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First Substitute H.B. 181

Representative Stephen H. Urquhart proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
EDUCATION REFORM

             2     
2006 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Stephen H. Urquhart

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill provides stipends for supplemental instruction to students who have not passed
             10      the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test, funding to implement proposals to improve
             11      mathematics achievement test scores in grades four through six, and modifications to
             12      the Utah Orderly School Termination Procedures Act.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    specifies eligibility requirements for students to receive a stipend for basic skills
             16      education;
             17          .    establishes stipend amounts;
             18          .    requires basic skills providers to accept students for instruction on a first come/first
             19      served basis;
             20          .    allows a basic skills provider to charge a stipend recipient an additional amount
             21      above the stipend amount;
             22          .    provides that a basic skills provider shall receive payment in the amount of the
             23      stipend if the stipend recipient passes the subtest for which the basic skills provider
             24      provided instruction;
             25          .    requires the State Board of Education to administer the Basic Skills Education


             26      Stipend Program and make rules;
             27          .    requires the Legislature to annually appropriate money from the General Fund for
             28      stipends for basic skills education;
             29          .    directs the State Board of Education to issue a request for proposals from school
             30      districts and charter schools to improve mathematics achievement test scores of
             31      students in grades four through six;
             32          .    requires the proposals to use professional development, incentive bonuses, or a
             33      combination of both, as a strategy to improve mathematics achievement test scores;
             34          .    requires the State Board of Education to:
             35              .    give priority to Title I schools in awarding funding to implement proposals; and
             36              .    report to the Education Interim Committee on the implementation of proposals
             37      to improve mathematics achievement test scores;
             38          .    specifies procedures for the termination or discontinuation of a career employees's
             39      contract; and
             40          .    appropriates money for stipends for basic skills education and to implement
             41      proposals to improve mathematics achievement test scores of students in grades
             42      four through six.
             43      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             44          This bill appropriates:
             45          .    for fiscal year 2006-07 only, $7,500,000 from the General Fund to the State Board
             46      of Education; and
             47          .    for fiscal year 2006-07 only, $12,500,000 from the Uniform School Fund to the
             48      State Board of Education.
             49      Other Special Clauses:
             50          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2006.
             51      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             52      AMENDS:
             53          53A-8-102, as last amended by Chapter 5, Laws of Utah 2001, First Special Session
             54          53A-8-104, as last amended by Chapter 86, Laws of Utah 2001
             55          63-55b-153, as last amended by Chapters 90, 251 and 328, Laws of Utah 2004
             56      ENACTS:


             57          53A-1-612, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             58          53A-17a-152, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             59     
             60      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             61          Section 1. Section 53A-1-612 is enacted to read:
             62          53A-1-612. Basic Skills Education Program.
             63          (1) As used in this section:
             64          (a) "Basic skills education" means individual or group instruction, including
             65      assessments, designed to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to pass the Utah Basic
             66      Skills Competency Test.
             67          (b) "Basic skills provider" means:
             68          (i) a school district;
             69          (ii) a charter school;
             70          (iii) an accredited public or private educational institution; or
             71          (iv) other entity that meets board requirements pursuant to Subsection (12).
             72          (c) "Program" means the Basic Skills Education Stipend Program.
             73          (d) "Stipend recipient" means a student who receives a stipend under this section.
             74          (e) "Utah Basic Skills Competency Test" or "UBSCT" means the basic skills
             75      competency test administered to students pursuant to Section 53A-1-611 .
             76          (2) The Basic Skills Education Stipend Program is created to provide students who
             77      have not passed the UBSCT supplemental instruction in the skills and knowledge necessary to
             78      pass the test.
             79          (3) The State Board of Education shall administer the Basic Skills Education Stipend
             80      Program.
             81          (4) (a) A student may receive a stipend for basic skills education if:
             82          (i) (A) by the spring of the student's junior year the student has not passed the UBSCT;
             83      and
             84          (B) the student's score on one more subtests is below the midpoint of the partial
             85      mastery range;
             86          (ii) the student's parent or guardian is a Utah resident;
             87          (iii) the student is enrolled full-time in a public school in the state; and


