MINUTES OF THE
EDUCATION INTERIM COMMITTEE
Wednesday, September 21, 2022 • 1:15 p.m. • 445 State Capitol


Members Present:
Sen. John D. Johnson, Chair
Rep. V. Lowry Snow, Chair
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Rep. Melissa G. Ballard
Rep. Kera Birkeland
Rep. Dan N. Johnson
Rep. Karen Kwan
Rep. Bradley G. Last
Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
Rep. Jefferson Moss
Rep. Susan Pulsipher
Rep. Andrew Stoddard
Rep. Steve Waldrip
Rep. Christine F. Watkins

Members Absent:
Sen. Keith Grover
Rep. Adam Robertson

Staff Present:
Alex R. Janak, Managing Policy Analyst
Micah Ann Wixom, Policy Analyst
Mike Curtis, Managing Associate General Counsel
Taylor Calabrese, Administrative Assistant

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

1.Committee Business
Chair Snow called the meeting to order at 1:28 p.m.
MOTION:Rep. Waldrip moved to approve the minutes of the August 17, 2022, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 12-0-6.
Yeas - 12Nays- 0Abs- 6
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. K. Kwan
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. M. Ballard
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. B. Last
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. A. Robertson
2.Legislative Audit: Comprehensive Education Audit Capstone
2 - Legislative Audit: Comprehensive Education Audit Capstone
2 - Legislative Audit: Comprehensive Education Audit Capstone Presentation
Kade Minchey, Auditor General, and Leah Blevins, Audit Manager, Office of the Legislative Auditor General, presented on the legislative audit, Comprehensive Education Audit Capstone.
Kade Minchey and Leah Blevins responded to questions from the committee.
Sydnee Dickson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Scott Jones, Deputy Superintendent, Utah State Board of Education, provided an agency response to the Comprehensive Education Audit Capstone.
Sydnee Dickson and Scott Jones responded to questions from the committee.
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to open a committee bill file to require low-performing charter schools to renew their charters every five years and high-performing charter schools to renew their charters every 10 years. The motion failed with a vote of 4-11-3.
Yeas - 4Nays- 11Abs- 3
Rep. K. Kwan
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. C. Watkins
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. B. Last
Rep. A. Robertson
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to open a committee bill file to establish standards and requirements for charter school governing board members, including training requirements.The motion passed with a vote of 8-6-4.
Yeas - 8Nays- 6Abs- 4
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. C. Watkins
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. A. Robertson
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to open a committee bill file to convene a working group of superintendents to examine administrative costs of running a district and create uniform standards for recording those costs.The motion failed with a vote of 4-10-4.
Yeas - 4Nays- 10Abs- 4
Rep. K. Kwan
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. M. Ballard
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. J. Johnson
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. C. Watkins
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. A. Robertson
MOTION:Rep. Pulsipher moved to put the audit recommendations from the capstone audit on the committee's next interim study item list. The motion passed with a vote of 13-1-4.
Yeas - 13Nays- 1Abs- 4
Rep. M. Ballard
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. A. Robertson
MOTION:Rep. Moss moved to open a committee bill file to include the number of teachers leaving and the reasons they're leaving in the State Superintendent's Annual Report to the committee. The motion passed with a vote of 13-1-4.
Yeas - 13Nays- 1Abs- 4
Rep. M. Ballard
Sen. L. Fillmore
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. K. Kwan
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. V. Snow
Rep. A. Stoddard
Rep. S. Waldrip
Rep. C. Watkins
Rep. K. Birkeland
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. B. Last
Rep. A. Robertson
3.Higher Education: Statewide Online Courses Initiative
5 - USHE Statewide Online Education Initiative Presentation
Brad Mortensen, President, Weber State University, and Scott Wyatt, Senior Executive Director of Statewide Online Education, Utah System of Higher Education, presented on a potential program for higher education courses.
Brad Mortensen responded to questions from the committee.
4.Higher Education: Shared Administrative Services
3 - USHE Shared Services Presentation
Juliette Tennert, Chief Financial Officer, and David Woolstenhume, Commissioner, Utah System of Higher Education, presented on a study that identified areas for shared services and redundancies following the merger of the state's technical college and higher education systems.
David Woolstenhulme responded to questions from the committee.
Peter Hart, Manager, and Adam Fennel, Managing Director, Huron Consulting, presented additional details on the USHE shared services study.
Peter Hart and Adam Fennel responded to questions from the committee.
5.Higher Education: Institutional Program Duplication
David Woolstenhulme, Julie Hartley, Associate Commissioner of Academic Education, and Kim Ziebarth, Associate Commissioner of Technical Education, Utah System of Higher Education, presented on potential program duplications between various institutions following the merger.
David Woolstenhulme responded to questions from the committee.
6.Higher Education: Presidential Search Process
David Woolstenhulme presented on the presidential search process for higher education institutions.
7.Adjourn
MOTION:Rep. Ballard moved to adjourn.
Chair Snow adjourned the meeting in the absence of a quorum at 3:47 p.m.