The Utah Education Association supports the following:

• We support standards for students, teachers and schools.
  • Teacher quality standards (such as certification and a fair, reliable review process).
  • Standards for student achievement (such as test scores, graduation requirements, classroom work, homework, etc.).
  • Safety standards (such as codes of conduct with consequences communicated to students and parents).
  • Standards for values modeled and taught in school (such as hard work, respect, responsibility, and honesty).
• When mandated standardized tests rule, teachers and students concentrate only on memorizing facts - rather than going beyond that to learn how to solve problems and think critically.
  • There must be balance in the use of student testing.
  • Standardized tests should be used in combination with other assessments, including classroom work and homework.
  • Schools should teach students both facts and practical applications(problem solving, critical thinking).
  • Over-reliance on standardized tests tends to squeeze out time for other important things students need to learn that are not on the standardized tests (such as history, civics, music, art, biology, etc.).
• There must be balance between standards and the resources to help students meet those standards.
  • Quality teachers.
  • Class size that allows for individual attention.
  • Books, materials, access to computers.