SB0107S07 | In-person Instruction Prioritization

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires the Department of Health to support widespread testing of a school's students for COVID-19 under certain conditions to facilitate a requirement for in-person instruction.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires the Department of Health to provide support to a local education agency
14 (LEA) that initiates widespread COVID-19 testing for a school (test to stay
15 program);
16 ▸ requires that guidance that the Department of Health provides to LEAs related to
17 test to stay programs complies with certain statutory provisions;
18 ▸ establishes the case threshold in a school above which the LEA initiates a "test to
19 stay program" for the school;

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
SB0107S07
Year: 
2021
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 24, 2021
Sponsor
Senator
Todd D. Weiler
Republican - District 8
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose

Comment: Utah PTA believes decisions regarding delivery of instruction are best made at the local level and is concerned by the legislative overreach in this bill.

Impact on Children: 

This bill encourages in person learning by raising the threshold for schools to transition to virtual to 30 covid cases or 2%. It promotes the use of the test to stay program for those school that reach the threshold thus providing for more students to be able to receive in person instruction.

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

PS STU 2021 Coronavirus Pandemic Impact on Student Learning.pdf
Resolved, that Utah PTA, parents, policy leaders and educators must communicate clearly and honestly about the challenges they are facing, and share the steps they are taking to support educators, students and families.

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.