This powerpoint was shared in the April 24th Administrator's Retreat by Royce Van Tassell. This is a summary of the legislation passed and how it affects you at school and what, if any, policies you will need to create/implement.
Download the POWERPOINT.
The required policy samples from the USBE will be updated as they are prepared.
The USBE has approved 4 vendors that are deemed compatible. Schools are not required to use these systems, but these systems have been vetted for compatibility and may have opportunity for cost savings. Please see the following Award Justification Statements for comparisons:
Bill # | Bill name | Sponsor | Summary | Fiscal Note | Posiiton | Status |
HB 16 | Block grant funding for prevention programs in public education | Pulsipher | combines several line item funding streams into a single block grant funding stream | No impact | Support | Senate 2nd reading |
HB 61 | School safety amendments | Wilcox | creates a task force to establish minimum safety services Utah public schools must provide | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 82 | School assembly notice requirements | Ballard | requires LEAs to provide 3 days notice of assemblies dealing with suicide, physical or sexual abuse, bullying, substance abuse | No impact | Monitor | Sendate 2nd reading |
HB 134 | Charter school closing requirements | Pulsipher | establishes the priorities to fund when a closing charter school's debts are less than its assets | Support | Passed | |
HB 138, 6th sub | Sensitive materials requirements | Ballard | requires LEAs to remove alleged sensitive material until it determines whether the material is sensitive; complete the review within 60 school days of the allegation; if the material is sensitive, remove it from the LEA, and notify the State Board, so it can do a similar review with statewide consequences; need the standard to be "age appropriate" and "work as a whole," rather than having a single line sufficing to eliminate material | No impact | Oppose | Senate 2nd reading |
HB 175, 3rd Sub | School fees amendments | Strong | Requires LEAs to plan for removal of fees by the end of FY 28; after FY 28, bans fees except for instructional equipment and supplies, AP and IB tests, drivers ed, a charter school application fee and co-curricular activities outside of the school day | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 229 | Teacher parental and postpartum recovery leave | Ballard | Beginning in SY 26-27, requires each LEA to provide at least 3 weeks of paid parental leave for adoption, new birth or appointment of legal guardianship of a minor child or incapacitated adult | Oppose | Failed in House floor | |
HB 308, 1st Sub | School grading modifications | Welton | eliminates letter grades | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 421 | School land trust program amendments | Moss | increases the max school land trust disbursement from 4% to 5% | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 464 | School materials amendments | Ivory | Requires LEAs to automatically remove materials alleged to be sensitive, and within 75 days decide whether the material is sensitive; if the LEA decides it is appropriate, LEA board must make a public vote to that effect, and publish a document explaining their reasoning; if they find it is sensitive, then State Board must conduct similar inquiry; if State Board finds it is sensitive, the material is banned statewide | Oppose | Senate Rules | |
HB 465, 1st Sub | Public school library transparency amendments | Welton | requires LEAs to provide an online platform through which parents can know what books their children are checking out from the school library; LEAs with more than 1000 must implement by August 1, 2024; fewer than 1,000 students, August 1, 2026 | Monitor | Senate Rules | |
HB 477 | Full-day kindergarten amendments | Spendlove | Statutory implementation of full day kindergarten; requires LEA to provide 1/2 day kindergarten if parents want it | Monitor | Senate Rules | |
HB 489 | Educator paid professional hours | Moss | permits LEAs to use these dollars for teachers who begin teaching after the school year begins, on a pro-rated basis | Support | Senate Rules | |
HB 494 | Education reporting amendments | Pulsipher | repeals a textbook disposal report | Support | Senate Rules | |
HJR 18 | Proposal to amend Utah Constitution - state school fund | Moss | amendment making possible the move from 4% to 5% distribution | Support | Senate 2nd reading | |
SB 44 | Reading software amendments | Millner | permits LEAs to use reading software that do not meet the statistical effect size specified in last year's SB 127 | No impact | Support | Passed |
SB 45 | Statewide online education program amendments | Fillmore | permits 6th grade students in middle school or junior high to participate in SOEP | Monitor | Senate Concurrence | |
SB 55 | Public school instructional materials requirements | Fillmore | if an LEA board is going to adopt learning material, requires the LEA board to use a traditional public process, and requires local boards to adopy a policy of their choosing for materials teachers use that hasn't been adopted by the LEA | Support | Passed | |
1S SB 65 | Charter school authorizers modificiations | Fillmore | requires charter school authorizers to use procedures akin to those under the administrative rules procedures act when adopting standards, guidelines or policy; permits private institutions of higher education to become authorizers | Support | Passed | |
SB 183 | Educator salary amendments | Vickers | ties size of educator salary adjustments to increases in the WPU | Support | Passed | |
