Utah State University has received a $750,000 grant for research on the best practices for managing school trust lands in Utah and around the country.
The Landgrant Education And Research Network (LEARN) project is designed to conduct research on the use of school trust lands granted to public institutions throughout the country by Congress. The project is spearheaded by the Center for the School of the Future in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services.
The study hopes to find ideas and insights on the use of school trust lands, and Rich West, executive director of the Center for the School of the Future, is optimistic about the outcome.
“We hope to learn more about the best practices for managing school and institutional trust lands,” West said. “We expect to find innovative and effective practices in many states that still have trust lands.”
In addition to the research, the grant money will be used to begin the process of educating institutions and schools on their trust holdings of land and funds.
The LEARN project has the potential to provide major improvements in the management of school trust lands throughout the nation. With a greater knowledge on the effective use of the granted land, schools will have more money to improve education and upgrade schools.
School trust lands were given to public schools as a way for them to supplement their costs through the sale, lease or use of the land.
“The funds will be used to conduct the research and analysis of data pertaining to the management of school and institutional trust lands,” West said.
Congress granted more than 140 million acres of school trust lands to public schools and millions more to universities across the nation. According to the School LAND Trust program Web site, Utah still has 3.3 million acres of school trust land. Each year these lands provide millions of dollars for Utah public schools.
According to West and the National Education Association, Utah and Utah State University are acknowledged leaders in effectively using school trust lands to generate added revenue for Utah schools. In the 2007-2008 school year, this program generated $25.3 million for school improvement projects.
Through misuse and poor management of the trust land, many states have all but lost most of this valuable resource. West and the center are eager to start the research and create a network of information on properly using the land before more it is lost.
“LEARN will research how the remaining school and university lands and funds are being administered and provide information and support pertaining to new and emerging promising practices,” said West.
Related links:
Center for the School of the Future
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
Writer: Dallin Koecher, 435-797-1350, dallin.koecher@usu.eduContact: Rich West, 435-797-1994, rich.west@usu.edu
The Landgrant Education And Research Network (LEARN) project is designed to conduct research on the use of school trust lands granted to public institutions throughout the country by Congress. The project is spearheaded by the Center for the School of the Future in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services.
The study hopes to find ideas and insights on the use of school trust lands, and Rich West, executive director of the Center for the School of the Future, is optimistic about the outcome.
“We hope to learn more about the best practices for managing school and institutional trust lands,” West said. “We expect to find innovative and effective practices in many states that still have trust lands.”
In addition to the research, the grant money will be used to begin the process of educating institutions and schools on their trust holdings of land and funds.
The LEARN project has the potential to provide major improvements in the management of school trust lands throughout the nation. With a greater knowledge on the effective use of the granted land, schools will have more money to improve education and upgrade schools.
School trust lands were given to public schools as a way for them to supplement their costs through the sale, lease or use of the land.
“The funds will be used to conduct the research and analysis of data pertaining to the management of school and institutional trust lands,” West said.
Congress granted more than 140 million acres of school trust lands to public schools and millions more to universities across the nation. According to the School LAND Trust program Web site, Utah still has 3.3 million acres of school trust land. Each year these lands provide millions of dollars for Utah public schools.
According to West and the National Education Association, Utah and Utah State University are acknowledged leaders in effectively using school trust lands to generate added revenue for Utah schools. In the 2007-2008 school year, this program generated $25.3 million for school improvement projects.
Through misuse and poor management of the trust land, many states have all but lost most of this valuable resource. West and the center are eager to start the research and create a network of information on properly using the land before more it is lost.
“LEARN will research how the remaining school and university lands and funds are being administered and provide information and support pertaining to new and emerging promising practices,” said West.
Related links:
Center for the School of the Future
Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services
Writer: Dallin Koecher, 435-797-1350, dallin.koecher@usu.eduContact: Rich West, 435-797-1994, rich.west@usu.edu
Orginally published in the Utah State Today Online magazine.
By: Dallin Koecher
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