Second Substitute S.B. 80

Representative Gregory H. Hughes proposes the following substitute bill:

1 EDUCATION REFORM - CRITICAL LANGUAGES PROGRAM
2 2007 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson
5 House Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill modifies the State System of Education Code by establishing a critical
10 languages program.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . establishes the Critical Languages Program; and
14 . authorizes a pilot program.
15 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
16 This bill appropriates:
17 . as an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, $230,000 from the
18 Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2007-08 to the State Board of Education.
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 ENACTS:
23 53A-15-104, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24
25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:

26 Section 1. Section 53A-15-104 is enacted to read:
27 53A-15-104. Critical Languages Program -- Pilot.
28 (1) (a) As used in this section, "critical languages" means those languages described in
29 the federal National Security Language Initiative, including Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Farsi,
30 Hindi, and Korean.
31 (b) The Legislature recognizes:
32 (i) the importance of students acquiring skills in foreign languages in order for them to
33 successfully compete in a global society; and
34 (ii) the academic, societal, and economic development benefits of the acquisition of
35 critical languages.
36 (2) (a) The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Utah Education
37 Network, shall develop and implement courses of study in the critical languages.
38 (b) A course may be taught:
39 (i) over EDNET, the state's two-way interactive system for video and audio, to students
40 in the state's public education system; or
41 (ii) through the Electronic High School.
42 (3) (a) The courses authorized in Subsection (2) may use paraprofessionals in the
43 classroom who:
44 (i) are fluent in the critical language being taught; and
45 (ii) can provide reinforcement and tutoring to students on days and at times when they
46 are not receiving instruction over EDNET under Subsection (2)(b).
47 (b) The State Board of Education, through the state superintendent of public
48 instruction, shall ensure that the paraprofessionals are fluent in the critical languages.
49 (4) The State Board of Education shall make rules on the critical languages courses
50 authorized under this section in accordance with Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative
51 Rulemaking Act, to include:
52 (a) notification to school districts on the times and places of the course offerings; and
53 (b) instructional materials for the courses.
54 (5) The State Board of Education shall track and monitor the Critical Languages
55 Program and may expand the program to include more course offerings and other critical
56 languages, subject to student demand for the courses and available resources.

57 (6) Subject to funding for the program, the State Board of Education shall establish a
58 pilot program for school districts and schools to initially participate in the Critical Languages
59 Program that provides:
60 (a) $6,000 per language per school, for up to 20 schools, for courses offered in critical
61 languages;
62 (b) $100 per student who completes a critical languages course; and
63 (c) an additional $400 per foreign exchange student who completes a critical languages
64 course.
65 Section 2. Ongoing appropriation for the Critical Languages Program and staff.
66 (1) As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, there is
67 appropriated from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal year 2007-08, $230,000 to the State
68 Board of Education.
69 (2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the appropriation under Subsection (1) shall be
70 used to fund the Critical Languages Program created in Section 53A-15-104 .
71 Section 3. Effective date.
72 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2007.