SJR 10 | Proposal to amend Utah Constitution - Income tax | McCay | Removes the constitutional earmark | Support | House Rules |
Discussion from Legislative Zoom meeting:
Watchlist (Current Friday, February 24, 2023)
Bill # | Bill name | Sponsor | Summary | Fiscal Note | Posiiton | Status |
HB 16 | Block grant funding for prevention programs in public education | Pulsipher | Combines several line item funding streams into a single block grant funding stream. | No impact | Support | Senate 2nd reading |
HB 61 | School safety amendments | Wilcox | creates a task force to establish minimum safety services Utah public schools must provide | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 82 | School assembly notice requirements | Ballard | requires LEAs to provide 3 days notice of assemblies dealing with suicide, physical or sexual abuse, bullying, substance abuse | No impact | Monitor | Sendate 2nd reading |
HB 134 | Charter school closing requirements | Pulsipher | establishes the priorities to fund when a closing charter school's debts are less than its assets | Support | Passed | |
HB 138, 6th sub | Sensitive materials requirements | Ballard | requires LEAs to remove alleged sensitive material until it determines whether the material is sensitive; complete the review within 60 school days of the allegation; if the material is sensitive, remove it from the LEA, and notify the State Board, so it can do a similar review with statewide consequences | No impact | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading |
HB 175, 3rd Sub | School fees amendments | Strong | Requires LEAs to plan for removal of fees by the end of FY 28; after FY 28, bans fees except for instructional equipment and supplies, AP and IB tests, drivers ed, a charter school application fee and co-curricular activities outside of the school day; | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 229 | Teacher parental and postpartum recovery leave | Ballard | Beginning in SY 26-27, requires each LEA to provide at least 3 weeks of paid parental leave for adoption, new birth or appointment of legal guardianship of a minor child or incapacitated adult | Oppose | Failed in House floor | |
HB 308, 1st Sub | School grading modifications | Welton | eliminates letter grades | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 421 | School land trust program amendments | Moss | increases the max school land trust disbursement from 4% to 5% | Monitor | Senate 2nd reading | |
HB 464 | School materials amendments | Ivory | Requires LEAs to automatically remove materials alleged to be sensitive, and within 75 days decidd whether the material is sensitive; if the LEA decides it is appropriate, LEA board must make a public vote to that effect, and publish a document explaining their reasoning; if they find it is sensitive, then State Board must conduct similar inquiry; if State Board finds it is sensitive, the material is banned statewide | Oppose | House floor | |
HB 465, 1st Sub | Public school library transparency amendments | Welton | requires LEAs to provide an online platform through which parents can know what books their children are checking out from the school library; LEAs with more than 1000 must implement by August 1, 2024; fewer than 1,000 students, August 1, 2026 | Monitor | House floor | |
HB 477 | Full-day kindergarten amendments | Spendlove | Statutory implementation of full day kindergarten; requires LEA to provide 1/2 day kindergarten if parents want it | Monitor | Senate Rules | |
HB 489 | Educator paid professional hours | Moss | permits LEAs to use these dollars for teachers who begin teaching after the school year begins, on a pro-rated basis | Support | House floor | |
HB 494 | Education reporting amendments | Pulsipher | repeals a textbook disposal report | Support | House Education | |
HB 508 | Education funding amendments | Birkeland | requires SBE to advise State Board on how to move all funding into the WPU | Support | House Education | |
HJR 18 | Proposal to amend Utah Constitution - state school fund | Moss | amendment making possible the move from 4% to 5% distribution | Support | Senate 2nd reading | |
SB 44 | Reading software amendments | Millner | permits LEAs to use reading software that do not meet the statistical effect size specified in last year's SB 127 | No impact | Support | Passed |
SB 45 | Statewide online education program amendments | Fillmore | permits 6th grade students in middle school or junior high to participate in SOEP | Monitor | House Rules | |
SB 55 | Public school instructional materials requirements | Fillmore | if an LEA board is going to adopt learning material, requires the LEA board to use a traditional public process, and requires local boards to adopy a policy of their choosing for materials teachers use that hasn't been adopted by the LEA | Support | Senate Concurrence | |
1S SB 65 | Charter school authorizers modificiations | Fillmore | requires charter school authorizers to use procedures akin to those under the administrative rules procedures act when adopting standards, guidelines or policy; permits private institutions of higher education to become authorizers | Support | Passed | |
SB 183 | Educator salary amendments | Vickers | ties size of educator salary adjustments to increases in the WPU | Support | House Education | |
SJR 10 | Proposal to amend Utah Constitution - Income tax | McCay | Removes the constitutional earmark | Support | Senate 2nd reading |
Discussion of the following legislative items:
Member Meeting/Legislative Update:
We were joined by House and Senate Chairs of the Education Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep. Susan Pulispher and Sen. Lincoln Fillmore.
