Education

SB0234S01 | Statewide Online Education Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to the Statewide Online Education Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill allows an online course provider through the Statewide Online Education Program to offer online courses for middle school credit.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 19
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Utah PTA encourages the legislature to adequately fund critical education needs. Although we encourage policies that will increase equal privileges, opportunities, and access to internet for all children, we are concerned that this bill is in reaction to the current public health emergency and has not been adequately studied or funded. Utah PTA encourages USBE to continue their study of the Statewide Online Education Program to determine how it will best achieve the USBE mission and goals before any changes are implemented.

Impact on Children: 

This bill would expand opportunities for student in middle school to take classes through the Statewide Online Education Program.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

FAM 2021-1 DIGITAL EQUITY AND ACCESS Position Statement
That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage initiatives and strategies for digital equity in the form of equal privileges, opportunities, and access to internet for all children and youth in Utah;

That Utah PTA and its constituent association encourages policies that attempt to address all six components of connection necessary for the equal provision of digital privileges, opportunities, and responsibilities for children, namely: robust infrastructure, affordable subscriptions, accessible devices, digital literacy training, competent technical support, and linguistically and age-appropriate user-friendly content.

SB0226S01 | Online Education Program Revisions

Description
General Description: 

This bill makes revisions related to online education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bil: allows a certified online course provider that the State Board of Education approves to offer courses directly through the Statewide Online Education
Program; establishes the requirements for the state board to approve certified online course providers; authorizes fees to cover the cost.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 19
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support w/ Comment

Utah PTA supports initiatives and strategies for digital equity and encourages the USBE to continue their study of the Statewide Online Education Program to determine how it will best achieve the USBE mission and goals.

Impact on Children: 

This bill would allow the USBE to potentially expand the number of courses available to high school students through the Statewide Online Education Program.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

FAM 2021-2 DIGITAL EQUITY & ACCESS Position Statement

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage initiatives and strategies for digital equity in the form of equal privileges, opportunities, and access to internet for all children and youth in Utah.

That Utah PTA and its constituent association encourages policies that attempt to address all six components of connection necessary for the equal provision of digital privileges, opportunities, and responsibilities for children, namely: robust infrastructure, affordable subscriptions, accessible devices, digital literacy training, competent technical support, and linguistically and age-appropriate user-friendly content.

HB0334 | Special Needs Training for Law Enforcement Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires peace officer training to include training on autism spectrum disorder and other mental illnesses.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ requires that peace officers have training in intervention responses to autism spectrum disorder and other mental illnesses.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 45
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill provides training for police officers in dealing with individuals with autism spectrum disorders and mental illness. This training would help promote better outcomes for everyone involved.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA facilitate in the education of parents, local PTA leaders, school teachers and school boards, community organizations, churches, and the general public about cause and effects of mental illnesses in children and youth

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation: High standards for those who work in all areas concerned with children and youth.

HB0105 | Students with Disabilities Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends a formula related to add-on weighted pupil units for students with disabilities.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ amends a formula related to add-on weighted pupil units for students with
disabilities; and
▸ makes technical changes.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 61
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill amends the formula used to figure funding for students with disabilities.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its organizations continue to support the right of each student
with a disability to have access to an equal education via whatever means reasonable and necessary to specific disabilities, such as Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) and 504 Accommodation Plans, which may include transportation, therapy, special services/equipment, reasonable accommodations and other supportive services the child requires to benefit from his/her educational program;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation: Prioritizing the needs of all children and youth, while adhering to fiscal responsibility in government.

HB0421S03 | Intensive Services Pilot Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Intensive Services Special Education Pilot Program to provide funding to local education agencies to supplement the cost of educating a student with intensive special education needs.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ creates the Intensive Services Special Education Costs Pilot Program (program) to provide funding to local education agencies to supplement the cost of educating a student who:
• has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); and
• for whom the cost of the special education services described in the student' IEP exceeds three times the statewide average per-pupil expenditures;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules establishing a distribution
formula to allocate money appropriated under the program; and
▸ provides a sunset date.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 61
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$1,000,000
This bill appropriates in Fiscal Year 2022: to the State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Program - Special Education - Intensive Services as a one-time appropriation: from the Education Fund, $1,000,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill would provide additional funding for LEAs to supplement the cost of educating students with intensive special education needs.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its organizations continue to support the right of each student
with a disability to have access to an equal education via whatever means reasonable and
necessary to specific disabilities, such as Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) and 504 Accommodation Plans, which may include transportation, therapy, special services/equipment, reasonable accommodations and other supportive services the child requires to benefit from his/her educational program;
 

