H.B. 317

1

KINDERGARTEN ASSESSMENT
2 2000 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: Loraine T. Pace
5 AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; MAKING THE ASSESSMENT OF A
6 KINDERGARTEN STUDENT'S READING AND NUMERIC SKILLS AT THE BEGINNING
7 OF THE SCHOOL YEAR OPTIONAL RATHER THAN MANDATORY.
8 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
9 AMENDS:
10 53A-3-402.9, as enacted by Chapter 254, Laws of Utah 1997
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
12 Section 1. Section 53A-3-402.9 is amended to read:
13 53A-3-402.9. Assessment of emerging and early reading skills -- Resource provided
14 by school districts.
15 (1) The Legislature recognizes that well-developed reading skills help:
16 (a) children to succeed in school, develop self esteem, and build positive relationships with
17 others;
18 (b) young adults to become independent learners; and
19 (c) adults to become and remain productive members of a rapidly changing
20 technology-based society.
21 (2) (a) Therefore, as part of a kindergarten student's first student education plan, the
22 student's parent or guardian, the student, and kindergarten personnel at the student's school [shall]
23 may participate in an assessment of the student's reading and numeric skills.
24 (b) The assessment [shall], if made, should take place no later than during the first two
25 weeks of the school year.
26 (c) The State Office of Education, in cooperation with the state's school districts, shall
27 develop the assessment instrument and any additional materials needed to implement and

28 supplement the assessment program.
29 (3) The kindergarten student's teacher shall use the assessment in planning and developing
30 an instructional program to meet the student's identified needs.
31 (4) Based on the assessment under Subsection (2), the school shall provide the student's
32 parent or guardian with appropriate resource materials to assist them at home in the student's
33 literacy development.
34 (5) The State Office of Education shall collect, review, and provide to school districts the
35 assessment data generated under Subsection (2) in order to:
36 (a) provide information to develop a personalized instructional program based on student
37 needs;
38 (b) improve teacher inservice and preservice programs related to teaching reading and
39 numeric skills; and
40 (c) evaluate the effectiveness of reading readiness for students entering the first grade.
41 (6) In conjunction with the assessment program established under this section, school
42 districts shall annually evaluate the need to use part of their Title 1 funds for preschool literacy
43 programs.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-28-00 10:42 AM

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

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel