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H.B. 66
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8 LONG TITLE
9 Committee Note:
10 The Education Interim Committee recommended this bill.
11 General Description:
12 This bill creates a program to award scholarships to paraeducators for education and
13 training to become a licensed teacher.
14 Highlighted Provisions:
15 This bill:
16 . creates the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program which provides
17 scholarships of up to $10,000 to paraeducators employed by school districts and
18 charter schools who are pursuing an associate's degree or bachelor's degree to
19 become a licensed teacher;
20 . provides that scholarship monies may only be used for tuition costs for:
21 . an associate's degree program that fulfills credit requirements for the first two
22 years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; or
23 . the first two years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure;
24 and
25 . directs the State Board of Education to:
26 . establish a committee to select scholarship recipients; and
27 . make rules to administer the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
28 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
29 This bill appropriates:
30 . as an ongoing appropriation, $1,000,000 from the Uniform School Fund for fiscal
31 year 2008-09.
32 Other Special Clauses:
33 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.
34 Utah Code Sections Affected:
35 ENACTS:
36 53A-6-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
37 53A-6-802, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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39 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
40 Section 1. Section 53A-6-801 is enacted to read:
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42 53A-6-801. Definition.
43 As used in this part, "paraeducator" means a school employee who:
44 (1) delivers instruction under the direct supervision of a teacher; and
45 (2) works in an area where there is a shortage of qualified teachers, such as special
46 education, Title I, ESL, reading remediation, math, or science.
47 Section 2. Section 53A-6-802 is enacted to read:
48 53A-6-802. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
49 (1) The Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program is created to award scholarships
50 to paraeducators for education and training to become licensed teachers.
51 (2) The State Board of Education shall use money appropriated for the Paraeducator to
52 Teacher Scholarship Program to award scholarships of up to $10,000 to paraeducators
53 employed by school districts and charter schools who are pursuing an associate's degree or
54 bachelor's degree program to become a licensed teacher.
55 (3) A paraeducator is eligible to receive a scholarship if:
56 (a) the paraeducator is employed by a school district or charter school;
57 (b) is admitted to, or has made an application to, an associate's degree program or
58 bachelor's degree program that will prepare the paraeducator for teacher licensure; and
59 (c) the principal at the school where the paraeducator is employed has nominated the
60 paraeducator for a scholarship.
61 (4) (a) The State Board of Education shall establish a committee to select scholarship
62 recipients from nominations submitted by school principals.
63 (b) The committee shall include representatives of the State Board of Education, State
64 Board of Regents, and the general public, excluding school district and charter school
65 employees.
66 (c) (i) (A) A committee member who is not a government employee may not receive
67 compensation or benefits for the member's service, but may receive per diem and expenses
68 incurred in the performance of the member's official duties at the rates established by the
69 Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
70 (B) A member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for the member's service.
71 (ii) (A) A committee member who is a government employee member who does not
72 receive salary, per diem, or expenses from the agency the member represents for the member's
73 service may receive per diem and expenses incurred in the performance of the member's
74 official duties at the rates established by the Division of Finance under Sections 63A-3-106 and
75 63A-3-107 .
76 (B) A government employee member may decline to receive per diem and expenses for
77 the member's service.
78 (d) The committee shall select scholarship recipients based on the following criteria:
79 (i) test scores, grades, or other evidence demonstrating the applicant's ability to
80 successfully complete a teacher education program; and
81 (ii) the applicant's record of success as a paraeducator.
82 (5) The maximum scholarship amount is $10,000.
83 (6) Scholarship monies may only be used to pay for tuition costs:
84 (a) of:
85 (i) an associate's degree program that fulfills credit requirements for the first two years
86 of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; or
87 (ii) the first two years of a bachelor's degree program leading to teacher licensure; and
88 (b) at a higher education institution:
89 (i) located in Utah; and
90 (ii) accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
91 (7) A scholarship recipient must be continuously employed by a school district or
92 charter school while pursuing a degree using scholarship monies.
93 (8) The State Board of Education shall make rules in accordance with this section and
94 Title 63, Chapter 46a, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to administer the Paraeducator to
95 Teacher Scholarship Program, including rules establishing:
96 (a) scholarship application procedures;
97 (b) the number of, and qualifications for, committee members who select scholarship
98 recipients; and
99 (c) procedures for distributing scholarship monies.
100 Section 3. Appropriation.
101 As an ongoing appropriation subject to future budget constraints, there is appropriated
102 for fiscal year 2008-09, $1,000,000 from the Uniform School Fund to the State Board of
103 Education for the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.
104 Section 4. Effective date.
105 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2008.
Legislative Review Note
as of 11-16-07 9:56 AM