1. Welcome from Royce Van Tassell
2. State Board of Education – District 1 Jennie Earl
Ms. Earl updated the group on the following items:
- Funding
- The board will vote in December about making ESSER funding for digital teaching and learning more accessible, especially for charter school that may not have taken advantage of this funding.
- The board is considering how to make full funding for economies of scale (formerly the administrative funding) viable. Funding will continue for at least one more year until permanent solution can be found.
- If you have ideas to implement regarding funding, please pass along to her.
- Social Emotional Learning: Ms. Earl believes the value of some aspect of SEL, but has issues with topics that address personal beliefs, dispositions, and attitudes. Watch for further discussion.
- Davis School District has had additional attention due to the Department of Justice finding regarding racism. Not all people in DSD are culprits. We need to be careful not to overcompensate with rule/legislation for issues that arise. The board does have an Equity Rule R277-328.
- Civics Standards: Up for review. There are many opportunities for public comment throughout the state.
- Ms. Earl wants to be sure that charter schools have the things they need to meet their purpose. She asked for input on any policy or issue that is crowding out the uniqueness of charters.
3. Legislative Update – District 25 House of Representatives Joel Briscoe
After an introductions, including his experience as a teacher for 33 years, Representative Briscoe addressed the following items:
- Public Education Appropriations report of the State Charter School Board expenditures:
- $206K carry forward to provide national/state training
- $3.8M startup grants carry forward to increase grantees $400K for new schools and $300K for satellite schools
- $138K regional seminars carry forward to use for targeted mentoring
- $1.3M carry forward to use on fiscal monitors and temporary hires to carry out monitoring
- SCSB will also provide targeted campaigns with money to help schools with Open Public Meetings Act compliance, trainings support, and marketing
- WPU Add-on for Students at Risk (see supporting proposal & Full Implementation Estimates)
- 2 new WPU add-ons replace 4-5 add-ons (not specified). These add-ons are for English Language Learners (ELL) and Low Income Students (qualified for free or reduced lunches).
- There will be a “hold harmless” period until 2024 so schools can adjust for funding differences, some school will get more, some less.
- There will be a 10 year phase in period to pay for the program as tax revenues increase.
- It is proposed add-on 0.05 WPU for Low Income and 0.025 for ELL.
- It is expected that both add-ons could be used for a single student.
- CRT Legislation: Not sure, but anticipates someone will run a bill about this.
- Public School Curriculum: Senator Fillmore proposing curriculum reviews and approval legislation.
4. Verapath – Meeting Sponsor Greg Misener
Mr. Misener said that Verapath values what teachers and charter schools do to take care of children, so Verapath works to take care of them. Through 401K services of a multiple employer plan Verapath is able to 1) save money 2) improve service offering and 3) reduce fiduciary risk. They provide customer service through a fall enrollment meeting and a spring investors meeting. They regularly share videos to update enrollees on the plan success. The annual required audit of the plan is an added benefit of belonging to a multiple employer plan. UAPCS member schools are eligible to participate.
5. Announcements and Upcoming Events
- Charter Day on the Hill – January 18th (Gina James)
- First day of legislative session
- Watch for email with sign-up Google form coming soon!
- Student performances, school tours, etc.
- Email gina@utahcharters.org with questions
- APPEL Program & Teacher Licenses (Joylin Lincoln)
- Use email appel@utahcharters.org for any questions about the APPEL program.
- Teachers with LEA-specific licenses or associates license seeking professional licensure MUST take the PPAT (Pedagogical Practice Assessment Test).
- THIS YEAR ONLY-there is a ZERO cut score! Next year, teachers will need to make a certain score to pass.
- Teachers need to sign up by JANUARY!! This test takes 4 months to complete. There are four “tasks” to submit. Test is administered by ETS. Find more information here.
- UAPCS offers a 4 week preparation course. Salt Lake Community College also offers a preparation course.
- IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER IN THIS CATEGORY AND THEY NEED A PROFESSIONAL LICENSE YOU MUST START THIS PROCESS NOW!
- If your teachers have a professional license or are not seeking a professional license (will remain with LEA-specific license, etc.) then they do not need to take the PPAT. This includes teachers going from elementary to secondary license-if they already have a professional license.
- Contact appel@utahcharters.org for additional information and training course schedule.
- Book Club (Joylin Lincoln)
- Our book club will run January-April with 1 book/month and 1-2/discussions about the book.
- Book suggestions (we'll pick from these and let you know!):
- Why Kids Don’t Like School by Daniel Willingham
- Uncommon Sense Teaching: Practical Insights in Brain Science to Help Students Learn by Barbara Oakley, Beth Rogowsky, and Terrance Sejnowski
- The Together Leader: Get Organized for Your Success – and Sanity by Maia Heyck-Merlin
- How to Talk so Kids can Learn by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish
- Equity-Centered Trauma-Informed Education (Equity and Social Justice in Education) by Alex Shevrin Venet
- Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, and What Can Be Done About It by Mark Seidenberg
- Heart! Fully Forming Your Professional Life as a Teacher and Leader by Timothy D. Kanold
- Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head by Carla Hannaford
- We’ll choose 4 books. Those that sign-up will need to purchase their own books. If you participate in the discussions, we will reimburse you with a gift card for the purchase price on Amazon of the book.
- We will send out notices in the UAPCS email and will book book discussion dates on our event calendar.
6. Legislative Updates Royce Van Tassell
- Due to Covid-19, the legislature unrestricted 35% of state restricted funding last year. One quarter of the $5 billion dollars in public education funding has restrictions, so this opportunity to use 35% of that money how you choose is significant.
- That 35% of restricted state funding is available to you again this year! Please discuss with your local board and business administrator how you can use 35% on focused programs, curriculum, and other identified needs to move the goals of your charter forward.
- The long-term goal is to reduce restricted line items significantly by indicating that unrestricted use of funds serves students best.
7. Next Meeting ONLINE Only
- Monday, December 13th at 11:00am - Online