MINUTES OF THE
PUBLIC EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 • 8:30 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


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

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

Staff Present:
Ben Leishman, Finance Manager
Rachel Boe, Financial Analyst
Rachelle Gunderson, 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/Adoption of Minutes - Monday, January 29, 2024
Chair Pulsipher called the meeting to order at 8:32 a.m.
The minutes will be voted on when the committee has a quorum.
2.Federal Funds
Rachelle Gunderson and Ben Leishman presented Federal Funds.
2-Federal Funds
3.Legislative Audit: Park City School District
3-PEAS Park City Presentation
Leah Blevins, Audit Manager, Office of Legislative Auditor General, Chris McClelland, Senior Audit Supervisor, Office of Legislative Auditor General, and Lindsay Jaynes, Audit Staff, Office of Legislative Auditor, presented audit of Park City School District.
Chair Pulsipher asked if the the suggestions given by the auditors have been given to LEA's in other school districts. Chris McClelland and Leah Blevins responded.
Rep. Johnson asked for an explanation of "internal controls" used in the auditor's presentation. Leah Blevins and Chris McClelland responded.
Rep. Johnson asked if the Park City school district has an in-house construction manager to oversee building projects. Chris McClelland and Leah Blevins responded.
Sen. Fillmore assumed the chair.
Sen. Milner referred to the peer districts literacy achievement - at risk students slide and asked if math was assessed. Sen. Milner also asked if this assessment was done in other school district. Lindsey Jaynes responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked for an explanation of Acadience. Lindsey Jaynes responded.
Rep. Briscoe asked if the audit looked at other student assessments that are state required. Lindsey Jaynes responded.
Rep. Biscoe commented that there is an achievement gap in a certain set of students and wondered if the district's analytic tool is not being used for them. Chris McClelland and Leah Blevins responded.
Rep. MacPherson asked for a clarification of recommended improvements. Leah Blevins and Chris McClelland responded.
Rep. MacPherson asked why a recommendation was made for a state-wide audit. Leah Blevins and Chris McClelland responded.
Sen. Owens asked the auditors for an overall assessment of the Park City School District. Leah Blevins responded.
Chair Fillmore commented that the auditors mentioned that the district lacked internal control. Was this aimed specifically to this project or over the entire financial operation. Christ McClelland responded.
Jill Gildea, Superintendent, Park City School District, Randy Upton, Business Administrator, Park City School District, responded to the legislative audit.
MOTION:Rep. Thurston moved to approve the minutes of the January 29, 2024 meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-4.
Yeas - 14Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. J. Briscoe
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. K. Hall
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. M. MacPherson
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. D. Owens
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. R. Spendlove
Rep. N. Thurston
Rep. S. Eliason
Sen. K. Grover
Rep. J. Moss
Sen. J. Stevenson
4.Requests for Appropriation
Rep. Birkland presented a request for appropriation (RFA) for Teacher Supplies and Materials Increase.
4a-RFA Teacher Supplies and Materials Increase - Public View
Rep. Thurston asked for a justification of why secondary teachers are getting more money for supplies and materials than the elementary school teachers when the elementary school teachers spend less on supplies. Rep. Birkland responded.
Rep. Clancy presented a RFA for Paid Professional Hours for Educators with the assistance of Jay Blaine, Policy and Research Director, Utah Education Association.
4b-RFA Paid Professional Hours for Educators - Public View
RFA - Reduced Price Category Elimination
Rep. Johnson asked if this bill maintains statutory language in a previous bill introduced by Rep. Johnson and Rep. Moss. Jay Blaine responded.
Rep. Clancy presented a RFA for School Lunch Amendments with the assistance of Noah Miterko, Government Relations Director, American Heart Association, Neil Rickard, Child Nutrition Advocate, Utahns Against Hunger.