Highlights of the Ed Approps Committee:
Questions and Answers:
Announcements:
Bill # | Bill name | Sponsor | Summary | Fiscal Note | Position | Status |
HB 16 | Block grant funding for prevention programs in public education | Pulsipher | combines several line item funding streams into a single block grant funding stream | No impact | Support | Senate Rules |
HB 61 | School safety amendments | Wilcox | creates a task force to establish minimum safety services Utah public schools must provide | Monitor | Senate Rules | |
HB 83 | Tax credit for educator expenses | Birkeland | nonrefundable individual income tax credit of up to $500 per eligible school employee for out of pocket classroom expenses | Monitor | House rules | |
HB 138, 3rd sub | Digital school curriculum requirements | Ballard | requires provisions in a contract for digital instructional material that announces changes to the material, and if it contains sensitive material, requires LEA to determine if the possibly sensitive digital material really is sensitive within 30 days | No impact | Monitor | House education |
HB 175 | School fees amendments | Strong | Prohibits most curricular fees, including textbook fees, beginning in SY 23-24 | Monitor | House education | |
HB 193 | Online education course amendments | Birkeland | requires LEAs to notify students and students' parents of the opportunity to complete high school early in accordance with the student's plan for college and career readiness | Monitor | Senate education | |
HB 229 | Teacher parental and postpartum recovery leave | Ballard | Beginning in SY 26-27, requires each LEA to provide at least 3 weeks of paid parental leave for adoption, new birth or appointment of legal guardianship of a minor child or incapacitated adult | Oppose | House health and human services | |
SB 44 | Reading software amendments | Millner | permits LEAs to use reading software that do not meet the statistical effect size specified in last year's SB 127 | No impact | Support | House floor |
SB 45 | Statewide online education program amendments | Fillmore | permits 6th grade students in middle school or junior high to participate in SOEP | Monitor | House education | |
SB 55 | Public school instructional materials requirements | Fillmore | if an LEA board is going to adopt learning material, requires the LEA board to use a traditional public process, and requires local boards to adopy a policy of their choosing for materials teachers use that hasn't been adopted by the LEA | Support | Senate floor | |
1S SB 65 | Charter school authorizers modificiations | Fillmore | requires charter school authorizers to use procedures akin to those under the administrative rules procedures act when adopting standards, guidelines or policy; permits private institutions of higher education to become authorizers | Support | Senate 2nd reading | |
SJR 3 | Proposal to amend Utah Constitution - property tax exemptions | Fillmore | authorizes statute to exempt from property tax privately owned real property used to support public education or individuals with a disability | No impact | Support | Senate rules |
Opinion: Utah should lift restrictions on education dollars
The Utah Legislature uses about 60 separate funding streams to provide more than $5 billion per year to Utah’s 41 school districts and 135 charter schools
By Chris Fawson and M. Royce Van Tassell Jan 14, 2022, 7:01am MST
The Utah Legislature uses about 60 separate funding streams to provide more than $5 billion per year to Utah’s 41 school districts and 135 charter schools. Roughly three-quarters of that money has virtually no strings attached. The school board in Washington County can use that money to meet its students’ needs. The Alpine school board can and does use its share of that money quite differently, because its students and teachers and staff have different needs.
