53A-6-102. Legislative findings on teacher quality -- Declaration of education as a
profession -- Annual report.
(1) (a) The Legislature acknowledges that education is perhaps the most important
function of state and local governments, recognizing that the future success of our state and nation
depend in large part upon the existence of a responsible and educated citizenry.
(b) The Legislature further acknowledges that the primary responsibility for the education
of children within the state resides with their parents or guardians and that the role of state and
local governments is to support and assist parents in fulfilling that responsibility.
(2) (a) The Legislature finds that:
(i) quality teaching is the basic building block of successful schools and, outside of home
and family circumstances, the essential component of student achievement;
(ii) the high quality of teachers is absolutely essential to enhance student achievement and
to assure educational excellence in each classroom in the state's public schools; and
(iii) the implementation of a comprehensive continuum of data-driven strategies regarding
recruitment, preservice, licensure, induction, professional development, and evaluation is essential
if the state and its citizens expect every classroom to be staffed by a skilled, caring, and effective
teacher.
(b) In providing for the safe and effective performance of the function of educating Utah's
children, the Legislature further finds it to be of critical importance that education, including
instruction, administrative, and supervisory services, be recognized as a profession, and that those
who are licensed or seek to become licensed and to serve as educators:
(i) meet high standards both as to qualifications and fitness for service as educators
through quality recruitment and preservice programs before assuming their responsibilities in the
schools;
(ii) maintain those standards in the performance of their duties while holding licenses, in
large part through participating in induction and ongoing professional development programs
focused on instructional improvement;
(iii) receive fair, systematic evaluations of their performance at school for the purpose of
enhancing the quality of public education and student achievement; and
(iv) have access to a process for fair examination and review of allegations made against
them and for the administration of appropriate sanctions against those found, in accordance with
due process, to have failed to conduct themselves in a manner commensurate with their authority
and responsibility to provide appropriate professional services to the children of the state.
(3) The State Board of Education and the State Board of Regents shall make an annual
report to the Legislature through the Education Interim Committee on the status of teacher quality
in the state based on the continuum referred to in Subsection (2)(a)(iii), to include adequate and
reliable data on the state's supply of and demand for teachers.
Amended by Chapter 86, 2001 General Session
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Last revised: Thursday, May 28, 2009