FY 2016 Appropriation

Related to Basic School Programs complement the Basic School Program, but generally target a specific educational need, student population group, or teacher group. Most often, funding allocated to each categorical program is distributed broadly to school districts and charter schools based on a formula established in statute or board rule. However, some programs require a district or charter school to either qualify (based on established criteria) or to apply for program funding.

Funding History

Funding Issues

At Risk Funding

Funding will provide for increased interventions for students learning English as a second language, students living in poverty, homeless stduents, and students underperforming on state assessments. Included in this request is $600,000 to fund the MESA program (math/science programs for girls and minority students).

Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts

Funding will increase the reach of the program into additional elementary schools. Preliminary estimates indicate that the additional funding will allow approximately 173 additional elementary schools to participate and serve an additional 140,000 students. This will allow approximately 70 percent of elementary schools to participate in the program.

Dual Immersion Growth

Additional funding will provide for the continuation of dual immersion programs into secondary schools based on language instruction from K-6 schools. Also, funding will allow for an expansion of 22 additional elementary schools to participate in the program.

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.

Increased Interest & Dividends Revenue

Additional revenue in the Interest & Dividends Account that will be distributed to public schools.

Professional Development: At Risk Math

Funding will provide professional development services for teachers in grades 4-8 in mathematics content and pedagogy. Students at-risk of failing will be supported with learning interventions.

Targeted Professional Learning Initiative

Funding to provide up to three professional development days, at the rate of $8 million per day. Funding will be distributed to LEAs using a Base Plus formula to provide for an equitable distribution. Schools will be required to apply for funding through a competitive grant process that includes an accountability and evaluation plan.

Teacher Salary Supplement Program

Based on current applications, the program does not have sufficient funding to provide the full salary supplment to all qualifying math and science teachers in the current year. The program has a total of $5.42 available with $6.44 million requested. Based on USOE growth estimates, an additional $1.5 million ongoing may be needed to fund requests in FY 2016.

Teacher Supplies and Materials

Provides funding to reimburse teachers for out of pocket expenditures on classroom supplies. The program has been funded for decades from one-time sources. The subcommittee recommends that ongoing funds be appropriated to support the program. Teachers receive a varying amount of funding based on grades taught and longevity. New educators teaching in lower grades receive more than veteran educators teaching in the higher grades. The subcommittee passed intent language directing the State Board of Education on how to distribute funding. This is the same language that has been included with the appropriation for several years.

Transportation Initiative

Provide funding to LEAs to replace dirty-diesel school buses with new alternative fuel school buses. Funding will also assist in upgrading fueling infrastructure and school shop retrofits with a 50 percent match.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $541,239,100 from all sources for Related to Basic School Programs. This is a 4.4 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $501,509,100 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 4.2 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

The following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts$2,000,000$2,500,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$2,000,000$0Education Fund
$0$2,500,000Education Fund, One-time
Funding will increase the reach of the program into additional elementary schools. Preliminary estimates indicate that the additional funding will allow approximately 173 additional elementary schools to participate and serve an additional 140,000 students. This will allow approximately 70 percent of elementary schools to participate in the program.
Charter School Finance Amendments ($2,800,000)$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
($2,800,000)$0Education Fund
Enactment of this legislation likely will not materially impact state revenue. Enactment of this bill may reduce the state cost for the Charter School Local Replacement Program by $2.8 million ongoing from the Education Fund. The collective contribution of local school districts to the cost of the program may increase from approximately $14.9 million to $17.7 million in FY 2016.
Civics Education - State Capitol Field Trips$0$150,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$150,000Education Fund, One-time
Provide grants to schools to bring students to tour the capitol building.
Dual Immersion Growth$600,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$600,000$0Education Fund
Additional funding will provide for the continuation of dual immersion programs into secondary schools based on language instruction from K-6 schools. Also, funding will allow for an expansion of 22 additional elementary schools to participate in the program.
Enrollment Growth$9,789,300$3,430,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$9,789,300$0Education Fund
$0$3,430,000Education Fund, One-time
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.
Flexible Allocation$2,800,000 ($2,800,000)
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$2,800,000$0Education Fund
$0 ($2,800,000)Education Fund, One-time
Savings from the enactment of HB0119. Appropriated ongoing, but backed-out one-time in FY 2016.
Increased Interest & Dividends Revenue$2,149,300$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$2,149,300$0Interest and Dividends Account
Additional revenue in the Interest & Dividends Account that will be distributed to public schools.
K-12 Digital Literacy$0$5,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$5,000,000Education Fund, One-time
Funding to improve instruction in digital/computer literacy, including, professional development for teachers, introducation of keyboarding in elementary schools, introducation of coding to elementary students, increase computer lab time, and re-align digital literacy courses.
Matching Fund for School Nurses$120,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$120,000$0Education Fund
Provide matching grants to schools to hire school nurses. Schools must provide a match of 50 percent of the grant amount to receive funding.
MSP Balances Transferred to the Education Fund$0 ($8,000,000)
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0 ($8,000,000)Transfers
No Description
MSP Nonlapsing - Estimated Available Balance$0$8,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$22,361,600Beginning Nonlapsing
$0 ($14,361,600)Closing Nonlapsing
No Description
School Library Books and Electronic Resources$300,000$750,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$300,000$0Education Fund
$0$750,000Education Fund, One-time
Provide grants to public schools to purchase books and electronic resources (books, periodicals, journals, etc.) for school library/media centers.
Special Ed Intensive Services$0$2,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$2,000,000Education Fund, One-time
Provides additional funding to reimburse LEAs for students that cost more than 3 times the state average. LEAs must apply to the USOE for funding and demonstrate that they have expended sufficient funding to receive a reimbursement. LEAs can receive additional reimbursement for costs over $20,000 a year for a student. Currently, the state has approximately $1,225,000 to fund reimbursements, with $1,000,000 coming from Federal IDEA and the remaining from state the state appropriation for Special Education State Programs. With this funding, LEAs are reimbursed for 12 percent of their costs in excess of the base threshold. Estimates indicate that to reimburse for all costs over the threshold would cost approximately $28 million. An additional $10 million will reimburse approximately 40 percent of costs.
Teacher Salary Supplement Program$1,500,000$1,650,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$1,500,000$0Education Fund
$0$1,650,000Education Fund, One-time
Based on current applications, the program does not have sufficient funding to provide the full salary supplment to all qualifying math and science teachers in the current year. The program has a total of $5.42 available with $6.44 million requested. Based on USOE growth estimates, an additional $1.5 million ongoing may be needed to fund requests in FY 2016.
Teacher Salary Supplement Program Amendments$53,600$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$53,600$0Education Fund
Enactment of this bill would transfer $13,352,000 in FY 2016 and $18,185,000 in FY 2017 from the Education Fund to the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account. That amount could grow to $42,351,000 in FY 2021. Enactment of this bill could cost $13.4 million in FY 2016 and $18.2 million in FY 2017, growing to $42.4 million in 2021, from the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account for changes in the amount of the salary supplement for eligible teachers and expanded definition of an eligible teacher. The bill would transfer like amounts from the Education Fund to the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account.
Teacher Supplies and Materials$0$6,000,000
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$6,000,000Education Fund, One-time
Provides funding to reimburse teachers for out of pocket expenditures on classroom supplies. The program has been funded for decades from one-time sources. The subcommittee recommends that ongoing funds be appropriated to support the program. Teachers receive a varying amount of funding based on grades taught and longevity. New educators teaching in lower grades receive more than veteran educators teaching in the higher grades. The subcommittee passed intent language directing the State Board of Education on how to distribute funding. This is the same language that has been included with the appropriation for several years.
WPU Value Increase (4%)$5,658,100$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$5,658,100$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.

Related to Basic programs are often referred to as "Below-the-Line" programs. This moniker is given to these categorical programs to differentiate them from the WPU-based Basic School Program. Funding is not determined by the number of WPUs, but rather, by the amount appropriated by the Legislature. The program is divided into four categories: Related to Basic Programs, Special Populations, Other Programs, and One-time Funding Items.

Related to Basic School Programs are often referred to as "Below-the-Line" programs. This moniker is given to these categorical programs to differentiate them from the WPU based Regular School Program. Funding is not determined by the number of WPUs assigned to the program, but rather, by the level of funding appropriated by the Legislature. The program is subdivided into four categories, Related to Basic Programs, Special Populations, Other Programs, and One-time Funding Items.

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.

Programs are funded entirely from state resources, namely, the Education Fund or the Uniform School Fund Restricted - Interest and Dividends Account. The latter funds the School LAND Trust program. In FY 2015, the Legislature appropriated a total of $513.6 million to support the various 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.