Advocate
Engaging in public policy advocacy is a powerful way to make a difference in people's lives. Learn more about the issues that United Way of Salt Lake is passionate about and send an email directly to your legislators to let them know what matters to you.
We Fight For Policies That Support....
Early Childhood Education
We fight to make sure every kid has a strong early education foundation. High-quality preschool aids growth and improves school readiness. During the 2020 Legislative Session, we will make a $3 million ask to sustain Utah's preschool programs. Optional Extended-day Kindergarten (OEK) is also a key program for children who need the extra time to be on grade level. We support HB99 Enhanced Kindergarten Amendments to expand OEK.
Quality Instruction and Leadership
Teachers matter more to student achievement than any other school-related factor. We are supporting HB114 Early Learning Training and Assessment Amendments, aimed at supporting teachers and students in preschool through 3rd grade. Principals have a significant impact on student achievement. They supervise and support teachers, set the tone for school culture and climate, and implement instructional and curricular priorities. We will be supporting a bill creating a school leadership initiative.
College Access
A student who meets with a college access advisor three to five times are almost twice as likely to go to college. In an effort to build a pathway to college, funds are needed to put a college access advisors in every high school in the state. These advisors focus on college readiness and assist students with application completion. UWSL supports ensuring that every Utah high school has a college advisor.
Financial Stability
For a child that has an unplanned move during the school year, this can mean a minimum of a week or more of missed school, in addition to the sometimes difficult transition to a new school, which impacts academic outcomes. We want to reduce the number of families that have to move during the school year due to nonpayment of rent and are supporting changing the three-day notice for nonpayment of rent from calendar to business days.
Take Action
Send an email directly to your legislators to let them know what is important to you.
Action Center
