MINUTES OF THE
PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Friday, February 3, 2023 • 8:00 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, Senate Chair
Rep. Susan Pulsipher, House Chair
Rep. Norman K Thurston, Vice Chair
Sen. David P. Hinkins
Sen. Ann Millner
Sen. Derrin R. Owens
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Rep. Joel K. Briscoe
Rep. James F. Cobb
Rep. Steve Eliason
Rep. Katy Hall
Rep. Dan N. Johnson
Rep. Carol S. Moss
Rep. Karen M. Peterson
Rep. Candice B. Pierucci

Members Absent:
Sen. Keith Grover
Sen. Jerry W. Stevenson
Rep. Jefferson Moss
Rep. Robert M. Spendlove

Staff Present:
Ben Leishman, Finance Manager
Matthew Henderson, Financial Analyst
Andrew Talleh, 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 Pulsipher called the meeting to order at 8:06 a.m.
2.Federal Funds Approval
4. Public Ed Federal Funds Issue Brief_GS2023
Rep. Johnson asked if there are federal funds left over that can be used.
Matthew Henderson responded.
3.Final FY23 & FY24 Budget Issues
Chair Pulsipher asked the committee to look at the EAC Chair Budget Principles.
EAC Chair Budget Principles and Budget Item Ranking Criteria
Rep. Thurston commented about the importance of prioritizing appropriations in regards to good policy.
Ben Leisham continued the presentation on Final FY23 & FY24 Budget Issues.
3a. Public Education Funding Items - Ongoing
3b. Public Education Funding Items - One-Time
3c. Public Education Funding Item Requests by Agency
3d. Public Education Budget Motions [DRAFT]
3e. Public Education Appropriations Funding Decision Tree
Rep. Johnson asked for a hard copy of The Decision Tree.
Ben Leishman responded.
4.Requests for Appropriation
Sen. Fillmore assumed the chair.
Rep. Pulsipher presented a request for Supporting National Board Certification for Teachers with the assistance of Tony Zani, Utah National Board Certified Teacher Coalition.
Utah National Board Coalition
Rep. Thurston asked why this is not part of the standard curriculum in the teacher training program.
Tony Zani responded.
Rep. Eliason commented that this is a great program for teachers who want to distinguish themselves and help students.
Rep. Pulsipher presented a request for Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program with the assistance of Lisa Cluff, Executive Director, Art Works for Kids.
Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program
Students thank you notes show appreciation for the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program
Chair Fillmore commented that in last year's presentation it was stated that if this program was funded it would be in every school.
Lisa Cluff responded.
Rep. Thurston asked if there are any schools that have volunteered their flexible allocation or WPU's to fund this program.
Lisa Cluff responded.
Dan Johnson presented a request for Early Prevention System for Educators with the assistance of Martin Baker, co-founder and CEO, The Safeguarding Company and Curtis Linton.
5c. [Johnson] Early Prevention System for Educators.pdf
Safeguarding Utah Students
Rep. Thurston asked if this system can be implemented at the district level.
Curtis Linton responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked how this differs from SafeUT.
Curtis Linton responded.
Chair Fillmore asked if a district can buy this and how much funding is being asked for. He also asked if there is data from districts using this system about how this is being used and how effective it is.
Curtis Linton responded.
Rep. Johnson presented a request for English Language Services with the assistance of Jessica Franklin, English Language Center and Cynthia Mathews, English Language Center.
5d. [Johnson] English Language Services
Rep. Thurston asked about the statewide impact of the program and if the English Language Center is part of the public school system. He also asked if this Center has ever taken money from higher education, public education, or county and local governments.
Cynthia Matthews and Jessica Franklin responded.
Chair Fillmore asked what agency would this request be funded through.
Rep. Johnson and Jessica Franklin responded.
Sen. Owens presented a request for Student Credential Account (SCA) Statewide Usage with the assistance of Kelly Openshaw, Utah State Director, YouScience and Rob Belnap, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Director, Weber School District
Chair Fillmore asked if school districts could fund this on their own.
Rob Belnap responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked if there are any metrics or information suggesting that how effective this program can be.
Rob Bishop and Sen. Owens responded.
MOTION:Rep. Eliason moved to approve the minutes of the February 1, 2023, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-5.
Yeas - 14Nays- 0Abs- 5
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. J. Cobb
Rep. S. Eliason
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. K. Hall
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. D. Owens
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. J. Moss
Rep. R. Spendlove
Sen. J. Stevenson
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. Eliason presented a request for Utah School Mental Health Collaborative with the assistance of Dr. Aaron Fischer, School Mental Health Collaborative, University of Utah.
