S.B. 159

1

MATH EDUCATION INITIATIVE
2 2009 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson
5 House Sponsor: John Dougall
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates a program that awards grants for the improvement of math education.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . requires the Legislature to annually appropriate money to the State Board of
13 Education for the Math Education Initiative, subject to future budget constraints;
14 . directs the State Board of Education to use monies appropriated for the Math
15 Education Initiative to award grants to:
16 . school districts and charter schools to help pay for costs to adopt Singapore
17 math; and
18 . institutions of higher education or nonprofit education organizations for math
19 teacher training programs;
20 . requires a school district or charter school that participates in the Math Education
21 Initiative to:
22 . offer Singapore math in grades kindergarten through six and certain courses at
23 the secondary school level;
24 . administer math achievement tests using computerized adaptive testing; and
25 . provide professional development to teachers in Singapore math;
26 . requires the State Board of Education to make rules:
27 . requiring teachers who teach Singapore math in school districts and charter

28 schools that participate in the Math Education Initiative to demonstrate competency in math by
29 passing a test; and
30 . establishing criteria for awarding grants for math teacher training programs; and
31 . directs the State Board of Education to:
32 . adopt math curriculum standards for students who participate in the Math
33 Education Initiative;
34 . appoint an advisory committee to make recommendations regarding the
35 implementation of the Math Education Initiative; and
36 . contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a request for
37 proposals process, to evaluate the effect of instruction in Singapore math on
38 student achievement.
39 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
40 This bill appropriates:
41 . as an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, $1,750,000 from
42 the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2009-10 to the State Board of Education.
43 Other Special Clauses:
44 This bill provides an effective date.
45 Utah Code Sections Affected:
46 AMENDS:
47 63I-2-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Second Special Session, Chapter 6
48 ENACTS:
49 53A-13-401, Utah Code Annotated 1953
50 53A-13-402, Utah Code Annotated 1953
51 53A-13-403, Utah Code Annotated 1953
52 53A-13-404, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53 53A-13-405, Utah Code Annotated 1953
54 53A-13-406, Utah Code Annotated 1953
55 53A-13-407, Utah Code Annotated 1953
56 53A-13-408, Utah Code Annotated 1953
57 53A-13-409, Utah Code Annotated 1953
58 53A-13-410, Utah Code Annotated 1953

59
60 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
61 Section 1. Section 53A-13-401 is enacted to read:
62 Part 4. Math Education Initiative
63 53A-13-401. Definitions.
64 As used in this section:
65 (1) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
66 (2) "Singapore math" means the math curriculum created by the education ministry in
67 Singapore for use in Singapore schools and encompassing the textbooks, workbooks, and other
68 materials based on the math curriculum.
69 Section 2. Section 53A-13-402 is enacted to read:
70 53A-13-402. Purposes of the Math Education Initiative -- Public-private
71 partnerships encouraged.
72 (1) The Math Education Initiative is created to:
73 (a) make Utah the premier state for math education and a recognized source of skilled
74 scientists and engineers;
75 (b) meet the demand of Utah employers for workers with high math skills; and
76 (c) entice companies that require a highly skilled technical workforce to locate in the
77 state.
78 (2) The formation of public-private partnerships is encouraged to advance the purposes
79 of the Math Education Initiative.
80 Section 3. Section 53A-13-403 is enacted to read:
81 53A-13-403. Annual appropriation for Math Education Initiative -- Use of Math
82 Education Initiative monies.
83 (1) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall:
84 (a) annually appropriate money to the State Board of Education for the Math Education
85 Initiative; and
86 (b) increase appropriations for the Math Education Initiative as the state's capacity to
87 provide professional development to teachers in Singapore math expands.
88 (2) From monies appropriated for the Math Education Initiative, the State Board of
89 Education shall:

