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H.B. 66

             1     

PARAEDUCATOR TO TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP

             2     
PROGRAM

             3     
2008 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Ronda Rudd Menlove

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Karen Mayne

             7     
             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
             38     
             39      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             40          Section 1. Section 53A-6-801 is enacted to read:
             41     
Part 8. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program

             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


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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