H.B. 66 Enrolled

1

PARAEDUCATOR TO TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP
2 PROGRAM
3 2008 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove
6 Senate Sponsor: Karen Mayne
7 Cosponsor:Eric K. Hutchings 8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This bill creates a program to award scholarships to paraeducators for education and
12 training to become a licensed teacher.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 . creates the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program which provides
16 scholarships of up to $5,000 to paraeducators employed by school districts and
17 charter schools who are pursuing an associate's degree or bachelor's degree to
18 become a licensed teacher;
19 . provides that scholarship monies may only be used for tuition costs for:
20 . an associate's degree program that fulfills credit requirements for the first two
21 years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; or
22 . the first two years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure;
23 and
24 . directs the State Board of Education to:
25 . establish a committee to select scholarship recipients; and
26 . make rules to administer the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
27 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
28 This bill appropriates:
29 . as an ongoing appropriation, $25,000 from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year

30 2008-09.
31 Other Special Clauses:
32 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.
33 Utah Code Sections Affected:
34 ENACTS:
35 53A-6-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36 53A-6-802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
37
38 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
39 Section 1. Section 53A-6-801 is enacted to read:
40 Part 8. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program
41 53A-6-801. Definition.
42 As used in this part, "paraeducator" means a school employee who:
43 (1) delivers instruction under the direct supervision of a teacher; and
44 (2) works in an area where there is a shortage of qualified teachers, such as special
45 education, Title I, ESL, reading remediation, math, or science.
46 Section 2. Section 53A-6-802 is enacted to read:
47 53A-6-802. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
48 (1) The Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program is created to award scholarships
49 to paraeducators for education and training to become licensed teachers.
50 (2) The State Board of Education shall use money appropriated for the Paraeducator to
51 Teacher Scholarship Program to award scholarships of up to $5,000 to paraeducators employed
52 by school districts and charter schools who are pursuing an associate's degree or bachelor's
53 degree program to become a licensed teacher.
54 (3) A paraeducator is eligible to receive a scholarship if:
55 (a) the paraeducator is employed by a school district or charter school;
56 (b) is admitted to, or has made an application to, an associate's degree program or
57 bachelor's degree program that will prepare the paraeducator for teacher licensure; and

58 (c) the principal at the school where the paraeducator is employed has nominated the
59 paraeducator for a scholarship.
60 (4) (a) The State Board of Education shall establish a committee to select scholarship
61 recipients from nominations submitted by school principals.
62 (b) The committee shall include representatives of the State Board of Education, State
63 Board of Regents, and the general public, excluding school district and charter school
64 employees.
65 (c) (i) (A) A committee member who is not a government employee may not receive
66 compensation or benefits for the member's service, but may receive per diem and expenses
67 incurred in the performance of the member's official duties at the rates established by the
68 Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
69 (B) A member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for the member's service.
70 (ii) (A) A committee member who is a government employee member who does not
71 receive salary, per diem, or expenses from the agency the member represents for the member's
72 service may receive per diem and expenses incurred in the performance of the member's official
73 duties at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and
74 63A-3-107 .
75 (B) A government employee member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for
76 the member's service.
77 (d) The committee shall select scholarship recipients based on the following criteria:
78 (i) test scores, grades, or other evidence demonstrating the applicant's ability to
79 successfully complete a teacher education program; and
80 (ii) the applicant's record of success as a paraeducator.
81 (5) The maximum scholarship amount is $5,000.
82 (6) Scholarship monies may only be used to pay for tuition costs:
83 (a) of:
84 (i) an associate's degree program that fulfills credit requirements for the first two years
85 of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; or

86 (ii) the first two years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; and
87 (b) at a higher education institution:
88 (i) located in Utah; and
89 (ii) accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
90 (7) A scholarship recipient must be continuously employed as a paraeducator by a
91 school district or charter school while pursuing a degree using scholarship monies.
92 (8) The State Board of Education shall make rules in accordance with this section and
93 Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to administer the Paraeducator to
94 Teacher Scholarship Program, including rules establishing:
95 (a) scholarship application procedures;
96 (b) the number of, and qualifications for, committee members who select scholarship
97 recipients; and
98 (c) procedures for distributing scholarship monies.
99 Section 3. Appropriation.
100 As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, there is appropriated
101 for fiscal year 2008-09, $25,000 from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of
102 Education for the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
103 Section 4. Effective date.
104 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.