MINUTES OF THE
PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Friday, January 21, 2022 • 8:00 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, Senate Chair
Rep. Steve Eliason, House Chair
Rep. Steve Waldrip, House Vice Chair
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. Derrin R. Owens
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson
Sen. Ronald M. Winterton
Rep. Joel K. Briscoe
Rep. Dan N. Johnson
Rep. Bradley G. Last
Rep. Rosemary T. Lesser
Rep. Karianne Lisonbee
Rep. Jefferson Moss
Rep. Susan Pulsipher
Rep. V. Lowry Snow
Rep. Robert M. Spendlove
Rep. Stephen L. Whyte

Members Absent:
Sen. Ann Millner

Staff Present:
Ben Leishman, Finance Manager
Emily Willis, Financial Analyst
Nancy Skidmore, Committee Secretary

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
1.Call to Order
Chair Eliason called the meeting to order at 8:07 a.m.
2.Utah Education Association Budget Requests
Heidi Matthews, President, Utah Education Association and Jay Blain, UniServe Coordinator and Policy and Research Director, Utah Education Association presented the budget requests.
3a. UEA Budget Recommendations
Rep. Johnson asked for clarification on the enhanced special education add-on. Jay Blain responded.
Rep. Johnson asked if the five add-on days for teacher preparation time could be used during the current required days of school. Heidi Matthews responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked to clarify that the 57.5 million dollars for teacher preparation time would be the equivalent of five days. Heidi Matthews responded. Rep. Briscoe also asked whether the students at risk of academic failure numbers would align with the modification in the formula adopted by the legislature last year. Jay Blain responded.
Rep. Snow expressed his appreciation for making pre-kindergarten a priority and an option. He also commented on teachers being overburdened and his appreciation to the UEA for balancing the needs of both the students and teachers.
Sen. Owens asked if the five extra days is included in the 2.5 percent WPU value increase or is it on top of that. Heidi Matthews responded.
Sen. Riebe commented on the importance of providing money to the WPU. Heidi Matthews responded.
Rep. Moss asked how to message to the public that additional funding in the WPU provides local flexibility. Heidi Matthews responded.
3.Line Item Review: MSP Line Items
Ben Leishman, Scott Jones, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, USBE, Sam Urie, School Finance Director, USBE presented the minimum school program (MSP).
4a. Minimum School Program Budget Review
4b. Special Education Statute
4c. Foreign Exchange Statute
4d. Concurrent Enrollment Statute
4e. USBE MSP Budget Requests
Rep. Bricoe asked for an explanation of the enrollment growth contingency money. Ben Leishman responded.
Ben Leishman presented weighted pupil unit essentials within the MSP basic school program.
Ben Leishman presented budget issues and recommendations.
Rep. Johnson asked if the federal government provides additional money for refugees. Ben Leishman responded.
Sen. Riebe asked if exchange students receive a higher WPU. Ben Leishman responded.
Rep. Waldrip asked if prevalence rates apply only to district or if they apply to all LEAs, including charter schools. Ben Leishman and Scott Jones responded.
Utah State Board of Education Requests for Appropriations
Scott Jones, Deputy Superintendent of Operations, USBE, Sam Urie, School Finance Director, USBE, and Dale Frost, MSP Administrator presented the budget requests.
Rep. Waldrip asked whether the disparities within the LEAs are being addressed. Scott Jones responded.
Rep. Last asked about the add-on for economically disadvantaged and ELL students. Ben Leishman responded.
Sen. Reibe asked how the pupil transportation formula impacts the rural versus the urban school districts. Sam Urie, Scott Jones and Ben Leishman responded.
Catherine Jensen, Education Specialist, Fine Arts, Music and Theatre, USBE commented on the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program.
4f. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Handout
4g. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Program Growth
4h. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Expansion Map
Rep. Johnson expressed his appreciation for the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program and how it has helped students.
Scott Jones continued his presentation.
Ben Leisham continued his presentation on budget issues and recommendations.
4.Special Education Legislation - Budgetary Impacts
Sen. Fillmore, Rep. Judkins, and Leah Voorhies, Asst. Superintendent of Student Achievement, USBE presented Special Education Legislation - Budgetary Impacts.
Rep. Judkins explained HB 113.
Sen. Reibe asked if funding increases based on neighborhoods that have a higher prevalence of special education students. Rep. Judkins and Leah Voorhies responded.
Sen. Fillmore explained SB 118.
5.Break
6.Discussion: Teacher Retention
Kade Minchey, Auditor General, Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG), Matthias Boone, Lead Auditor, OLAG, Leah Blevins, Audit Supervisor, OLAG addressed performance audit of teacher retention.
7a. Teacher Retention Audit Presentation
7b. USBE Teacher Retention Presentation
7c. Utah's Teacher Career Pipeline Animation
7d. Teacher Turnover, Shortage, and Vacancy Maps Dashboard
7e. Teacher Interviews about Retention Dashboard
Chair Eliason asked if the highest turnover of teachers is in the rural districts. Mathias Boone and Kade Minchey responded.
Sen. Riebe asked if the retention rate data includes state retention rates or district retention rates. Matthias Boone and Kade Minchey responded.
Rep. Johnson asked if licensed professionals such as speech and language pathologists are considered in this report. Matthias Boone and Kade Minchey responded.
Rep. Waldrip assumed the chair.
Rep. Briscoe asked if there are any suggestions for the legislature other than getting better data. Matthias Boone, Leah Blevins and Kade Minchey responded.
Rep. Eliason resumed the chair.
Dr. Patty Norman, Deputy Superintendent of Student Achievement, USBE and Dr. Jennifer Throndsen, Director of Teaching and Learning, USBE presented teacher retention-related budget requests.
MOTION:Rep. Waldrip moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-12.
Yeas - 7Nays- 0Abs- 12
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Eliason
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. R. Lesser
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. S. Whyte
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. B. Last
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Sen. D. Owens
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. R. Spendlove
Sen. J. Stevenson
Sen. R. Winterton
Chair Eliason adjourned the meeting at 10:48 a.m.
7.Adjourn