Legislative Bills

SB0178 | Education Deadline and Fiscal Flexibility

Description

General Description:

This bill extends or provides flexibility regarding certain education deadlines and spending restrictions.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill allows a local education agency (LEA) to transfer a portion of state restricted funds
in the LEA's general fund to be used without the state restrictions under certain conditions; extends certain expenditure deadlines by one fiscal year; delays by one year a requirement that a student fee be equal to or less than the cost to the LEA of providing an activity, course, or program.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0178

Year:

2021

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 17, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Impact on Children:

This bill gives funding flexibility to LEAs to meet some of the challenges brought about by the covid-19 pandemic. It also delays some deadlines giving LEAs more time to comply.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

PS STU 2021 Coronavirus Pandemic Impact on Student Learning
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 education appropriations that support a 4% increase in the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) and additional appropriations that support schools/districts with additional expenses incurred due to Covid 19.

SB0179 | Educator Salary Adjustments Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill adds the educator salary adjustments to the list of programs receiving a cost adjustment for inflation.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill adds the educator salary adjustments to the list of programs receiving a cost adjustment for inflation

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0179

Year:

2023

Status:

Senate/ filed

Last Action:

Mar 03, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching

Impact on Children:

Educators salaries deserve to be indexed to inflation. This serves as a minimal tool for attraction and retention of educators.

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

SB0183 | Educator Salary Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill makes additions to the appropriations calculation of certain educator salary programs.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill:
13          ▸     adds an appropriation adjustment for the educator salary adjustments and the
14     Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
15          ▸     modifies what constitutes an eligible teacher for purposes of the educator salary
16     adjustments and the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0183

Year:

2023

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 17, 2023

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching

Impact on Children:

Better paid teachers helps attracting and retaining good teachers

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 educator

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

Bill Number:

SB0184S03

Year:

2021

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 17, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Support

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2014-1 | Public School Accountability

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.

SB0187S04 | Local Education Agency Policies Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill creates certain requirements for public health orders that directly affect local education agencies and private schools.

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill provides that a local education agency is not required to enforce a requirement in a
public health order for individuals to wear a face mask on school grounds

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0187S04

Year:

2021

Status:

Governor Vetoed

Last Action:

Mar 24, 2021

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Unnecessary

Impact on Children:

Masks are currently recommended by the CDC and mandated by the State of Utah to be worn in schools. This bill would leave many students and teachers at risk of contracting covid-19 if an LEA chooses to not enforce the mandate.

Commission:

Education

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements:

National PTA Position Statement - Reopening Schools for 2020-21
It is our association’s position that plans for reopening shall incorporate the best available science and the expertise of infectious disease doctors and health practitioners. Plans should also strictly follow the most up-to-date Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, including but not limited to reasonable social distancing, rigorous sanitizing processes and viral screening and testing protocols. National PTA believes that states and school districts must plan and align logistics, educational strategies and public health approaches into one coherent response.

Legislative Bills

Primary tabs