MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

210 Senate Building, Utah State Capitol Complex

March 1, 2016

 

Members Present:     Sen. Ann Millner, Chair

                                    Sen. Jim Dabakis

                                    Sen. Lincoln Fillmore

                                    Sen. Mark B. Madsen

                                    Sen. Howard A. Stephenson

                                    Sen. Stephen H. Urquhart                                                      

           

Members Absent:      Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson

 

Members Excused:    President Wayne L. Niederhauser

 

Staff Present:             Ms. Allyson Goldstein, Policy Analyst

                                    Ms. Tonya Hadley, 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 4:27 p.m.

 

SB 224 Student Assessments (Sen. Stephenson)

 

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill: Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Acting Superintendent, Utah State Office of Education

 

MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to request the committee’s support to submit an interim study item to study, with feedback from the State Board of Education, the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, including provisions related to accountability and assessments, particularly those related to assessment participation and ways of implementing innovative assessments. The purpose of this study item is to specifically learn what measures the Legislature should implement in statute to allow the State Board of Education to accomplish the requirements of ESSA.

 

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

 

MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to request that the Legislative Management Committee authorize a summit with the education partners.

 

Chair Millner asked to postpone the motion until tomorrow so she could add it to the agenda. Sen. Stephenson withdrew the motion.

 

MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to hold S.B. 244 in committee. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent for the vote.

 

SB 239 School Governance Amendments (Sen. Stephenson)

 

Sen. Stephenson explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill: Ms. Angie Stallings, Associate Superintendent, Utah State Office of   

                              Education

 

Motion: Sen. Stephenson moved to pass out SB 239 to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent for the vote.

 

SB 242 Special Education Intensive Needs Fund Amendments (Sen. Fillmore)

 

Sen. Fillmore explained the bill to the committee.

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass SB 242 to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent for the vote.

 

HB277S01 Personalized Learning and Teaching Amendments (Rep. Knotwell)

 

Rep. Knotwell explained the differences between the 1st Substitute and the 2nd substitute.

 

MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to replace 1st Sub H.B. 277 with 2nd Sub. H.B. 277. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis absent.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Mr. Dave Thomas, Vice Chair, State Board of Education

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Mike Anderson, Administrator, Jordan School District

                                    Ms. Susan Edwards, Legislative Liaison, Canyons School District

 

Spoke against the bill:            

                                    Ms. Nancy Kennedy, President, Utah School Boards Association

 

MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to pass out 2nd Sub. HB 277 with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously.

 

HB289S01 Charter School Closure Amendments (Rep. DiCaro)

 

Rep. DiCaro explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke for the bill:       Mr. Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools

                                    Mr. Ben Horsley, Director of Communications and Outreach, Granite

                                    School District

 

MOTION:  Sen. Stephenson moved to pass 1st Sub HB 289 to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and

                     Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

HB301S01 School Bus Route Grant Program (Rep. Stanard)

 

Rep. Stanard explained the bill to the committee.

 

Spoke to the bill:         Dr. Scott Jones, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, Utah Board of Education

                                    Dr. Sydnee Dickson, Acting Superintendent, Utah State Office of Education

Spoke against the bill: Ms. Nancy Kennedy, President, Utah School Boards Association

 

MOTION: Sen.  Fillmore moved to pass 1st Sub. HB 301 to the floor with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Sen. Urquhart to the floor with a favorable recommendation.

 

MOTION: Sen. Fillmore moved to approve the minutes from February 29, 2016 meeting. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

MOTION: Sen. Fillmore moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Dabakis and Sen. Urquhart absent for the vote.

 

Chair Millner adjourned to meeting at 5:55 p.m.

 

 

 

___________________

Sen. Ann Millner, Chair