With that last quarter (just over $1 billion), the Legislature restricts how school leaders may spend those dollars. If you want your share of paraeducator funding, you need to follow R277-324 and UCA 53F-2-411. If you want your share of the funding for accelerated students, you have to follow R277-707 and UCA 53F-2-408. And so on.
One way to think about these restrictions is to compare that funding to a piano. With unrestricted funding, school boards and administrators can play whatever music they want. If their students need The Killers, they can play that. If their students need Beethoven, they can play that. With restricted funds, however, school boards and administrators can play only one tune. The students in a given district may not respond to that tune, but that is the tune.
These restrictions do not alter a school’s obligation to meet the needs of its students. Those obligations exist in state and federal statutes, independent of how schools pay to meet those needs. The restrictions only limit how schools can meet their students’ needs.
Utah’s restrictions are hardly unique. The most recent survey of states’ education budgets (2013) shows that the number of restricted “programs” in state education budgets ranged from one (Florida and Montana) to 64 (Iowa). Remember, Utah has 60! Legislators restrict funding either because they believe this regulatory structure will get more money to the students who need it, and/or because they believe that legislators are better consumers of the research on what will improve outcomes in public education.
The problem is, there is little reason to believe either of those assumptions. As researchers Thomas Timar and Marguerite Roza write, “No consistent evidence proves such programs do, indeed, have their intended effects.” In other words, the restrictions legislatures across the country place on how schools can use state education funds do not change the outcomes of the students they hope to target.
Even more troubling, the restrictions placed on these streams of funding create enormous burdens on local and state school leaders. For each program, school administrators and principals have to complete reports describing how they used the funds. Then the State Board of Education has to audit and monitor each of those streams of funding to make sure the schools used them according to the restrictions.
To change the analogy, school leaders at the state and local level spend oodles of time worrying about how much sugar went into a cupcake, rather than whether the cupcake actually tastes good. If these restrictions don’t actually move the academic needle, the restrictions are well-intended, burdensome and, it appears, unsuccessful.
So, what should Utah’s legislators do? Instead of using 60 separate programs with scores of restrictions, why not narrow the field of restricted funding programs to those where evidence suggests they can have the most impact on student learning outcomes?
It seems more reasonable to let local school boards, school administrators and teachers who have daily interaction with our children, and their students, decide what tune to play, what kind of cupcake to make. Our trusted local boards are most likely to know the learning needs of their students better than our good friends on Capitol Hill.
Let’s lower bureaucratic burdens where possible and move more of our limited education resources to where they can have an enduring impact on the lives and learning experiences of Utah’s children.
Chris Fawson researches the economics of education at Utah State University. M. Royce Van Tassell is executive director of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools.
Letter from Governor Spencer Cox, State Senator Stuart Adams, State Representative Brad Wilson, and State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson:
Senator Mitt Romney | (385) 264-7885 Ogden Office (801) 524-4380 Salt Lake City Office (801) 515-7230 Spanish Fork Office (435) 522-7100 St. George Office (202) 224-5251 Washington DC Office | https://www.romney.senate.gov/contact |
Senator Mike Lee | (435) 628-5514 St. George Office (801) 392-9633 Ogden Office (801) 524-5933 Salt Lake City Office (202) 224-5444 Washington DC Office | https://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact |
Representative Burgess Owens | (801) 999-9801 West Jordan Office (202) 225-3011 Washington DC Office | https://owens.house.gov/contact |
Representative John Curtis | (801) 922-5400 Provo Office (202) 225-7751 Washington DC Office | https://curtis.house.gov/email/ |
Representative Blake Moore | (801) 625-0107 Ogden Office (202) 225-0453 Washington DC Office | https://blakemoore.house.gov/contact/ |
Representative Chris Stewart | (801) 364-5550 Bountiful Office (435) 627-1500 St. George Office (202) 225-9730 Washington DC Office | https://stewart.house.gov/contact/ |