90 (a) award grants to:
91 (i) school districts and charter schools to help pay for a school district's or charter
92 school's costs of adopting Singapore math as provided by Section 53A-13-404 ; and
93 (ii) institutions of higher education or nonprofit educational organizations for math
94 teacher training programs as provided in Section 53A-13-409 ; and
95 (b) contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a request for
96 proposals process, to evaluate the effect of instruction in Singapore math on student
97 achievement.
98 Section 4. Section 53A-13-404 is enacted to read:
99 53A-13-404. Grants to school districts and charter schools.
100 (1) Participation in the Math Education Initiative is voluntary for school districts and
101 charter schools and is based on a competitive grant proposal process.
102 (2) The board may award grants of up to $100 per student for the portion of a school
103 district's or charter school's kindergarten through grade eight enrollment that participates in the
104 Math Education Initiative for the first time.
105 (3) A school district or charter school may use the grant monies to pay for Singapore
106 math instructional materials or professional development in teaching Singapore math.
107 Section 5. Section 53A-13-405 is enacted to read:
108 53A-13-405. Requirements of school districts and charter schools to participate in
109 the Math Education Initiative.
110 (1) A school district or charter school that participates in the Math Education Initiative:
111 (a) (i) shall adopt Singapore math for grades kindergarten through six, except as
112 provided in Subsection (2); and
113 (ii) may adopt Singapore math for grades seven and eight;
114 (b) shall at the secondary school level, offer:
115 (i) honors and regular sections of algebra 1, geometry, and algebra 2, taught from a
116 small group of high quality textbooks recommended by the State Board of Education;
117 (ii) an honors pre-calculus course that corresponds to Math 1050, college algebra, and
118 Math 1060, trigonometry, at Utah higher education institutions so that high achieving students
119 can receive college credit through concurrent enrollment; and
120 (iii) calculus and statistics courses that meet the standards for the Advanced Placement

121 exams;
122 (c) shall administer math achievement tests at the beginning and the end of the school
123 year using computerized adaptive testing to students taking Singapore math classes; and
124 (d) shall provide professional development to teachers in Singapore math.
125 (2) (a) A school district or charter school may phase in the adoption of Singapore math
126 in grades kindergarten through eight over two or more years.
127 (b) A school district may phase in the adoption of Singapore math throughout schools
128 in the school district over two or more years.
129 (3) If a school district or charter school has insufficient enrollment in a higher level
130 math class listed in Subsection (1)(b) to justify the cost of hiring an instructor for the class, the
131 school district or charter school may offer the class through distance education, including
132 interactive video conferencing or online instruction.
133 Section 6. Section 53A-13-406 is enacted to read:
134 53A-13-406. Math curriculum standards.
135 (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt math curriculum standards for students
136 who participate in the Math Education Initiative.
137 (2) The standards adopted pursuant to Subsection (1) shall include:
138 (a) the Singapore 2001 elementary mathematics standards; and
139 (b) the standards for the quick recall of arithmetic facts contained in the Curriculum
140 Focal Points of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
141 (3) (a) A school district or charter school shall deliver instruction to students who
142 participate in the Math Education Initiative in accordance with the math curriculum standards
143 adopted under this section.
144 (b) A school district or charter school may deliver instruction to students who do not
145 participate in the Math Education Initiative in accordance with the math curriculum standards
146 adopted under this section in lieu of other math curriculum standards prescribed by the board.
147 Section 7. Section 53A-13-407 is enacted to read:
148 53A-13-407. Math competency tests for Singapore math teachers.
149 The board shall make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
150 Administrative Rulemaking Act, that require a teacher who teaches Singapore math in a school
151 district or charter school that participates in the Math Education Initiative to demonstrate math

152 competency by passing a test as follows:
153 (1) a teacher who teaches Singapore math in grades kindergarten through three shall
154 pass a grade level six Singapore math test; and
155 (2) a teacher who teaches Singapore math in grades four through eight shall pass a
156 grade level eight Singapore math test.
157 Section 8. Section 53A-13-408 is enacted to read:
158 53A-13-408. Advisory committee.
159 (1) The board shall appoint an advisory committee to:
160 (a) evaluate Singapore math instructional materials and make recommendations to
161 school districts and charter schools for the adoption of Singapore math instructional materials;
162 (b) make recommendations to school districts and charter schools that participate in the
163 Math Education Initiative on professional development in math, including:
164 (i) the qualifications of individuals who provide professional development in
165 Singapore math; and
166 (ii) the extent and content of initial and continuing professional development in
167 Singapore math;
168 (c) review grant proposals submitted by school districts and charter schools to adopt
169 Singapore math and make recommendations to the board on awarding grants; and
170 (d) review and make recommendations to the board on the math competency tests for
171 teachers required by Section 53A-13-407 .
172 (2) In reviewing and making recommendations to the board on grant proposals, the
173 advisory council shall consider:
174 (a) the extent and content of professional development for teachers of Singapore math;
175 (b) the quality of instructional materials;
176 (c) the grade seven and eight math curricula; and
177 (d) elementary and secondary math class schedules, including the number of days and
178 hours per week each class is scheduled.
179 (3) The advisory committee appointed under Subsection (1) shall consist of five
180 members of whom:
181 (a) three members shall be mathematicians who serve or have served as a math
182 professor at a higher education institution in Utah that offers graduate level degrees in math;

183 and
184 (b) two additional members shall have a high level of expertise in mathematics.
185 Section 9. Section 53A-13-409 is enacted to read:
186 53A-13-409. Grants for math teacher training programs.
187 (1) The board may award grants to institutions of higher education or nonprofit
188 educational organizations for programs that provide training leading to a secondary education
189 license with an endorsement in mathematics for an individual who:
190 (a) is not a teacher in a public or private school;
191 (b) does not have a teaching license;
192 (c) has a bachelor's degree or higher; and
193 (d) demonstrates a high level of mathematics competency by:
194 (i) successfully completing substantial coursework in mathematics; and
195 (ii) passing a mathematics content exam.
196 (2) (a) The board shall make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
197 Administrative Rulemaking Act, that establish criteria for awarding grants under this section.
198 (b) In awarding grants, the board shall consider the amount or percent of matching
199 funds provided by the grant recipient.
200 Section 10. Section 53A-13-410 is enacted to read:
201 53A-13-410. Annual report.
202 (1) Through 2012, the State Board of Education shall make a report to the Education
203 Interim Committee after each year of instruction in Singapore math in Utah schools.
204 (2) The report shall include an evaluation of the effect of instruction in Singapore math
205 on student achievement.
206 Section 11. Section 63I-2-253 is amended to read:
207 63I-2-253. Repeal dates -- Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
208 (1) Section 53A-1-403.5 is repealed July 1, 2012.
209 (2) Subsection 53A-1-603 (5) is repealed July 1, 2010.
210 (3) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 10, UPSTART, is repealed July 1, 2014.
211 (4) Section 53A-3-702 is repealed July 1, 2008.
212 (5) Section 53A-6-112 is repealed July 1, 2009.
213 (6) Subsection 53A-13-110 (3) is repealed July 1, 2013.

214 (7) Section 53A-13-410 is repealed July 1, 2013.
215 [(7)] (8) Section 53A-17a-152 is repealed July 1, 2010.
216 [(8)] (9) Section 53A-17a-162 is repealed July 1, 2012.
217 Section 12. Appropriation.
218 (1) As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, there is
219 appropriated $1,750,000 from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2009-10 to the State
220 Board of Education for the Math Education Initiative created in Title 53A, Chapter 13, Part 4,
221 Math Education Initiative.
222 (2) Of the monies appropriated in Subsection (1), the State Board of Education may
223 use:
224 (a) $1,000,000 to:
225 (i) award grants to school districts and charter schools to adopt Singapore math; and
226 (ii) contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a request for
227 proposals process, to evaluate the effect of instruction in Singapore math on student
228 achievement; and
229 (b) $750,000 to award grants for math teacher training programs as provided in Section
230 53A-13-409 .
231 Section 13. Effective date.
232 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), if approved by two-thirds of all the members
233 elected to each house, this bill takes effect upon approval by the governor, or the day following
234 the constitutional time limit of Utah Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's
235 signature, or in the case of a veto override.
236 (2) Uncodified Section 12, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2009.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-2-09 5:34 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel