H.B. 17

1

APPROPRIATION FOR SCHOOL FUNDING
2 2000 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Michael R. Styler
5 David N. Cox

6 AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS; INCREASING THE VALUE OF A WEIGHTED
7 PUPIL UNIT BY h [ 6% OR $114 ] 5.5% OR $105 h ; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND
7a PROVIDING A
8 COORDINATION CLAUSE.
9 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
10 AMENDS:
11 53A-17a-103, as last amended by Chapter 332, Laws of Utah 1999
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
13 Section 1. Section 53A-17a-103 is amended to read:
14 53A-17a-103. Definitions.
15 As used in this chapter:
16 (1) "Basic state-supported school program" or "basic program" means public education
17 programs for kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school students that are operated and
18 maintained for the amount derived by multiplying the number of weighted pupil units for each
19 district by [$1,901] h [ $2,015 ] $2,006 h , except as otherwise provided in this chapter. The
19a h [ $2,015 ] $2,006 h value
20 represents a h [ 6% ] 5.5% h increase in the value of the weighted pupil unit from the prior year.
21 (2) "Certified revenue levy" means a property tax levy that provides the same amount of
22 ad valorem property tax revenue as was collected for the prior year, plus new growth, but exclusive
23 of revenue from collections from redemptions, interest, and penalties.
24 (3) "Leeway program" or "leeway" means a state-supported voted leeway program or board
25 leeway program authorized under Section 53A-17a-133 or 53A-17a-134 .
26 (4) "Pupil in average daily membership (ADM)" means a full-day equivalent pupil.
27 (5) "State-supported minimum school program" or "minimum school program" means

28 public school programs for kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools.
29 (a) The minimum school program established in the districts shall include the equivalent
30 of a school term of nine months as determined by the State Board of Education.
31 (b) (i) The board shall establish the number of days or equivalent instructional hours that
32 school is held for an academic school year.
33 (ii) Education, enhanced by utilization of technologically enriched delivery systems, when
34 approved by local school boards, shall receive full support by the State Board of Education as it
35 pertains to fulfilling the 990-hour attendance requirements, excluding time spent viewing
36 commercial advertising.
37 (c) The program shall be operated and maintained for the total of the following annual
38 costs:
39 (i) the cost of a basic state-supported school program;
40 (ii) the amount appropriated in Section 53A-17a-123 for the local program;
41 (iii) the amount appropriated in Section 53A-17a-125 for retirement and social security;
42 (A) each school district shall receive its share of retirement and social security monies
43 based on its total weighted pupil units compared to the total weighted pupil units for all districts
44 in the state;
45 (B) the monies needed to support retirement and social security shall be determined by
46 taking the district's prior year allocation and adjusting it for student growth, for the percentage
47 increase in the value of the weighted pupil unit, and the effect of any change in the rates for
48 retirement, social security, or both;
49 (iv) the amount of the employer contribution required or made in behalf of employees
50 under Sections 49-2-301 and 49-3-301 ;
51 (v) the amount of the employer contribution under Section 1400 of the Federal Insurance
52 Contribution Act in accordance with Section 67-11-5 for local school boards;
53 (vi) the amount appropriated in Chapter 17a:
54 (A) for an incentives for excellence program;
55 (B) as a contingency fund for the State Board of Education;
56 (C) for state-supported transportation;
57 (D) for a teacher inservice program;
58 (E) for regional service centers;

59 (F) for the educational technology initiative program;
60 (G) for a school nurse program;
61 (H) for a comprehensive guidance program;
62 (I) for families, agencies, and communities together for children and youth at risk
63 programs;
64 (J) for experimental and developmental programs;
65 (K) for alternative language services programs;
66 (L) for highly impacted schools; and
67 (M) for character education programs; and
68 (vii) the cost of a leeway program.
69 (d) The program includes school construction aid programs authorized under Title 53A,
70 Chapter 21, Public Education Capital Outlay Act.
71 (6) "Weighted pupil unit or units" means the unit of measure of factors that is computed
72 in accordance with this chapter for the purpose of determining the costs of a program on a uniform
73 basis for each district.
74 Section 2. Effective date.
75 This act takes effect on July 1, 2000.
76 Section 3. Coordination clause.
77 If this bill and S.B. 3, Minimum School Program Act Amendments, both pass, it is the
78 intent of the Legislature that the amendments in this bill supercede the amendments to Subsection
79 53A-17a-103(1) in S.B. 3, except that if the increased value of the weighted pupil unit is greater
80 in S.B. 3 than in this bill, that value supercedes the increased value established in this bill.




Legislative Review Note
as of 12-8-99 11:48 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel