H.B. 138 Enrolled

STUDENT EDUCATION/OCCUPATION
PLAN AMENDMENTS
1997 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Lloyd W. Frandsen
AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR AT LEAST ONE
ANNUAL INDIVIDUAL SEOP CONFERENCE FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN
GRADES 7-11, WITH AN OPTIONAL CONFERENCE IN GRADE 12, AND AT
LEAST ONE SMALL GROUP SEOP CONFERENCE IN GRADE 12 AND IN GRADES
7 OR 8 AND GRADES 9 OR 10, WHICHEVER IS THE STUDENT'S FIRST YEAR IN
HIGH SCHOOL; AND PROVIDING FOR GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT
CONSTITUTES THE MAKEUP OF A SMALL GROUP SEOP.
This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
AMENDS:
53A-1a-106, as last amended by Chapter 105, Laws of Utah 1996
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 53A-1a-106 is amended to read:
53A-1a-106. School district and individual school powers.
(1) In order to acquire and develop the characteristics listed in Section 53A-1a-104, each
school district and each public school within its respective district shall implement a
comprehensive system of accountability in which students advance through public schools by
demonstrating competency in required skills and mastery of required knowledge through the use
of diverse assessment instruments such as authentic and criterion referenced tests, projects, and
portfolios.
(2) (a) Each school district and public school is authorized and encouraged to do the
following:
(i) develop and implement programs integrating technology into the curriculum,
instruction, and student assessment;
(ii) increase teacher and parent involvement in decision-making at the school site;

(iii) implement a public school choice program to give parents, students, and teachers greater
flexibility in designing and choosing among programs with different focuses between schools within
the same district and between different districts, subject to space availability, demographics, and
legal and performance criteria;
(iv) establish strategic planning at both the district and school level and site-based decision
making programs at the school level;
(v) provide opportunities for each student to acquire and develop academic and occupational
knowledge, skills, and abilities;
(vi) participate in ongoing research and development projects primarily at the school level
aimed at improving the quality of education within the system; and
(vii) involve business and industry in the education process through the establishment of
partnerships with the business community at the district and school level.
(b) (i) Each school district, in consultation with its teachers, school community councils or
similar entities, and the State Board of Education, shall establish policies to provide for the effective
implementation of a personalized student education plan (SEP) or student education/occupation plan
(SEOP) for each student at the school site.
(ii) The policies shall include guidelines and expectations:
(A) for recognizing the student's accomplishments and strengths;
(B) for planning, monitoring, and managing education and career development;
(C) for an on-going partnership involving students, parents, and school personnel in the
process, to include at least two annual SEP conferences at the elementary level, involving the
student, the student's parent or guardian, and school personnel, and at least one individual [and one
small group] SEOP conference held annually [at the secondary level,] in grades 7-11, with an
optional conference in grade 12, involving the student, the student's parent or guardian, and school
personnel, and at least one small group SEOP conference in grade 12 and at least one small group
SEOP conference in grade 7 or 8 and 9 or 10 involving the student, the student's parent or guardian,
and school personnel; and
(D) for identifying and obtaining adequate resources, such as time and training, required for

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a successful program.
(iii) (A) The State Board of Education shall provide guidelines, after receiving input from
local school boards, as to what constitutes the makeup of a small group SEOP.
(B) Nothing in Subsection (2)(b) prevents parents or guardians from having additional
conferences with school personnel on matters related to their students.
[(iii)] (iv) Time spent during the school day to implement SEPs and SEOPs is considered
part of the school term referred to in Subsection 53A-17a-103(5).
(3) A school district or public school may submit proposals to modify or waive rules or
policies of a supervisory authority within the public education system in order to acquire or develop
the characteristics listed in Section 53A-1a-104.
(4) (a) Each school district and public school shall make an annual report to its patrons on
its activities under this section.
(b) The reporting process shall involve participation from teachers, parents, and the
community at large in determining how well the district or school is performing.
(c) The State Board of Education shall receive a copy of each report and make a summary
report to the strategic planning committee referred to in Section 53A-1a-102.

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