             88          (iv) the student does not qualify for the Utah Alternative Assessment.
             89          (b) A student who meets the criteria of Subsection (4)(a) may receive a stipend for
             90      basic skills education in the subject of each subtest failed. Depending upon the number of
             91      subtests failed, a student may receive one, two, or three stipends. A student may receive a
             92      stipend only once for each subtest failed.
             93          (5) Stipend amounts shall be based on a student's subtest score as follows:
             94          (a) $500, if the student's subtest score was below the midpoint of the partial mastery
             95      range but above the minimal mastery range;
             96          (b) $1,000, if the student's subtest score was below the partial mastery range, but above
             97      or at the midpoint of the minimal mastery range; or
             98          (c) $1,500, if the student's subtest score was below the midpoint of the minimal
             99      mastery range.
             100          (6) A stipend recipient may apply for basic skills education from any basic skills
             101      provider.
             102          (7) Each basic skill provider shall accept stipend recipients on a first come/first served
             103      basis.
             104          (8) A stipend recipient shall give the following to the basic skills provider selected to
             105      provide basic skills education:
             106          (a) a voucher in the amount of the stipend which the basic skills educator may present
             107      for payment by the board if the stipend recipient passes the subtest corresponding to the basic
             108      skills education provided by the basic skills provider; and
             109          (b) an authorization signed by the stipend recipient's parent or guardian for the stipend
             110      recipient's school to release records of the stipend recipient to the basic skills provider, if the
             111      basic skills provider is not the school district or charter school in which the stipend recipient is
             112      enrolled.
             113          (9) A basic skills provider who possesses a voucher shall receive payment from the
             114      board in the amount of the stipend, if, on a subsequent administration of the UBSCT, the
             115      stipend recipient passes the subtest corresponding to the basic skills education provided by the
             116      basic skills provider.
             117          (10) (a) A basic skills provider may charge a stipend recipient an amount in addition to
             118      that paid by the board.


             119          (b) The additional amount charged by a basic skills provider shall be:
             120          (i) consistent with the restriction in Utah Constitution Article X, Section 2;
             121          (ii) disclosed to the stipend recipient's parent or guardian when the stipend recipient
             122      applies for basic skills education; and
             123          (iii) reported to the board before receiving payment from the board.
             124          (c) A basic skills provider may not make any additional charge or refund of a charge
             125      contingent upon a stipend recipient's passing or failing a UBSCT subtest.
             126          (11) (a) Stipends shall be awarded by the board subject to the availability of money
             127      appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose
             128          (b) The Legislature shall annually appropriate money to the board from the General
             129      Fund to make stipend payments.
             130          (c) If monies are not available to pay for all stipends requested, the stipends shall be
             131      allocated according to rules adopted by the State Board of Education.
             132          (12) In accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
             133      the State Board of Education shall make rules:
             134          (a) establishing qualifications for basic skills providers who are not school districts,
             135      high schools, or accredited public or private educational institutions;
             136          (b) establishing procedures for the administration of the Basic Skills Education Stipend
             137      Program; and
             138          (c) requiring the parent or guardian of a stipend recipient who selects a basic skills
             139      provider other than the school district or charter school in which the stipend recipient is
             140      enrolled to sign:
             141          (i) an acknowledgment that the school district or charter school is released from further
             142      remediation responsibility for the stipend recipient; and
             143          (ii) if the student has an IEP, an acknowledgment that offering a voucher to the basic
             144      skill provider has the same effect as a parental refusal to consent to services pursuant to Section
             145      614(a)(1) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.
             146          Section 2. Section 53A-8-102 is amended to read:
             147           53A-8-102. Definitions.
             148          As used in this chapter:
             149          (1) "Administrative disciplinary action" means any written statement provided to the


             150      school employee, signed by a school or district administrator, and retained in the employee's
             151      personnel file evidencing the employee's willful or intentional misconduct as defined in
             152      Subsection (10).
             153          [(1)] (2) "Career employee" means an employee of a school district who has obtained a
             154      reasonable expectation of continued employment based upon Section 53A-8-106 and an
             155      agreement with the employee or the employee's association, district practice, or policy.
             156          [(2)] (3) "Contract term" or "term of employment" means the period of time during
             157      which an employee is engaged by the school district under a contract of employment, whether
             158      oral or written.
             159          [(3)] (4) "Dismissal" or "termination" means:
             160          (a) termination of the status of employment of an employee;
             161          (b) failure to renew or continue the employment contract of a career employee beyond
             162      the then-current school year;
             163          (c) reduction in salary of an employee not generally applied to all employees of the
             164      same category employed by the school district during the employee's contract term; or
             165          (d) change of assignment of an employee with an accompanying reduction in pay,
             166      unless the assignment change and salary reduction are agreed to in writing.
             167          [(4)] (5) "Employee" means a career or provisional employee of a school district, but
             168      does not include:
             169          (a) the district superintendent, or the equivalent at the Schools for the Deaf and the
             170      Blind;
             171          (b) the district business administrator or the equivalent at the Schools for the Deaf and
             172      the Blind; or
             173          (c) a temporary employee.
             174          [(5)] (6) "Provisional employee" means an individual, other than a career employee or
             175      a temporary employee, who is employed by a school district.
             176          [(6)] (7) "School board" or "board" means a district school board or its equivalent at
             177      the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
             178          [(7)] (8) "School district" or "district" means:
             179          (a) a public school district; or
             180          (b) the Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.


