Reformer

Margaret Bird has worked for over 40 years to reform the management of the school trust lands in Utah, to amend the statutes to allow more prudent investment of the permanent school fund, and to create the School LAND Trust Program. The School LAND Trust Program empowers parents, teachers, and school principals to put the revenue from state trust lands to productive and visible use in each public school.

Margaret’s efforts, among those of other advocates for proper management of school trusts, have paid off. Revenue from the new land management has increased from $19 million to over $110 million annually. The School Fund has risen from $18 million to over $2 billion in 2015. All net revenue from the land is deposited in the permanent State School Fund. All dividends and interest are distributed to each public school where parents, teachers, and the principal decide their school’s most pressing academic need and implement an academic program with $40 million during the 2015 financial year (FY).

Economist

Margaret was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She received a BA degree from Vanderbilt University in theoretical mathematics, worked on a master’s degree in Urban Planning, earned her MS in economics from the University of Utah, and got sidetracked by school lands after completing her course work for her Ph.D. She was employed by the Utah State Office of Education until July 2013, and she continues to work as a consultant for Utah State University and the University of Utah on their trust lands. Margaret is the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of the Advocates for School Trust Lands.

Founder

Advocates for State Trust Lands is a non-profit alliance of education leaders in 20 states. Margaret conducts annual research on each state’s trust lands and funds. Her research is spread in part by Advocate’s annual conference with the Western States Land Commissioners. During the conference, we share information and train effective advocates for the productive use of the trust lands and permanent funds. These trusts once totaled 45 million acres of school lands and $61 billion in permanent school funds from the grants by Congress at statehood.

"Junk Yard Dog"

Margaret has been recognized for her work on school trust lands by the Utah Bar Association, the Utah Education Association, Utah Taxpayers’ Association, the Utah Association of Secondary School Principals, the Utah PTA, the Utah School Boards Association, Best of State for Community Advocacy, and the Utah Association of Elementary School Principals. Her persistence and advocacy on school trust lands have earned her the nickname, “Junk Yard Dog.”

Expert

She has been invited to present to the Colorado State Board of Education, the Colorado and Oregon State Treasurers, the Minnesota House, Senate and Governor, the Conference of State Governments West, the Conference of Western Attorneys General, the National School Boards Association, and numerous regional training by national education groups.

Children's Advocate

Margaret is the wife of Howard E. Bird and the mother of four children, nine grandchildren, and two horses. She is a passionate advocate for schools, enjoys her work, and appreciates the opportunity to advocate for trust lands and funds making a difference in the educational opportunities for every child.