4c-RFA School Lunch Amendments - Public View
Rep. Johnson asked how this bill would interface with a previous bill that Rep. Johnson ran. Neil Rickard responded.
Sen. Cullimore presented a RFA for Utah Fits All Scholarship program with the assistance of Rep. Pierucci.
4d-RFA Utah Fits All Scholarship Program - Public View
Sen. Riebe asked where the funding for this program is coming from. Sen. Cullimore responded.
Rep. Carol Moss expressed her concern that there are no guardrails and accountability for this bill. Rep. Pierucci responded.
Sen. Riebe asked why the unused money is not being sent back to the state. Rep. Pierucci and Sen. Cullimore responded.
Sen. Cullimore presented a RFA for AI Education Grant
4h-RFA AI Education Grant Program Funding - Public View
Sen. Reibe asked why the unused money will not be sent back to the state. Sen. Cullimore responded.
Rep. DeFay presented a RFA for Trauma Informed Schools Pilot Program with the assistance of Amie Huggins, teacher, Raise the Future.
4e1-RFA Trauma Informed Schools Pilot Program - Public View
4e2-TBRI IN SCHOOLS
Rep. Briscoe asked if Davis School District helps provide funding for this program. Amie Huggins responded.
Rep. Thurston asked if any districts have paid for this program out of their own funds. Amie Huggins responded.
Rep. Thurston asked if there are any districts who want to do this program could not fund it today. Amie Huggins responded.
Rep. Pierucci asked if parent's are involved in this program. Amie Huggins responded.
Rep. Pierucci asked if Raise the Future has thought of working with teen centers. Amie Huggins responded.
Sen. Hinkins presented a RFA for Emery County School fund shortfall with the assistance of Ryan Maughan, Superintendent, Emery School District.
4f-RFA Emery County School fund shortfall - Public View
Sen. Hinkins presented a RFA for Rural Utah Student Initiative.
4g-RFA Rural Utah Student Initiative - Public View
Sen. Owens presented a RFA for Student Credential Account (SCA) Statewide Usage with the assistance of Kellie Openshaw, Utah State Director, YouScience,LLC.
4i-RFA Student Credential Account Statewide Usage - Public View
Rep. Thurston asked if districts are using this programs and who is paying for it. Kellie Openshaw responded.
Rep. Peterson presented a RFA request for Stipends for Future Educators HB0221.
4j-RFA Stipends for Future Educators HB0221 - Public View
Rep. Johnson asked how many teachers would be included in this pilot. Rep. Peterson responded.
Rep. Pulsipher presented a RFA request for the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program with the assistance of Lisa Cliff, Executive Director, Arts Works for Kids and James Moss, Chairman, Utah State School Board.
4k1-RFA Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program - Public View
4k2-BTS Arts Funding Request PEA 1.31.pptx
Rep. Johnson related an experience where including arts programs helped him as a director of teachers.
Rep. Thurston asked what percent of student statewide are impacted by this program. Lisa Cliff responded.
Chair Fillmore asked if there are any numbered bills with a fiscal impact that the committee needs to address. These bills would include those bills that have been number since the Friday deadline, or might be numbered after today.
Rep. Carol Moss commented that she has a bill that will be heard in committee on Friday.
Sen. Riebe commented on a bill she has with a $1 million dollar fiscal note. This money would be taken out of the Economic Stabilization Fund for first year teachers.
Rep. Briscoe commented that he has a bill in the rules committee with a fiscal note of $69,000 that could be brought to the committee.
Rep. Eliason commented on his bill, H.B. 413, that does not have a fiscal note but has intent language for moving funds around.
Sen. Fillmore commented that his bill, S.B. 173, for market informed compensation for teachers could be heard in committee.
MOTION:Rep. Thurston moved to adjourn .The motion passed with a vote of 14-0-4.
Yeas - 14Nays- 0Abs- 4
Rep. J. Briscoe
Rep. S. Eliason
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. K. Hall
Sen. D. Hinkins
Rep. D. Johnson
Rep. M. MacPherson
Rep. C. Moss
Sen. D. Owens
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. S. Pulsipher
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. R. Spendlove
Rep. N. Thurston
Sen. K. Grover
Sen. A. Millner
Rep. J. Moss
Sen. J. Stevenson
Chair Fillmore adjourned the meeting at 10:20 a.m.