MINUTES OF THE
PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 6, 2019 • 8:00 a.m. • 445 State Capitol


Members Present:
Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard, Senate Chair
Rep. Steve Eliason, House Chair
Rep. Steve Waldrip, House Vice Chair
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Kathleen Riebe
Sen. Ronald Winterton
Rep. Joel K. Briscoe
Rep. Craig Hall
Rep. Dan N. Johnson
Rep. Bradley G. Last
Rep. Karianne Lisonbee
Rep. Jefferson Moss
Rep. Marie H. Poulson
Rep. Susan Pulsipher
Rep. V. Lowry Snow

Members Absent:
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson
Rep. Francis D. Gibson
Rep. Robert M. Spendlove

Staff Present:
Ms. Mary Stringham, Session Secretary
Ms. Emily Willis, Financial Analyst
Mr. Ben Leishman, Fiscal Analyst

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Hillyard called the meeting to order at 8:12 a.m.
1. Review of Recent Audits on Initiative Programs
Mr. John Dougall, State Auditor, with the assistance of Mr. William Maguire, Financial Senior Auditor, presented the 2018 Audit Review of Initiative Programs.
2a-UPSTART Audit [State Auditor]
Sen. Millner asked a clarifying question about verification and Mr. Dougall and Mr. Maguire responded.
Sen. Reibe asked a clarifying question regarding low income families and Ms. Sarah Young, Executive Coordinator, Educational Program, was invited up by Mr. Dougall to respond.
Chair Hillyard asked a clarifying question about at-risk students and Ms. Young responded.
Chair Hillyard asked a follow up question and Ms. Young responded.
Chair Hillyard asked a follow up question and Mr. Dougall responded.
Sen. Millner asked a clarifying question about the recommendation and Mr. Dougall responded.
Chair Hillyard asked a clarifying question about verification of students and Ms. Young responded.
Chair Hillyard made a suggestion to Ms. Young and Mr. Dougall.
Sen. Millner commented on Chair Hillyard's suggestion and Chair Hillyard responded.
Mr. Wayne Kidd, Audit Supervisor for the Legislative Auditor General, with the assistance of Mr. Darin Underwood, Audit Manager, and Ryan Thelin, Performance Auditor, presented a Performance Audit of three selected public education initiative programs: Carson Smith Scholarship Program, ProStart Culinary Arts Program and UPSTART.
2a-UPSTART Audit [State Auditor]
2b-Initiative Audit [Legislative Auditor General]
Chair Hillyard asked what the recommendation would be and Mr. Kidd responded.
Chair Hillyard invited the Utah State School Board (USBE) to speak to the performance audit.
Ms. Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent USBE, responded.
Chair Hillyard recommended that there be another meeting during the session to fully address the audit.
Rep. Waldrip asked a clarifying question regarding students being served by UPSTART.
Rep. Eliason asked a clarifying question about cost for UPSTART and Carson Smith and both Ms. Dickson and Mr. Underwood responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked a clarifying question about ProStart and Mr. Kidd responded.
Thalea Longhusrt, state director of career and techinical education, was invtied up to respond.
Rep. Briscoe asked a clarifying question about UPSTART and Mr. Kidd responded.
Rep. Eliason asked a clarifying question and Mr. Kidd responded.
Ms. Longhurst and Mr. Underwood responded to Rep. Eliason's follow up question about competitions.
Rep. Poulson asked a clarifying question about the cost of UPSTART per child and overall, Mr. Kidd responded.
Rep. Waldrip commented on Rep. Poulson and Rep. Briscoe's questions.
Chair Hillyard suggested the committee meet offline since those who have the correct information are stuck in the snow storm.
Rep. Eliason made a request regarding the numbers in Prostart and Mr. Kidd responded.
Rep. Eliason canceled his request.
2. Budget Review: Initiative Programs
Mr. Ben Leishman, Fiscal Analyst presented the Budget Review of Initiative Programs.
3. Approve Minutes
MOTION: Rep. Waldrip moved to approve the minutes. The motion passed with a vote of 13-0-6.
Yeas - 13Nays-0Abs-6
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Eliason
Sen. L. Hillyard
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. S. Waldrip
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. F. Gibson
Rep. C. Hall
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. R. Spendlove
Sen. J. Stevenson
Mr. Scott Jones provided an agency response and presented the first request: Intitiatives- LEARN Platform- $1,700,000 (ongoing).
3c-State Board Funding Requests [USBE]
Rep. Eliason commented on a prior request for information regarding USBE's budget request.
Chair Hillyard asked a clarifying question about Rep. Eliason's information request and Mr. Leishman responded that it would be finished by the end of next week.
Mr. Scott Jones presented the second request: Intitiatives- Competency-Based Education (CBE) Grants- $2 Million (ongoing).
3b-Initiatives Matrix
3a-Initiative Program Issues
Sen. Riebe asked to go back to the initiatives for the LEARN platform request and commented on its benefits.
The committee returned to USBE's second request.
Rep. Last asked a clarifying question about the request and Ms. Young responded.
