Burgess Owens: “as chairman of the House Merit Caucus, I am proud to recognize a Utah educator who embodies excellence, Ms. Lacey…”

“as chairman of the House Merit Caucus, I am proud to recognize a Utah educator who embodies excellence, Ms. Lacey Anderson. Lacey is a special education teacher who refused to accept low expectations for neurodivergent students. Instead, she founded Autism Solutions Academy in West Jordan, Utah, becoming a board-certified behavior analyst and building a school that meets the needs of kids where they are. Her student-first approach provides real options for parents of special needs children. By customizing lesson plans and blending teaching, she makes sure that every student, regardless of ability, has the path to succeed. During a recent visit, I met Sofia, a student who once was nonverbal and withdrawn. Today, she is reading, writing, and thriving because of a teacher who believed in her. That is what real leadership looks like. That is merit in action. When we raise the bar, our kids rise to meet it. Every child in America deserves the same chance.”