The legislature has adjourned sine die, which means I can spend more time at home with my wife.

Graduation season will soon be upon us. Tears will flow as families remember the awkwardness of being a freshman, the joys and sorrows of finding and supporting friends, late nights writing papers and studying for tests. State champions will be crowned — including for the first time in boys volleyball. We will all celebrate as Itineris, UCAS, AMES and company announce how many millions of dollars in scholarships their graduating class received. What a wonderful, diverse collection of charter schools Utah has.

Like every state, we have our flare ups, some silly and some hurtful. But Utah’s legislature is committed to charter schools. Our voice matters. As members of the House and Senate consider proposals, they want to know what charter schools think. They want to help Utah’s charter schools. The same is true in the governor’s office and the State Board of Education. How do we know that? Utah’s elected officials continue to prioritize charter schools.

While California is trying to plug a budget hole that is nearly $70 billion (yes, BILLION), Utah’s “socks and underwear” budget, as Sen. Jerry Stevenson memorably put it, included a 5% increase in the WPU and a 6% increase in the LRF. That kind of steadily increasing support for Utah’s charter schools is just one reason to love being a part of Utah’s charter land.

I hope you enjoy the last part of this school year. Relish the relationships with your colleagues, students and the families who entrust their children to you. And know that you are an important part of something great — Utah’s wonderful charter land.