Section 1. Section 53E-3-301 is amended to read:53E-3-301. Appointment -- Qualifications -- Duties.(1)(a)The state board shall appoint a state superintendent of public instruction, who is the executive officer of the state board and serves at the pleasure of the state board.(b)The state board shall appoint the state superintendent on the basis of outstanding professional qualifications.(c)The state superintendent shall administer all programs assigned to the state board in accordance with the policies and the standards established by the state board.(2)The state board shall, with the state superintendent, develop a statewide education strategy focusing on core academics, including the development of:(a)core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements;(b)a process to select model instructional materials that best correlate with the core standards for Utah public schools and graduation requirements that are supported by generally accepted scientific standards of evidence;(c)professional development programs for teachers, superintendents, and principals;(d)model remediation programs;(e)a model method for creating individual student learning targets, and a method of measuring an individual student's performance toward those targets;(f)progress-based assessments for ongoing performance evaluations of school districts and schools;(g)incentives to achieve the desired outcome of individual student progress in core academics that do not create disincentives for setting high goals for the students;(h)an annual report card for school and school district performance, measuring learning and reporting progress-based assessments;(i)a systematic method to encourage innovation in schools and school districts as each strives to achieve improvement in performance; and(j)a method for identifying and sharing best demonstrated practices across school districts and schools.(3)The state superintendent shall perform duties assigned by the state board, including:(a)investigating all matters pertaining to the public schools;(b)adopting and keeping an official seal to authenticate the state superintendent's official acts;(c)holding and conducting meetings, seminars, and conferences on educational topics;(d)collecting and organizing education data into an automated decision support system to facilitate school district and school improvement planning, accountability reporting, performance recognition, and the evaluation of educational policy and program effectiveness to include:(i)data that are:(A)comparable across schools and school districts;(B)appropriate for use in longitudinal studies; and(C)comprehensive with regard to the data elements required under applicable state or federal law or state board rule;(ii)features that enable users, most particularly school administrators, teachers, and parents, to:(A)retrieve school and school district level data electronically;(B)interpret the data visually; and(C)draw conclusions that are statistically valid; and(iii)procedures for the collection and management of education data that:(A)require the state superintendent to:(I)collaborate with school districts and charter schools in designing and implementing uniform data standards and definitions;(II)undertake or sponsor research to implement improved methods for analyzing education data;(III)provide for data security to prevent unauthorized access to or contamination of the data; and(IV)protect the confidentiality of data under state and federal privacy laws; and(B)require all school districts and schools to comply with the data collection and management procedures established under this Subsection (3)(d);(e)administering and implementing federal educational programs in accordance with Part 8, Implementing Federal or National Education Programs; and(f)with the approval of the state board, preparing and submitting to the governor a budget for the state board to be included in the budget that the governor submits to the Legislature.(4)The Deputy Superintendent of Operations shall report directly to the state superintendent.(4)(5)Upon leaving office, the state superintendent shall deliver to the state superintendent's successor all books, records, documents, maps, reports, papers, and other articles pertaining to the state superintendent's office.

Section 2. Section 53G-4-302 is amended to read:53G-4-302. Business administrator -- Term -- Oath.(1)Subject to Subsection (5), a local school board shall appoint a business administrator.(2)(a)The business administrator's term of office is for two years and until, subject to Subsection (5), a successor is appointed and qualifiedadministrator is an at-will employee who serves at the will of the local school board.(b)A local school board that appoints a business administrator in accordance with this section may not, on or after May 8, 2012, enter into an employment contract that contains an automatic renewal provision with the business administrator.(3)Unless a vacancy occurs during an interim vacancy period subject to Subsection (5), if it becomes necessary to appoint an interim business manager due to a vacancy in the office of business administrator, then the local school board shall make an appointment during a public meeting for an indefinite term not to exceed one year, which term shall end upon the appointment and qualification of a new business manager.(4)The business administrator qualifies for office by taking the constitutional oath of office.(5)(a)As used in this Subsection (5), "interim vacancy period" means the period of time that:(i)begins on the day on which a general election described in Section 20A-1-202 is held to elect a member of a local school board; and(ii)ends on the day on which the member-elect begins the member's term.(b)(i)A local school board may not appoint a business administrator during an interim vacancy period.(ii)Notwithstanding Subsection (5)(b)(i):(A)the local school board may appoint an interim business administrator during an interim vacancy period; and(B)the interim business administrator's term shall expire once a new business administrator is appointed by the new local school board after the interim vacancy period has ended.(c)Subsection (5)(b) does not apply if all the local school board members who held office on the day of the general election whose term of office was vacant for the election are reelected to the local school board for the following term.

Section 3. Section 53G-4-303 is amended to read:53G-4-303. Duties of business administrator.(1)A district's business administrator shall report directly to the district superintendent of schools.(2)Subject to the direction of the district superintendent of schools, the district's business administrator shall:(1)(a)attend all meetings of the local school board, keep an accurate record of its proceedings, and have custody of the seal and records;(2)(b)be custodian of all district funds, be responsible and accountable for all money received and disbursed, and keep accurate records of all revenues received and their sources;(3)(c)countersign with the president of the local school board all warrants and claims against the district as well as other legal documents approved by the local school board;(4)(d)prepare and submit to the local school board each month a written report of the district's receipts and expenditures;(5)(e)use uniform budgeting, accounting, and auditing procedures and forms approved by the state board, which shall be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or auditing standards and Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act;(6)(f)prepare and submit to the local school board a detailed annual statement for the period ending June 30, of the revenue and expenditures, including beginning and ending fund balances;(7)(g)assist the superintendent in the preparation and submission of budget documents and statistical and fiscal reports required by law or the state board;(8)(h)insure that adequate internal controls are in place to safeguard the district's funds; and(9)(i)perform other duties as the superintendent may require.

Section 4. Effective Date.This bill takes effect on May 6, 2026.