MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

215 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

March 6, 2015

 

Members Present:     Sen. Ann Millner, Chair

                                    Sen. Jim Dabakis

                                    Sen. Mark B. Madsen

                                    Sen. Aaron Osmond

                                    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

                                    Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart

                                                                       

Members Excused:    President Wayne L. Niederhauser

           

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 4:31 p.m.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Dabakis moved to approve the minutes of the March 3, 2015 and March 5, 2015 meetings.  The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Osmond and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.   

 

H.C.R. 7      Concurrent Resolution Urging Development of Methods to Minimize Excessive Testing and its Negative Impacts on the Schoolchildren of Utah   (Rep. M. Poulson)

 

Rep. Poulson explained the bill to the committee.    

                    

MOTION:  Sen. Madsen moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed

unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Osmond and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.    

  

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to put the resolution to the consent calendar. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Osmond and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.    

 

H.B. 293      Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education Program   (Rep. V. Peterson)

 

Rep. Peterson explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass the resolution out favorably. The motion passed

 unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Osmond and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote. 

  

1st Sub. H.B. 210        Early College High Schools   (Rep. V. Peterson)

 

Rep. Peterson explained the bill to the committee.

 

                    

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Clark Baron, Principal, Utah County Academy of Sciences

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

Office of Education

 

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

 

1.                  Page 2, Lines 42 through 51

                     House Committee Amendments

                     2-24-2015:        

 

                        42charter school.

                        43                    {(3)  "Institution of higher education" means:

                        44        (a)  the University of Utah;

                        45        (b)  Utah State University;

                        46        (c)  Weber State University;

                        47        (d)  Southern Utah University;

                        48        (e)  Snow College;

                        49        (f)  Dixie State University;

                        50        (g)  Utah Valley University; or

                        51        (h)  Salt Lake Community College.}  

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis, Sen. Osmond and Sen. Urquhart absent for

 the vote.  

 

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

 

1.      Page 1, Lines 24 through 25: 

 

                     24           53A-1a-1103, Utah Code Annotated 1953

                                        53A-1a-1104, Utah Code Annotated 1953 

                     25           =================================================                  

 

2.      Page 3, Line 63:         

 

                     63           advanced placement, concurrent enrollment, or early college course.

                         Section 4.  Section 53A-1a-1104 is enacted to read:

                         53A-1a-1104. Charter school partnerships with institutions of higher education permitted.

                        Nothing in this part shall be construed to prevent or inhibit a charter school from:

                        (1) contracting with an institution of higher education to provide early college education through the charter school; or

                        (2)  identifying the charter school as an early college high school if identifying the charter school as an early college high school is consistent with trademark laws.   

 

The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stephenson and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

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

 

2nd Sub. H.B. 345       Education Abuse Policy   (Rep. D. McCay)

 

Rep. McCay explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Ms. Jennifer Johnson, Utah State Board of Education

                                   

Spoke for the bill:       Ms. Britta Schugk, citizen

                                    Ms. Becky Ivory, citizen                                

 

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

           

H.B. 331      Professional Learning Grant Program   (Rep. B. Last)

 

Rep. Last explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Deputy Superintendent, Utah State Office of

Education

Ms. Deon Turley, Utah Parent Teacher Association

Ms. Sara Jones, Director, Utah Education Association

 

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

                       

MOTION:  Sen. Osmond moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Stephenson and Sen. Stevenson absent for the vote.

 

Chair Millner adjourned the meeting at 5:31 p.m.

 

 

________________________

Sen. Ann Millner, Chair