SB0206 | Tax Rate Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies the income tax rates.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ decreases the corporate franchise and income tax rates and the individual income
tax rates for the 2021 and 2022 tax years; and
▸ makes the tax rate decrease permanent if revenue in the General Fund and
Education Fund exceeds a certain amount at the close of fiscal year 2021-22.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Senate/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Republican - District 10
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Impact on Children: 

Enactment of this bill could decrease revenues to the Education Fund by $253,000,000 in FY 2022 and $274,000,000 in FY 2023.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved: That Utah PTA continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority.

SB0184S03 | School Assessment and Accountability Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill makes amendments to provisions related to public school assessment and accountability.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ provides that, for the 2020-2021 school year, the State Board of Education is not
required to:
• identify schools not achieving state-established acceptable levels of student
performance for the 2020-2021 school year;
• assign to each school an overall rating using an A through F letter grading scale;
• publish a report card for each school on the state board's website; or
• determine school performance success and student academic achievement under the Teacher and Student Success Program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Democrat - District 15
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Perceptions of school quality are impacted by schools’ accountability ratings and have consequences for the economy of the schools’ community. It will be beneficial to remove the focus on assessment in order to focus on helping students and schools overcome the disruptions caused by the pandemic.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA advocates against the implementation of any accountability system that reduces the evaluation of a school to a single grade or score, that ranks schools beyond statistical confidence, and that grades on a bell curve.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Support accountability for all public schools that take into account the needs of students, teachers, and communities including the suspension or elimination of rating schools with a single letter grade and the establishment of a new baseline for future accountability measures.

HB0323S01 | High Poverty Schools Teacher Bonus Program Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill makes amendments related to criteria for schools and teachers eligible for the Effective Teachers in High Poverty Schools Incentive Program.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ amends the eligibility requirements for teachers in high poverty schools to receive a salary bonus in the 2020-2021 school year;
▸ provides that a school that qualified as a high poverty school in the 2018-2019 or
2019-2020 school year qualifies as a high poverty school for the 2020-2021 school year;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to publish a list of high poverty schools

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 30
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill allows for teachers in high poverty schools to continue to receive their incentive bonus this year in the absence of statewide testing.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators

HB0393 | Low Performing Schools Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill makes changes to the way the State Board of Education designates a low performing school.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to set the criteria for designating a low performing school in rules the state board makes

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 05, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 71
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill would allow the state school board to determine the standard for determining a low performing school rather than the legislature. The state school board is the appropriate body to make this designation and to work with a school on a turnaround plan.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA recognize the State Board of Education as the appropriate body to form standards of accountability and methods of school evaluation based on these standards

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

Support accountability for all public schools that take into account the needs of students, teachers, and communities including the suspension or elimination of rating schools with a single letter grade and the establishment of a new baseline for future accountability measures.

HB0381S01 | Grow Your Own Teacher and School Counselor Pipeline Program

Description
General Description: 

This bill creates the Grow Your Own Teacher and School Counselor Pipeline Program to provide scholarships to certain school employees.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
▸ creates the Grow Your Own Teacher and School Counselor Pipeline Program
(program) to provide scholarships to certain school employees;
▸ establishes eligibility criteria and allowed uses for the program; and
▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules and administer the program.

Bill Details
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2021
Sponsor
Representative
Republican - District 51
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$9,200,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2022: to the State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Programs, as a one-time appropriation: from the Uniform School Fund, One-time, $9,200,000.
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

This bill will help LEAs recruit highly qualified educators and counselors by providing scholarships for paraprofessionals to become licensed teachers or school counselors.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators, including appropriation of adequate funding to upgrade salary schedules

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations actively advocate for increased funding for additional trained counselors, psychologists, and social workers to assist and educate families and youth in both elementary and secondary schools participating in the public school system.