FY 2016 Appropriation

The Enhancement for Accelerated Students program was created by the Legislature in the 2011 General Session. FY 2012 represents the first year of program budgeting. Program funding is used to "enhance the academic growth of students whose academic achivement is accelerated" (House Bill 2, 2011 General Session).

The State Board of Education was directed to develop a distribution formula to allocate funding to school districts and charter schools. Statute states that the formula "may include an allocation of money for: (a) advanced placement courses; (b) gifted and talented programs, including professional development for teachers of high ability students; and (c) International Baccalaureate programs" (53A-17a-165).

Funding History

Funding Issues

Enrollment Growth

Total enrollment in the public education system is projected to increase by 7,951 students in FY 2016, with a total enrollment of 630,104. Additional students in the system increases the cost to certain programs as designated by statute or legislative precedent. Adjustments are made in the following programs based on consensus enrollment and WPU estimates: Basic School Program: $24,284,600 Funds an additional 8,380 WPUs in FY 2016. Related to Basic School Program: $10,698,800 Provides a 1.3% increase to the following programs: Pupil Transportation, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Adult Education, Enhancement for Accelerated Students, and Concurrent Enrollment. Provides an increase of $4,459,600 to the Local Replacement and $83,200 to the Administrative Cost programs for charter schools. Finally, increases th eamount for the Educator Salary Adjustment by $3,429,500 to account for additional teachers hired by LEAs in fall 2014. Voted & Board Local Levy: $23,023,600 Adjusts funding levels to provide the state guarante rate for all qualifying WPUs. Increases the state guarantee rate as provided in statute from $27.92 per WPU to $30.11 per WPU. The total local property tax revenue contribution to the cost of the Basic School Program is expected to increase by $8,462,600 in FY 2016. This amount works as an off-set to the total increased cost of the Basic School Program above.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $4,557,500 from all sources for Enhancement for Accelerated Students. This is a 3 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $4,557,500 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 3 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

In addition to statewide compensation and internal service fund cost increases, the following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Enrollment Growth$57,500$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$57,500$0Education Fund
Total enrollment in the public education system is projected to increase by 7,951 students in FY 2016, with a total enrollment of 630,104. Additional students in the system increases the cost to certain programs as designated by statute or legislative precedent. Adjustments are made in the following programs based on consensus enrollment and WPU estimates: Basic School Program: $24,284,600 Funds an additional 8,380 WPUs in FY 2016. Related to Basic School Program: $10,698,800 Provides a 1.3% increase to the following programs: Pupil Transportation, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Adult Education, Enhancement for Accelerated Students, and Concurrent Enrollment. Provides an increase of $4,459,600 to the Local Replacement and $83,200 to the Administrative Cost programs for charter schools. Finally, increases th eamount for the Educator Salary Adjustment by $3,429,500 to account for additional teachers hired by LEAs in fall 2014. Voted & Board Local Levy: $23,023,600 Adjusts funding levels to provide the state guarante rate for all qualifying WPUs. Increases the state guarantee rate as provided in statute from $27.92 per WPU to $30.11 per WPU. The total local property tax revenue contribution to the cost of the Basic School Program is expected to increase by $8,462,600 in FY 2016. This amount works as an off-set to the total increased cost of the Basic School Program above.
WPU Value Increase (4%)$175,300$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$175,300$0Education Fund
It costs approximately $26 million for each 1 percent increase or decrease in the WPU Value. Programs impacted include: The Basic School Program (all WPUs), Pupil Transportation, Concurrent Enrollment, Enhancement for At-Risk Students, Youth-in-Custody, Enhancement for Accelerated Students in the Related to Basic School Program.

Statute requires the State Board of Education to report annually to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the effectiveness of the program. Board rule requires school districts and charter schools to annually report "the following performance criteria related to the identified students whose academic achievement is accelerated: (1) Number of identified students disaggregated by subgroups; (2) Graduation rates for identified students; (3) Number of AP classes taken, competed, and exams passed with a score of 3 or above by identified students; (4) Number of IB classes taken, completed, and exams passed with a score of 4 or above by identified students; (5) Number of Concurrent Enrollment classes taken and credit earned by identified students; (6) ACT or SAT data (number of students participating, at or above the college readiness standards); (7) Gains in proficiency in language arts; and (8) Gains in proficiency in mathematics" (Board Rule R277-707-4).

Statute

The following statute governs the Enhancement for Accelerated Students program.

  • UCA 53A-17a-16 -- details the Enhancement for Accelerated Students program, including objective, funding distribution, restrictions, and reporting.

Administrative Rule R277-707 was passed by the State Board of Education. The rule includes the program formula and accountability provisions required by the Legislature.

Two previously independent programs were combined in to the Enhancement for Accelerated Students Program, including Accelerated Learning Programs and the High-Ability Student Initiative. Accelerated Learning Programs previously contained three separate programs, including Advanced Placement, Gifted & Talented, and the International Baccalaureate Program.

Intent Language

HB0002: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education review the Pupil Transportation Allocation Formula and recommend ways to improve the formula to increase efficiency, simplify allocation methodology to school districts, and provide incentives for alternative transportation methods. The Legislature further intends that the State Board of Education report its recommendations to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee by October 31, 2015.

HB0002: Item 2

The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education and State Board of Regents provide joint recommendations on how to ensure that each concurrent enrollment course is taught by a qualified instructor, that credits earned by students count towards major and minor degree requirements at state colleges and universities, and that students are advised on the transferability of credits to private and out of state institutions. The Legislature also intends that these recommendations be reported to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations Committee by October 31, 2015.

Total program funding includes the total amounts appropriated for each program in FY 2011, specifically, $3,494,781 from Accelerated Learning programs and $485,100 from the High Ability Student Initiative. Statute specifies that the greater of 1.5% or $100,000 of the total appropriation may be used to support International Baccalaureate programs.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.