Rep. Johnson asked a clarifying question about the competency based advisory committee and Ms. Young responded.
Mr. Scott Jones presented USBE's third request, Statewide Advising Corps- $5,995,000 ($2,997,500 one-time FY20 reduction) with the assistance of Mr. Spencer Jenkins, Associate Commissioner for Public Affairs at Utah State Board of Regents, and Mr. Thomas Wright, member of State Board of Regents.
Rep. Briscoe asked a question about what type of programs would be recommended in consultations with counselors and Mr. Wright responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked a follow up question regarding the advisory group attached to the budget request and Mr. Wright responded.
Rep. Waldrip commended the intitiative.
Rep. Hall asked a clarifying question about UtahFutures and Mr. Wright and Mr. Jenkins responded.
Rep. Hall endorsed the initiative.
Chair Hillyard made a comment.
Rep. Eliason asked a clarifying question and Mr. Jenkins responded.
Chair Hillyard made a comment.
Rep. Last asked a clarifying question about the results and benefits of the program and Mr. Jenkins responded.
Rep. Last asked a follow up question about mentors in high school and Mr. Jenkins responded.
Rep. Waldrip commented on current efforts to make the Regent Scholarship more accessible.
Chair Hillyard called for a five minute thirteen second recess.
4. Break
Chair Hillyard called the meeting to reconvene at 9:45 a.m.
5. Enrollment Growth & WPU Value
Mr. Jones presented the USBE Student Enrollment Growth of 1.02% (about sign) $35.7 million ongoing, $4.3 million (one-time).
Chair Hillyard asked a clarifying question about enrollment growth funding and Mr. Leishman responded.
Sen. Riebe commented on the impact that funding student enrollment growth can have on students and both Chair Hillyard and Mr. Leishman responded.
Mr. Jones presented USBE's proposal for 5.5% increase in the value of the WPU ~$176,000,000 (ongoing).
Chair Hillyard commented on the request.
6. Budget Review: Fine Arts Outreach
Ms. Dickson presented the agency response for Fine Arts Outreach, Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools (POPS).
Chair Hillyard made a joke.
7. Professional Outreach Programs in the Schools
Rep. Johnson expressed his gratitude for Chair Hillyard's continued advocacy for education and introduced the Fine Arts Outreach presentation by discussing the importance of educating the whole child.
Mr. Michael Barr, Education Director for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Ms. Mariah Mellus, Outreach Manger for the Utah Film Center, and Pamela Gee, Opera by Children Director at Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre, presented FY2020 POPS (fine arts outreach) request of $500,000 (ongoing).
6a-POPS Presentation [POPS]
6b-POPS One Page [POPS]
Rep. Moss asked a clarifying question about the one to one match and Mr. Barr responded.
Rep. Poulson commented on the the benefits of these POPS programs.
Sen. Riebe expressed her love and gratitude for the POPS program.
Ms. Mellus commented that POPS does align with the core curriculum.
Chair Hillyard refered to a story told by his friend Michael Ballam, founding General Director of the Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre.
Mr. Barr commented on the unique perspective and position of the POPS program.
8. Budget Review: MSP Categorical Programs with Rural Schools Impact
8b-Necessarily Existent Small Schools Report [USBE]
8c-Audit on MSP Programs [State Auditor]
8c-CTE Necessarily Existent Small Schools Data [USBE]
Rep. Waldrip assumed the chair
Mr. Jones and Ms. Jaime Barrett, USBE, presented four short term recommendations for Necessarily Existent Small Schools Report (NESS).
Rep. Eliason assumed the chair.
Sen. Hillyard resumed the chair.
Rep. Waldrip asked a clarifying question about the data related to NESS and Ms. Barrett and Mr. Jones responded.
Mr. Terry Shoemaker, Utah School Boards Association (USBA) and Utah School Superintendent's Association, spoke to the recommendations.
Chair Hillyard adjusted the agenda due to Mr. Jacob Wright, Governor's Office of Management & Budget, and his inability to be present due to the snow storm.
Mr. Jones addressed that Mr. Wright's absence.
Mr. Leishman provide recommendations to the committee on NESS.
8a-MSP Categorical Programs for Rural Schools
Sen. Millner asked a clarifying question about the work needed to improve NESS.
Chair Hillyard asked a clarifying question and Mr. Shoemaker responded.
Sen. Millner made a suggestion.
Chair Hillyard commented on rural schools.
Sen. Riebe asked a clarifying question about demographics and Mr. Leishman responded.
MOTION: Rep. Johnson moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 15-0-4.
Yeas - 15Nays-0Abs-4
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Eliason
Rep. C. Hall
Sen. L. Hillyard
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. M. Poulson
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. S. Waldrip
Sen. R. Winterton
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. F. Gibson
Rep. R. Spendlove
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Hillyard adjourned the meeting at 10:52 a.m.