- FACS classes are considered of great benefit, however they are the victim of funding choices
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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Just one class of FACS is taught in the Juab School District.
That is an unfortunate circumstance of budget and time.
Family and Consumer Sciences Education (FACS) Pathways in Utah are based on national skills standards and the national cluster pathways for FACS.
Boyd Donaldson, Career and Technical Education Director who works with Juab School District and two other districts, said that the instructor only teaches one class in FACS.
“I understand that many students, who wanted to take FACS, were turned away,” said Doni Carlton, high school PAC president.
By taking FACS courses, all students in each of the CTE (Career and Technical Education) career clusters learn core knowledge and skills that prepare them for independent living and the workforce, which increases personal and community well-being, said Donaldson.
No one doubts the benefit of the courses, said Donaldson. However, even if one more class was added there would still be problems.
“Another dilemma we have is that three preparations for one teacher is about all they can handle and deliver quality teaching,” said Donaldson. “If we add a fourth preparation, the quality of teaching comes down. It just kills the teacher.”
Family and Consumer Sciences Education empowers individuals and families through-out their life to manage the challenges of living and working in a diverse, global society.
He said that the challenges individuals face throughout their lives include balancing personal, home, family and work lives; acquiring marketable skills to be successful in life management, employment, and career development; promoting optimal nutrition and wellness; and managing resources to meet the material needs of individuals and families.
The district’s basic funding source is the WPU (weighted pupil unit) by which state government attempts to equalize the education of all students in all districts in the state, said Superintendent Kirk Wright.
“It is true that students were turned away,” said Donaldson. “If there was enough money to hire Mrs. Lorraine Belliston to teach full-time at the high school we would still need to hire a half-time teacher to teach at the middle-school.
The teacher, in this case, would need to be certified.
“It comes down to choices,” said Wright. “Funding is a dilemma and especially for the board. The demands in our district are great of where we put the WPU money.”
FACS classes are considered of great benefit, especially in today’s society where there are more two-career families than ever before, and the number of personal bankruptcies has risen 400 percent in the past 25 years.
Family and Consumer Sciences can give individuals the practical knowledge, critical and creative thinking skills to address problems in diverse family, community, and work environments.
“There are some CTE classes our students should be taking and more will be required,” said Wright.
Donaldson said that teachers in small districts need to be able to teach a variety of subjects and that is true of vocational teachers, as well.
While any student in school gets a WPU, more can be added on for vocational education.
“My funding dollars follow the year they are earned,” he said.
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