             181          [(8)] (9) "Temporary employee" means an individual who is employed on a temporary
             182      basis as defined by policies adopted by the local board of education. If the class of employees
             183      in question is represented by an employee organization recognized by the local board, the board
             184      shall adopt its policies based upon an agreement with that organization. Temporary employees
             185      serve at will and have no expectation of continued employment.
             186          (10) "Willful or intentional misconduct" means conduct that jeopardizes the health or
             187      safety of students or conduct that significantly impairs the employee's ability to safely or
             188      professionally fulfill the employee's responsibilities or assignments.
             189          Section 3. Section 53A-8-104 is amended to read:
             190           53A-8-104. Dismissal procedures.
             191          (1) (a) The district shall provide employees with a written statement of [causes]
             192      employee misconduct and incompetence under which a career employee's contract may not be
             193      renewed or continued beyond the then-current school year, under which a contract of each class
             194      of personnel may not be renewed or continued beyond the then-current school year, and under
             195      which a contract can be otherwise terminated during the contract term, and the orderly
             196      dismissal procedures which are used by the district in cases of contract termination,
             197      discontinuance, or nonrenewal.
             198          (b) The statement shall include unsatisfactory performance and willful or intentional
             199      misconduct for which specific employment actions may be taken.
             200          (2) (a) If the district intends to terminate a contract during its term or discontinue a
             201      career employee's contract beyond the then current school year for reasons of unsatisfactory
             202      performance, the unsatisfactory performance must be documented in at least two evaluations
             203      conducted at any time within the preceding three years in accordance with district policies or
             204      practices.
             205          (b) The district shall notify a career employee, at least 30 days prior to issuing notice of
             206      intent not to renew or continue the employee's contract beyond the then-current school year,
             207      that continued employment is in question and the reasons for the anticipated nonrenewal or
             208      discontinuance.
             209          (c) The board shall give the career employee an opportunity to correct the problem in
             210      accordance with the district evaluation policies.
             211          (d) The board may grant the career employee assistance to correct the deficiencies,


             212      including informal conferences and the services of school personnel within the district
             213      consistent with Subsections 53A-1a-104 (7) and 53A-6-102 (2)(a) and (b).
             214          (3) (a) If the career employee does not correct the problem as determined in accordance
             215      with the evaluation and personnel policies of the district and the district intends to not renew or
             216      discontinue the contract of employment of a career employee at the end of the then-current
             217      school year, it shall give notice of that intention to the employee.
             218          (b) The district shall issue the notice at least 30 days before the end of the career
             219      employee's contract term.
             220          (4) (a) If the district intends to terminate a contract during its term or discontinue a
             221      career employee's contract beyond the then-current school year for willful or intentional
             222      misconduct, the willful or intentional misconduct shall be documented in at least one
             223      administrative disciplinary action taken at any time within the preceding two years in
             224      accordance with district policies or practices.
             225          (b) The district shall notify a career employee, at least 30 days before the anticipated
             226      termination date, if the employee has not remedied or cannot remedy, based on the district's
             227      determination, the misconduct.
             228          (c) The district may provide the career employee assistance to remedy the misconduct,
             229      including informal conferences and the services of school personnel within the district
             230      consistent with Subsections 53a-1a-104 (7) and 53A-6-102 (2)(a)(b).
             231          (d) The career employee shall have the opportunity to appeal the termination within 30
             232      days of the termination date consistent with local board policies and practice.
             233          [(4)] (5) A district shall notify a provisional employee at least 60 days before the end of
             234      the provisional employee's contract if the employee will not be offered a contract for a
             235      subsequent term of employment.
             236          [(5)] (6) In the absence of a notice, an employee is considered employed for the next
             237      contract term with a salary based upon the salary schedule applicable to the class of employee
             238      into which the individual falls.
             239          [(6)] (7) If the district intends to not renew or discontinue the contract of a career
             240      employee or to terminate a career or provisional employee's contract during the contract term:
             241          (a) the district shall give written notice of the intent to the employee;
             242          (b) the notice shall be served by personal delivery or by certified mail addressed to the


