MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

210 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

February 25, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Ann Millner, Chair

                                    Sen. Jim Dabakis

                                    Sen. Mark B. Madsen

                                    President Wayne L. Niederhauser

                                    Sen. Aaron Osmond

                                    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

                                    Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

                       

Staff Present:             Ms. Allyson Goldstein, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Wendy Hill, Committee Secretary

 

NOTE:  A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

 

Chair Millner called the meeting to order at 4:09 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to approve the minutes of the February 24, 2015 meeting.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Madsen, Pres. Niederhauser and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 240       School Districts - Transportation Policies   (J. S. Adams)

 

Sen. Adams explained the bill to the committee.                  

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Madsen, Pres. Niederhauser and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 222       Digital Teaching and Learning Program   (H. Stephenson)

 

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee. “2015 Utah Digital Teaching and Learning

Bill (SB 222) Executive Summary” was distributed to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Dr. Ray Timothy, Executive Director, Utah Education Network                 

                                    Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Utah State

Office of Education

Mr. Terry E. Shoemaker, Superintendent, Wasatch School District

Mr. Richard Nelson, President, Utah Technology Council

                       

MOTION:  Pres. Niederhauser moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed with Sen. Dabakis voting in opposition.

 

S.B. 235       School Turnaround and Leadership Development Act   (W. Niederhauser)

 

Pres. Niederhauser explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Mr. Brad C. Smith, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Utah State

Office of Education

 

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Kim Frank, Utah Charter Network                                                         

Mr. Curtis Linton, School Improvement Network

 

Spoke against the bill:             Ms. Carolyn White, Beaver County School Board

                                                Ms. Sara Jones, Director, Utah Education Association

                                                Ms. Sheri Mattie, Utah Parent Teacher Association              

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass the bill out favorably.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 232       Higher Education Performance Funding   (S. Urquhart)

 

MOTION:   Sen. Osmond moved to amend the bill as follows:

 

1.                                    Page 2, Lines 34 through 35:           

 

            34                    (1)  As used in this section  {,}    :

                        (a)   "  {higher}    Higher   education institution" or "institution" means an

                     35        institution of higher education listed in Section 53B-1-102.

                       (b) "Research university" means the University of Utah or Utah State University.  

 

                    

2.                  Page 3, Lines 71 through 73:           

 

                     71        (b) Performance funding shall include  metrics approved by the board, including  :

                     72                      {(i)  three systemwide metrics, approved by the board; and

                     73                    (ii)  up to two institutional metrics, approved by the board.} 

                          (i) degrees and certificates granted;

                        (ii) services provided to traditionally underserved populations;

                        (iii) responsiveness to workforce needs;

                        (iv) institutional efficiency; and

                        (v) for a research university, graduate research metrics.   

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

Sen. Urquhart explained the bill to the committee.               

 

MOTION:  Sen. Urquhart moved to pass the bill out favorably as amended.  The motion passed unanimously with Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Pres. Niederhauser absent for the vote.

 

S.B. 245 and 2nd Sub.H.B. 49 were not considered.

 

Chair Millner adjourned the meeting at 6:06 p.m.

 

 

 

 

________________________

Sen. Ann Millner, Chair