5e. Utah School Mental Health Collaborative
Utah School Mental Health Collaborative (USMHC)
Rep. Briscoe, commented that the mental health facilities in our schools are inadequate.
Rep. Carol Moss asked if this program will work directly with teachers.
Aaron Fischer responded.
Rep. Eliason presented HB363 Summer Education Grants.
Rep. Pulsipher asked if an LEA has flexible money could they do this themselves.
Rep. Eliason responded.
Rep. Birkeland presented a request for English Language Learners Software with the assistance of Eric Hafen, Program Director, Imagine Learning.
Rep. Briscoe asked if the funding requested is for software.
Eric Hafen and Rep. Birkeland responded.
Rep. Johnson asked if there is flexibility in how a local schools can use ELL appropriations.
Eric Hafen responded.
Chair Fillmore asked if the request was for ELL software or for a new line item for English Language Learners that districts would spend however they like.
Rep. Birkeland responded.
Rep. Romero presented a request for Educator Salaries Adjustments Increase.
Chair Fillmore asked if 80 million dollars was taken out of the WPU to dedicate to teacher's salary would there still be money left over for districts to fund a salary increase for others.
Rep. Romero responded.
Sen. Kwan presented School Readiness Grant Program with the assistance of Elizabeth Garbe, Vice President of Public Policy, United Way of Salt Lake City.
Sen. Riebe asked if students who have used this program are followed and what are their success rates.
Elizabeth Garbe responded.
Sen. Kwan presented School Security Enhancements with the assistance of Rich Nye, Superintendent, Granite School District.
Chair Fillmore asked if this appropriation is for only one school district.
Sen. Kwan responded.
Sen. Riebe thanked Sen. Kwan and the Granite School District for trying this security enhancement.
Sen. Cullimore presented a request for Child Abuse & Trafficking Prevention with the assistance of Deondra Brown, Foundation for Survivors of Abuse.
5b. [Cullimore] Sexual Abuse Education
Child Abuse & Trafficking Prevention
Chair Fillmore asked for the amount of appropriations being asked for.
Sen. Cullimore and Deondra Brown responded.
Sen. Perucci thanked Deondra Brown for sharing her experience.
Sen. Cullimore presented a request for Transparency in Public Education Library Materials with the assistance of Cameron White, DatumSure and Rep. Welton.
Rep. Moss commented on her confusion on exactly what this request is asking for.
Cameron White responded.
Sen. Riebe asked if the school that Cameron White's children attend has an on-line library system.
Cameron White responded.
Rep. Pulsipher asked if a school district had funds could they find a system and fund this themselves.
Cameron White responded.
Rep. Pulsipher resumed the chair.
Sen. Fillmore presented a request for Anti-Bullying Coalition-Stand4Kind with the assistance of Jay Francis, Board Chair, Stand4Kind.
STAND4KIND
Sen. Millner thanked Jay Francis and Gayle Miller for their leadership on this coalition.
Chair Pulsipher asked if the schools could use school funds to fund this program.
Jay Francis and Sen. Fillmore responded.
Sen. Fillmore presented a request for Promise Community School Transformation Initiavtive with the assistance of Rich Nye, Superintendent, Granite School District, Bill Crim, CEO, United Way of Salt Lake City, Jeff Silvestrini, Mayor, Millcreek City.
Sen. Riebe asked for more clarification on what this initiative would do.
Rich Nye responded.
Sen. Millner asked if this initiative is building on the work that has already been done.
Bill Crim and Rich Nye responded.
Rep. Lisonbee presented a request for Ballistic Protection Shields for School Safety with the assistance of William Benz, CEO, ATCS.
Sen. Fillmore resumed the chair.
Rep. Thurston asked if school districts could use their own funds to purchase these shields.
Rep Lisonbee responded.
Rep. Lisonbeen presented a request for Classified Employee Salary Adujstment.
Rep. Lesser presented a request for Family Read, Play & Learn Spaces with the assistance of Angel Castiel, Project Success.
5a. [Lesser] Family Read, Play & Learn Spaces
Rep. Thurston asked if the funding is for a statewide program.
Rep. Lesser and Angel Castiel responded.
Chair Fillmore and Rep. Pulsipher gave a preview of the next committee meeting.
MOTION:Rep. Johnson moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 11-0-8.
Yeas - 11Nays- 0Abs- 8
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. J. Cobb
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. K. Hall
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. D. Johnson
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. S. Eliason
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. J. Moss
Sen. D. Owens
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Rep. R. Spendlove
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Fillmore adjourned the meeting at 10:02 p.m.