             243      individual's last-known address as shown on the records of the district;
             244          (c) except as provided under Subsection (3)(b), the district shall give notice at least 15
             245      days prior to the proposed date of termination;
             246          (d) the notice shall state the date of termination and the detailed reasons for termination;
             247      [and]
             248          (e) the notice shall advise the individual that he has a right to a fair hearing; and
             249          (f) the notice shall state that failure of the employee to request a hearing in accordance
             250      with procedures set forth in the notice constitutes a waiver of that right and that the district may
             251      then proceed with termination without further notice.
             252          [(7)] (8) The procedure under which a contract is terminated during its term may
             253      include a provision under which the active service of the employee is suspended pending a
             254      hearing if it appears that the continued employment of the individual may be harmful to
             255      students or to the district.
             256          [(8)] (9) (a) Suspension pending a hearing may be without pay if an authorized
             257      representative of the district determines, after providing the employee with an opportunity for
             258      an informal conference to discuss the allegations, that it is more likely than not that the
             259      allegations against the employee are true and will result in termination.
             260          (b) If termination is not subsequently ordered, the employee shall receive back pay for
             261      the period of suspension without pay.
             262          [(9)] (10) The procedure shall provide for a written notice of suspension or final
             263      termination including findings of fact upon which the action is based if the suspension or
             264      termination is for cause.
             265          Section 4. Section 53A-17a-152 is enacted to read:
             266          53A-17a-152. Grades 4 - 6 Mathematics Improvement.
             267          (1) As used in this part:
             268          (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
             269          (b) "Title I school" means a school receiving federal monies under Title I of the No
             270      Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. No 107-110, for a schoolwide or targeted assistance
             271      program.
             272          (2) The board shall issue a request for proposals from school districts and charter
             273      schools to improve mathematics achievement test scores of students in grades four through six.


             274          (3) Each proposal shall use professional development, incentive bonuses, or a
             275      combination of professional development and incentive bonuses as a strategy to improve
             276      mathematics achievement test scores of students in grades four through six.
             277          (4) The board shall select proposals for funding based on the criteria stated in the
             278      request for proposals with priority given to Title I schools.
             279          (5) (a) There is appropriated for fiscal year 2006-07 only, $12,500,000 from the
             280      Uniform School Fund to the board to fund the implementation of proposals to improve
             281      mathematics achievement test scores of students in grades four through six as provided in this
             282      section.
             283          (b) The board may provide funding to implement a proposal for up to three years.
             284          (c) At least 50% of the money budgeted to implement proposals under this section
             285      shall be budgeted to implement incentive bonus plans.
             286          (d) The money appropriated in Subsection (5)(a) shall be nonlapsing.
             287          (6) The board shall make a report to the Education Interim Committee after each year
             288      of proposal implementation. The report shall provide an analysis of how professional
             289      development and incentive bonus plans impact mathematics achievement test scores in grades
             290      four through six.
             291          Section 5. Section 63-55b-153 is amended to read:
             292           63-55b-153. Repeal dates -- Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
             293          (1) Subsection 53-3-205 (9)(a)(i)(D) is repealed July 1, 2007.
             294          (2) Subsection 53-3-804 (2)(g) is repealed July 1, 2007.
             295          (3) Section 53A-1-403.5 is repealed July 1, 2007.
             296          (4) Subsection 53A-1a-511 (7)(c) is repealed July 1, 2007.
             297          (5) Section 53A-3-702 is repealed July 1, 2008.
             298          (6) Section 53A-17a-152 is repealed July 1, 2010.
             299          [(6)] (7) Section 53B-8-104.5 is repealed July 1, 2009.
             300          Section 6. Appropriation.
             301          (1) There is appropriated for fiscal year 2006-07 only, $7,500,000 from the General
             302      Fund to the State Board of Education for the Basic Skills Education Stipend Program created in
             303      Section 53A-1-612 .
             304          (2) Of the money appropriated in Subsection (1), $200,000 may be used by the State


             305      Board of Education for the administration of the program.
             306          (3) The money appropriated in Subsection (1) shall be nonlapsing.
             307          Section 7. Effective date.
             308          This bill takes effect on July 1, 2006.


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