What can you buy for $4 a month? When I heard that Our Schools Now or Q1 on the Utah ballot in November was explaining that it would take just $4 a month per driver to put $100,000,000 into education in Utah each year I wanted to see what that looked like to me. So I sat down and came up with a list of things that I spend $4 on a month. Here is a partial list:

  • LESS THAN 1 Starbucks a month – I usually get a Grande Pumpkin Spice or White Chocolate Mocha
  • 1 kids meal at any fast food restaurant
  • 1 face mask that I grab and throw into the cart while walking the aisles of Target
  • LESS THAN a Jamba Juice on the way home from the gym
  • 1 candy bar and soda stop at the gas station after school for ONE of my kids
  • LESS THAN 1 Tuesday night movie ticket ($5 Tuesday)
  • 1 large soda OR half of a popcorn OR 1 candy at the movies

When we stop and think about the things that are most important to us in life, giving our children opportunities and the best future possible should be at the top of our list. Needless to say my list went on and on. Really $4 a month is NOT a lot!

*This post is sponsored by Our Schools Now in conjunction with Mom It Forward. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Our Schools Now

Our Schools Now is also know as Q1 or Prop 1 on the Utah ballot as a part of this November’s general election. They suggest increasing the Utah gas tax by $0.10 per gallon to provide additional funding to Utah’s schools to improve the quality of Utah’s education.  

Every Utah child deserves a great education. I worked in the Utah school system for 8 years and have seen it first hand. Utah has been able to get by in the past spending less on education, but they are falling behind at an alarming rate.

  • high teacher turnover
  • large classroom sizes
  • lowest per-pupil spending in the nation

are all hurting students from reaching their potential. 

Our Schools Now

Funding for Our Schools Now

All funding will go directly to Utah classrooms; the funds may not be used for building costs, district or administrative overhead. So, how will funding be distributed?

  • K-12 education would receive an additional $150 per student.
  • K-12 education would receive an additional $3,400 per classroom.
  • K-12 education would receive an additional $82,000 per average elementary school and $134,000 per average secondary school.
  • K-12 education would receive an additional $101 million per year.

Our Schools Now

 

Because funds will be allocated on a school by school basis, there are many ways that the funds can be used:

  • increasing teacher salaries
  • allowing for the purchase of classroom supplies and learning materials
  • investing in technology
  • hiring aides to provide more personalized attention to students in the classroom

Voting “yes” will ONLY cost the average Utah driver approximately $4 per month.

So, I ask again – what can YOU buy for $4 a month that is more important than our children’s education?

To learn more about what you can do follow Our Schools Now on social media: