First Substitute S.B. 65

Senator Gregory S. Bell proposes the following substitute bill:

1 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MATH INITIATIVE
2 2007 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Gregory S. Bell
5 House Sponsor: Kory M. Holdaway
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates an elementary school math initiative.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . creates an elementary school math initiative;
13 . establishes program requirements and funding allocation criteria;
14 . requires a plan for improving mathematics proficiency and a report on the results to
15 the State Board of Education; and
16 . grants rulemaking authority to the State Board of Education.
17 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
18 This bill appropriates:
19 . as an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget restraints, $18,000,000 from
20 the Education Fund to the State Board of Education.
21 Other Special Clauses:
22 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.
23 Utah Code Sections Affected:
24 ENACTS:
25 53A-1a-901, Utah Code Annotated 1953

26
27 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
28 Section 1. Section 53A-1a-901 is enacted to read:
29 53A-1a-901. Elementary mathematics initiative.
30 (1) As used in this section, "program" means the Elementary Mathematics Initiative
31 Program created by this section.
32 (2) There is created the Elementary Mathematics Initiative Program to achieve the goal
33 of student proficiency in mathematics by the end of elementary school.
34 (3) A school district or charter school that chooses to participate in the program:
35 (a) shall submit to the state board a plan specifying the district's or charter school's
36 goals for mathematics achievement in grade four, grade five, and grade six and indicating how
37 funds will be used to improve mathematics proficiency in those grades, including a plan for:
38 (i) assessment, that includes:
39 (A) procedures for determining annual proficiency increases on mathematics criterion
40 referenced tests in grade four, grade five, and grade six; and
41 (B) formative and summative assessments selected from a list approved by the State
42 Board of Education;
43 (ii) intervention strategies:
44 (A) that shall include the use of technology to personalize intervention instruction and
45 enhance general mathematics classroom instruction; and
46 (B) that may also include tutoring, after school, and summer studies;
47 (iii) professional development to improve the content knowledge and teaching
48 proficiency of all fourth, fifth, and sixth grade mathematics teachers, including:
49 (A) course work that fulfills requirements towards an elementary mathematics teaching
50 endorsement; and
51 (B) training of mathematics coaches and specialists;
52 (iv) ensuring that instructional materials are aligned to the mathematics core
53 curriculum;
54 (b) shall use program funds to improve mathematics proficiency in grades four, five,
55 and six, in accordance with the plan approved by the state board under Subsection (4);
56 (c) may not use program funds to supplant funds for existing programs; and

57 (d) shall annually submit a report to the state board that:
58 (i) accounts for the expenditure of program funds in accordance with the approved plan
59 and Subsection (3)(c);
60 (ii) analyzes the program's results, including an examination of the program's effects on
61 student mathematics proficiency in grades four, five, and six;
62 (iii) indicates whether or not the plan's goals for improving mathematics proficiency
63 were met; and
64 (iv) makes recommendations for improvements and updates to the plan.
65 (4) The State Board of Education shall:
66 (a) establish:
67 (i) required elements for a district to include in its plan;
68 (ii) criteria for evaluating plans submitted under Subsection (3); and
69 (iii) deadlines for plan submittal and revision;
70 (b) provide model plans which may be used by a school district or charter school;
71 (c) evaluate submitted plans according to the criteria established under Subsection
72 (4)(a);
73 (d) approve or reject submitted plans;
74 (e) allocate funds, in accordance with Subsection (5), after approving a school district
75 or charter school plan;
76 (f) review the reports submitted under Subsection (3)(d);
77 (g) require plan revisions prior to allocating funds in subsequent years, if:
78 (i) the school district's or charter school's mathematics proficiency improvement goals
79 are not met; or
80 (ii) the board determines that other plan revisions are appropriate;
81 (h) approve a list of assessments for district and charter school use as specified in
82 Subsection (3)(a)(i);
83 (i) provide for a third party to conduct an evaluation of the program annually for the
84 first five years of the program and, after the initial five years, every three years.
85 (5) The State Board of Education shall establish a method for allocating funds, based
86 on:
87 (a) the number of teachers in grades four, five, and six in each school district and

88 charter school;
89 (b) the number of enrolled students in grades four, five, and six in each school district
90 and charter school;
91 (c) provisions that encourage the use of technology and other interventions that
92 enhance, extend, and remediate student learning for each student; and
93 (d) establishment of an online or distance learning option for courses leading to an
94 elementary math endorsement.
95 (6) A school district or charter school that does not comply with Subsection (3) shall
96 repay to the State Board of Education all program funds received for that fiscal year.
97 (7) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
98 State Board of Education shall make rules to fulfill its duties under Subsections (4) and (5) and
99 to enforce Subsection (6).
100 (8) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature may annually appropriate funds
101 for the program.
102 Section 2. Appropriation.
103 As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget restraints, there is appropriated
104 from the Education Fund for fiscal year 2007-08, $18,000,000 to the State Board of Education
105 to distribute to school districts and charter schools for the Elementary Mathematics Initiative
106 Program established in Section 53A-1a-901 .
107 Section 3. Effective date.
108 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.