First Substitute S.B. 51

Senator Leonard M. Blackham proposes the following substitute bill:

1 EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FOR
2 TESTING INITIATIVE
3 2004 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Leonard M. Blackham
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates a program to award grants to school districts and charter schools for the
10 online delivery of summative tests required under U-PASS.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . allows the State Board of Education to award grants to school districts and charter
14 schools to implement a system for the online delivery of summative tests required
15 under U-PASS (Utah Performance Assessment System for Students);
16 . provides that an online test delivery system shall:
17 . be coordinated by the Utah State Office of Education;
18 . ensure the reliability and security of U-PASS tests; and
19 . be selected through collaboration between Utah State Office of Education and
20 school district representatives with expertise in technology, assessment, and
21 administration;
22 . specifies how grant monies may be used; and
23 . directs the State Board of Education to make rules.
24 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
25 This bill appropriates:

26 . $10,000,000 from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2004-05 only to the
27 State Board of Education.
28 Other Special Clauses:
29 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2004.
30 Utah Code Sections Affected:
31 ENACTS:
32 53A-1-708, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33
34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 53A-1-708 is enacted to read:
36 53A-1-708. Grants for online delivery of U-Pass tests.
37 (1) As used in this section:
38 (a) "summative tests" means tests administered near the end of a course to assess
39 overall achievement of course goals;
40 (b) "uniform online summative test system" means a single system for the online
41 delivery of summative tests required under U-PASS that:
42 (i) is coordinated by the Utah State Office of Education;
43 (ii) ensures the reliability and security of U-PASS tests; and
44 (iii) is selected through collaboration between Utah State Office of Education and
45 school district representatives with expertise in technology, assessment, and administration;
46 and
47 (c) "U-PASS" means the Utah Performance Assessment System for Students.
48 (2) The State Board of Education may award grants to school districts and charter
49 schools to implement a uniform online summative test system to enable parents of students and
50 school staff to review U-PASS test scores by the end of the school year.
51 (3) (a) Grant monies may be used to pay for any of the following, provided it is directly
52 related to implementing a uniform online summative test system:
53 (i) computer equipment and peripherals, including electronic data capture devices
54 designed for electronic test administration and scoring;
55 (ii) software;
56 (iii) networking equipment;

57 (iv) upgrades of existing equipment or software;
58 (v) upgrades of existing physical plant facilities;
59 (vi) personnel to provide technical support or coordination and management; and
60 (vii) teacher professional development.
61 (b) Equipment purchased in compliance with Subsection (3)(a), when not in use for the
62 online delivery of summative tests required under U-PASS may be used for other purposes.
63 (4) The State Board of Education may award grants only to school districts and charter
64 schools that intend to implement a uniform online summative test system.
65 (5) (a) The State Board of Education shall make rules specifying:
66 (i) establishing procedures for applying for and awarding grants;
67 (ii) specifying how grant monies shall be allocated among school districts and charter
68 schools that qualify to receive grants under Subsection (4); and
69 (iii) requiring reporting of grant money expenditures and evidence showing that the
70 grant monies have been used to implement a uniform online summative test system.
71 (b) To ensure that small school districts and charter schools receive adequate funds to
72 implement a uniform online summative test system, grant monies shall be allocated on a 25%
73 base, with the remaining 75% distributed on a per pupil basis.
74 (6) If a school district or charter school uses grant monies for purposes other than those
75 stated in Subsection (3), the school district or charter school is liable for reimbursing the State
76 Board of Education in the amount of the grant monies improperly used.
77 Section 2. Appropriation.
78 (1) There is appropriated from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2004-05 only
79 $10,000,000 to the State Board of Education to be distributed to school districts and charter
80 schools to implement a uniform online summative test system in accordance with Section
81 53A-1-708 .
82 (2) The appropriation in Subsection (1) shall be nonlapsing.
83 Section 3. Effective date.
84 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2004.