or giving parents the option to choose between public schools.

Early childhood learning is critical for our students' long-term success, and the Head Start program has failed to meet its laudable goals. I will block grant Head Start funds to the states, allowing them to create unique childhood education programs. In Utah, I signed into law an all-day kindergarten program aimed at preparing at-risk children for school, which has been a tremendous success and can serve as a model for other states.

We must reorient the Department of Education, which has grown too large and powerful. Massively scaling down the department, and eventually removing it from Cabinet-rank, will clear the way for necessary education reforms at the local level and free up precious resources. Every dollar saved in the bureaucracy is a dollar that can be invested in our classrooms.

New technologies are constantly creating innovative opportunities to individualize education and introduce competition. Digital learning, for example, can enhance foreign language studies and help narrow the gap in resources between urban, suburban and rural schools. The federal government can and should promote these programs by cutting red tape and eliminating roadblocks to their use.

We must also recognize that perhaps the single greatest factor in determining student achievement is the quality of the teacher, the vast majority of whom work long hours for mediocre pay. Quality teaching should be encouraged by rewarding the best teachers with higher salaries, thus creating an important incentive for excellence.

In order to improve transparency and incentivize reform, my administration will expand the use of Common Core Standards - a common effort of 45 states - which benchmarks our children against the very best of their global competitors. Our children must be prepared to compete with their peers around the world, and these standards are a powerful tool to measure progress and help create momentum for necessary reforms.

Finally, while states must be the primary driver of education policy, the federal government should provide targeted funding for vital national priorities such as advanced mathematics, science and language skills. Every child should have the opportunity to learn a second language, an invaluable skill in an increasingly global economy.
 

Reforming our education system so that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed is the civil rights issue of our time, and an economic imperative for our country's future.

Having lived overseas four times, I have seen firsthand that other nations are making the tough choices necessary to compete in the 21st century. America must do the same.

2012 Campaign Website Statements

EDUCATION REFORM

Developing and attracting human capital is critical to the United States’ economic success, but it is also a moral imperative in keeping with our great tradition of handing down to the next generation a better America. We should strive to maximize equality of opportunity in this country; this means making sure every child is given a chance to fulfill their God-given potential. There is no better place to start reaching for this goal than through reform of our education system.

Our public education system was designed to serve a 19th century economy that no longer exists; it needs to be modernized for the 21st century. Primary education has historically been, and should continue to be, run at the local level. Governor Huntsman’s vision for the federal government’s role in education is to end our “one size fits all approach” and create a new focus on individual students. Our path consists of two overarching goals: first, introducing market forces into the education system; and second, maximizing transparency so state and local leaders can identify problems and achieve better outcomes.

Like many complex social problems, there is no panacea for fixing our schools. Washington cannot single-handedly remedy our educational systems woes, nor should it try, but it can empower states to fix their own systems. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s reform efforts, and Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels’ 2010 Education Reform package, are benchmarks against which all Governors, State Legislatures, and parents should measure themselves. Such reforms are critical if we are to maintain an able citizenry that is capable of competing in an increasingly challenging global economy. This is not just an economic issue, but a moral one as well; improved education and family choice are the single most important civil rights issue of the new century.

Key Priorities:

Introducing Market Forces into Education System: As the father of seven children, Governor Huntsman has seen firsthand the full spectrum of the American educational system. His children have attended public and private schools, international schools, and have been home-schooled. Governor Huntsman believes that parents are best equipped to make educational decisions for their own children. This may mean charter schools or attending vastly improved public education institutions. As such, Governor Huntsman supports an “all of the above” approach to education. The federal role should be acting as a clearinghouse for information and ideas, empowering states and local communities to take ownership of education reform. To this end, the federal government should attempt to minimize its role in trying to deliver outcomes, and instead encourage the growth of a more innovative educational system.

Creating Transparency: The key first step toward deregulation of education is introducing competition and transparency; free markets work best when given access to clear information. Jon Huntsman’s administration will establish meaningful and transparent national standards benchmarked to the world’s highest achieving educational systems and let states compete on how best to get there. Governor Huntsman believes that American students should be setting international standards, not aspiring to meet them. Our current standards are superficial, embarrassingly unambitious and confusing for teachers.

Real Accountability: The federal government shouldn’t be in the business of running local schools or picking winners. President Huntsman will make sure schools, their administrators, and their boards are held accountable through data-driven measures of processes and achievement. Incentives matter, and communities whose schools fail to meet Common Core benchmarks should not be rewarded. A possible consequence could be restricting access to federal resources. President Huntsman will also use his bully pulpit to encourage adaptation of a parent trigger wherein a significant number of concerned parents could induce state action. On the other hand, principals who demonstrate sustained innovation and success should be rewarded and held up as models for other educators.

Department of Education Reform: The Department of Education has grown too large and powerful, and is restricting the flexibility of states and local communities to implement education reforms. Massively scaling down the department will clear the way for necessary reforms at the local level and free up precious resources.

Acknowledging Hard Truths: Public policy must be driven by reality. We need an education system that is designed to equip all students to be informed citizens and allows all children to maximize their God-given talents. Governor Huntsman believes that every child has a genius within; the challenge lies in empowering it. In preparing our youth to join an able citizenry, our education system should both provide generous opportunity for students to achieve their highest level of performance, while simultaneously acknowledging economic realities and making graduates both “college” and “career” ready. We need to reevaluate our “at all costs” emphasis on higher education for everyone in an environment where that emphasis only disadvantages individuals in the long run.

Early Childhood Intervention: Early childhood learning is critical for our students’ long-term success. Unfortunately, many Americans are either unwilling or unable to take part in their children’s education. The federal government must provide assistance to these youth by funding early childhood education programs to maximize opportunity for children who are victims of circumstance.

Protecting Higher Education: By any measure America has the best system of higher education in the world; however, the gap is closing as states tighten budgets and endowments take hits. Many of the headwinds the higher education system is facing are a function of Washington. Jon Huntsman’s administration will work with states and universities to ensure they have the resources necessary to attract and educate the very best and stop incentivizing price inflation of education.

CREATING TRANSPARENCY

The key first step toward deregulation of education is introducing competition and transparency; free markets work best when given access to clear information. Jon Huntsman’s administration will establish meaningful and transparent national standards benchmarked to the world’s highest achieving educational systems and let states compete on how best to get there. Governor Huntsman believes that American students should be setting international standards, not aspiring to meet them. Our current standards are superficial, embarrassingly unambitious and confusing for teachers.

As president, Jon Huntsman will:

• Promote Common Core Standards (CCS). Rather then creating a new federal standard, Jon Huntsman’s administration will embrace evolving and strengthened common core standards. Common Core standards are clear national standards that apply to grades 3 through 12 in mathematics and language arts that are already being implemented by 45 states and are designed to be competitive internationally.
  Common Core Standards will provide a benchmark for measuring outcomes and trends in outcomes. American students have historically met rigorous academic standards; it will be up to states to ensure those standards are met.
  The CCS provides an objective measure of change in outcomes but also a benchmark for international performance. The results of these exams will be published online, giving parents and local leaders a clear look at where their schools are in terms of performance. In the 21st century, being average in the United States will not be enough; we need to maintain our global preeminence.
• Maximize Transparency. The results of the new national standards and various assessments should be made public so local communities can identify and help solve problems.

REAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The federal government shouldn’t be in the business of running local schools or picking winners. President Huntsman will make sure schools, their administrators, and their boards are held accountable through data-driven measures of processes and achievement. Incentives matter, and communities whose schools fail to meet Common Core benchmarks should not be rewarded. A possible consequence could be restricting access to federal resources. President Huntsman will also use his bully pulpit to encourage adaptation of a parent trigger wherein a significant number of concerned parents could induce state action. On the other hand, principals who demonstrate sustained innovation and success should be rewarded and held up as models for other educators.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REFORM

The Department of Education has grown too large and powerful, and is restricting the flexibility of states and local communities to implement education reforms. Massively scaling down the department will clear the way for necessary reforms at the local level and free up precious resources.

As president, Jon Huntsman will:

• Reorient the Department of Education. The Department of Education should be a clearinghouse of ideas, limited to normal market regulation and information gathering in order to provide objective measures so local actors can measure their performance. Jon Huntsman will transition the department toward this defined responsibility, transforming it into a more efficient Education Advisory Council, similar to the United States Trade Representative which maintains cabinet level status while being inside the White House. Other responsibilities not in line with these key objectives will be distributed to other appropriate agencies.
• Provide Targeted Funding for Vital National Priorities. While states must be the primary driver of education policy, the federal government should provide funding for important national priorities such as advanced mathematics, science and language skills. Every child should have the opportunity to learn a second language, which is an invaluable skill in an increasingly global economy.
• Promote Digital Learning. Jon Huntsman supports expanding digital learning opportunities for all students, which is critical to individualizing education. We are only beginning to see the opportunities that technology offers within education. In Utah, Governor Huntsman pushed the iSchool program, an innovative endeavor that began introducing 21st century technology in the classroom. As president, Jon Huntsman’s Education Advisory Council will serve as a clearinghouse for innovations and technologies developed by educators across the globe in order to leverage our resources and provide truly individualized education. Opportunities within digital learning include: affordably allowing schools to challenge gifted students; supplementing and expanding opportunities for foreign language study; narrowing the gap in resources between urban, suburban and rural schools; and letting the best teachers “hit above their weight” by expanding their reach.
• Prioritize Teacher Compensation. Perhaps the single greatest factor in determining student achievement is the quality of the teacher, the vast majority of whom work long hours for mediocre pay. As governor, Jon Huntsman raised teacher salaries and encouraged other governors to do the same. Quality teaching should be encouraged by rewarding the best teachers with higher salaries, which will create an important incentive for excellence and help attract talented people to our nation’s teacher corps.
• Invest in Educational Research. There is a role for the federal government in providing best practices. Government can provide analysis on what has and has not worked in different states, to help states discover what policies will work best for their children.

ACKNOWLEDGING HARD TRUTHS

Public policy must be driven by reality. We need an education system that is designed to equip all students to be informed citizens and allows all children to maximize their God-given talents. Governor Huntsman believes that every child has a genius within; the challenge lies in empowering it.

In preparing our youth to join an able citizenry, our education system should both provide generous opportunity for students to achieve their highest level of performance, while simultaneously acknowledging economic realities and making graduates both “college” and “career” ready. We need to reevaluate our “at all costs” emphasis on higher education for everyone in an environment where that emphasis only disadvantages individuals in the long run.

This speaks directly to ending the “one size fits all” approach and encouraging states to foster entrepreneurship and provide technique training to students whose preference or comparative advantage lies in technical work rather than in college level coursework.

EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION

Early childhood learning is critical for our students’ long-term success. Unfortunately, many Americans are either unwilling or unable to take part in their children’s education. The federal government must provide assistance to these youth by funding early childhood education programs to maximize opportunity for children who are victims of circumstance.

As president, Jon Huntsman will:

• Block Grant Head Start Funds to States. The Head Start program has failed to meet its laudable goals. Jon Huntsman will block grant Head Start funds to the states, allowing them to create unique early childhood education programs. In Utah, Governor Huntsman signed into law an “all-day kindergarten” program aimed at preparing at-risk children for school, which has been a tremendous success and can serve as a model for other states.

PROTECTING HIGHER EDUCATION

By any measure America has the best system of higher education in the world; however, the gap is closing as states tighten budgets and endowments take hits. Many of the headwinds the higher education system is facing are a function of Washington. Jon Huntsman’s administration will work with states and universities to ensure they have the resources necessary to attract and educate the very best and stop incentivizing price inflation of education.

As president, Jon Huntsman will:

• Invest in Research. Jon Huntsman’s administration will increase funding for pure non-commercial research in the “hard” sciences at America’s research universities. This will advance science and help increase and protect America’s edge in human capital. Providing the best science education in the world is fundamental to maintaining our global economic competitiveness; if we fail, we will be surpassed. Throwing money at the problem isn’t the answer and could indeed be counter productive unless it is accompanied by real accountability. Jon Huntsman will appoint leaders to the NSF, NIH and other organizations that distribute research money who will make sure taxpayers get the greatest possible yield off public research dollars.
• Reform Immigration Laws. Jon Huntsman’s administration will reform immigration laws so our universities are able to attract and retain the best students and faculty. Specifically, in terms of higher education, he will take three immediate steps:rn
  • Offer Foreign Graduates of American Universities Green Cards. As president, Jon Huntsman will ensure that foreign graduates of American universities have the opportunity to stay in the United States and are encouraged to pursue citizenship.
  • Recruit Foreign Talent. Under President Huntsman, every United States Embassy will be charged with working with the private sector to continuously identify and recruit local talent. We can start that process by making sure that graduates of elite foreign universities who receive degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics have the ability to immigrate to the United States if they so choose.
  • Expand the H-1B Visa Program. Jon Huntsman will work with the private sector and take steps to immediately expand and strengthen the H1-B visa program.
• Support Community Colleges and For-Profit Educational Institutions. Community colleges and for-profit educational institutions have an important role in introducing competition into higher education. These schools are able to serve students in a far more cost-effective manner than many traditional four-year colleges. The Huntsman administration will work to strengthen and expand the community college system in order to break “one size fits all” and better serve young adults’ needs.rn
  • The German Model. One effective and market-oriented solution is working closely with cutting-edge private sector employers to ensure that available technical and community college training is in line with those employers’ needs for future employees. Germany does very well in the context of matching vocational and two-year college type education to needs in the job market. Current estimates project that there are at least three million job openings in the U.S. unfilled due to a lack of skilled workers.
  • As president, Jon Huntsman will rollback EEOC regulations that have made it hard for employers to set hiring expectations without appearing to engage in discrimination.
  • Helping People Across the Finish Line. Washington could jumpstart a college completion plan wherein public, private and for-profit private universities, and community colleges would bid for the opportunity to help the millions of Americans who are less than 45 credit hours from a degree to cross the finish line.
• Confront Higher Education Cost Inflation. The price of four-year college, professional, and graduate school educations has been escalating far beyond the price of inflation or quality. This is a complicated phenomenon, but a key driver has been federal student loan guarantees that match price inflation by colleges. Jon Huntsman will begin the process of getting the federal government out of the student loan business, moving toward a sustainable private market for student loans, which ultimately will enforce market discipline on the higher education sector. Ultimately this could involve bankruptcy reform, which would force market discipline on private sector lenders and encourage students to plan their education around real world demands.

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