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MINUTES OF THE

SENATE EDUCATION STANDING COMMITTEE

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2009

ROOM 415, STATE CAPITOL


Members Present:        Sen. Curtis Bramble, Chair
                Sen. Margaret Dayton
                Sen. Brent Goodfellow
                Sen. Lyle Hillyard
                Sen. Scott Jenkins
                Sen. Karen Morgan
                Sen. Howard A. Stephenson
        
Staff Present:            Allison Nicholson, Policy Analyst
                Dee Larsen, Associate General Council
                Karen C. Allred, Secretary
                    
Public Speakers Present:    Myranda Holgerson, Homeschool parent, Utah Home Education      Association Board
                Carrie Piper, Homeschool parent
                Stan Rasmussen, Public Affairs, Sutherland Institute
                Jon Yarrington, President, Utah Home Education Association
                Barb Remsbur, Director of Housing, University of Utah
                Robert Payne, Associate General Council, University of Utah
                Tamara Lowe, President, Utah School Boards Association
                Laura Pinnock, Utah Small Districts Coalition
                Anna Clare Shepherd, Citizen
                Debbie White, President, American Federation of Teachers, Utah
                Susan Kuziak, Utah Education Association
                Betsy VanDenBerghe, Parent
                Carlene Walker, Citizen
                Hugo Rossi, Professor Emeritus, University of Utah Math
                     Department
                Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association
                Delane England, Parent
                Aaron Bertram, Math Professor and Parent    

    A list of visitors and a copy of handouts are filed with the committee minutes.

    Committee Chair Bramble called the meeting to order at 8:08 A.M.

     MOTION: Sen. Hillyard moved to approve the minutes of the February 2, 2009 meeting.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Goodfellow, Jenkins, and Stephenson absent for the vote.



1.     S.B. 123 -- School District Division Process

    Sen. Hillyard introduced and explained the bill.

    MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to adopt the following amendment:

1.    Page 5, Lines 128 through 142 :    

             128          (5) (a) If a proposal submitted under Subsection (2)(a)(iii) is certified under Subsection
             129      (2)(f) or (g), the legislative body of each county in which part of the proposed new school
             130      district is located shall submit the proposal to the respective clerk of each county to be voted
             131      on:
             132          (i)
  (A)       by the legal voters residing within the [proposed new] existing school district

             133      boundaries
  if the student enrollment in the proposed new school district is greater than or equal to 15,000 students or 25 percent of the student enrollment of the existing school district; and

    (B) by the legal voters residing within the proposed new school district boundaries if the student enrollment in the proposed new school district is less than 15,000 students or 25 percent of the student enrollment of the existing district  
;

             134          (ii) in accordance with the procedures and requirements applicable to a regular general
             135      election under Title 20A, Election Code; and
             136          (iii) at the next regular general election or municipal general election, whichever is
             137      first.
             138          (b) (i) If a majority of the legal voters
{   within the [proposed new] existing school

             139      district boundaries  
}
voting on the proposal at an election under Subsection (5)(a) vote in favor
             140      of the creation of the new district:
             141          (A) each county legislative body shall, within 60 days after the canvass date, file with
             142      the lieutenant governor the written notice, with the accompanying map or plat, required under


    The motion passed with Sens. Bramble, Dayton, Goodfellow, Hillyard, Jenkins, and Stephenson voting in favor, and Sen. Morgan voting in opposition.

    Tamara Lowe, President, Utah School Boards Association; Debbie White, President, American Federation of Teachers, Utah; and Susan Kuziak, Utah Education Association; spoke for the bill.

    Laura Pinnok, Utah Small Districts Coalition; Anna Clare Shepherd, Citizen; Betsy VanDenBerghe, Parent; and Carlene Walker, Citizen; spoke against the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Goodfellow moved to pass S.B.123 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion failed with Sens. Hillyard, Goodfellow, and Stephenson voting in favor, and Sens. Bramble, Dayton, Jenkins, and Morgan voting in opposition.

2.     S.B. 146 -- Home Schooling Amendments

    Sen. Madsen introduced and explained the bill.

    Myranda Holgerson, Homeshool parent, Utah Home Education Association Board; Carrie Piper, Homeschool parent; Stan Rasmussen, Public Affairs, Sutherland Institute; and Jon Yarrington, President, Utah Home Education Association; spoke for the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass S.B.146 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.

3.     H.B. 238 -- Exemption of University Housing from Eviction Laws

    Rep. Holdaway introduced and explained the bill.

    Barb Remsbur, Director of Housing, University of Utah and Robert Payne, Associate General Council, University of Utah, spoke for the bill.

    MOTION: Sen. Morgan moved to pass H.B.238 out of committee with a favorable
    recommendation.

    The motion failed with Sens. Goodfellow and Morgan voting in favor, Sens. Bramble, Dayton, Jenkins, and Stephenson voting in opposition, and Sen. Hillyard absent for the vote.



4.     H.B. 244 -- Disruption of School Activities

    Rep. Moss introduced and explained the bill.

     MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to go to the next item on the agenda.

    The motion passed unanimously.

5.     S.B. 159 - Math Education Initiative

    Sen. Stephenson introduced and explained the bill.

    Hugo Rossi, Professor Emeritus, University of Utah Math Department; Delane England, Parent; and Aaron Bertram, Math professor and parent; spoke for the bill.

    Steve Peterson, Utah School Boards Association, spoke against the bill.

    MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to adopt the following amendments:

1.    Page 2, Lines 32 through 33 :    

             32          
{       .    adopt math curriculum standards for students who participate in the Math

             33      Education Initiative;
 
}

2.    Page 2, Line 54 :    

             54          
{   53A-13-406, Utah Code Annotated 1953   }


3.    Page 5, Lines 133 through 146 :    

             133     
{       Section 6. Section 53A-13-406 is enacted to read:

             134          53A-13-406. Math curriculum standards.
             135          (1) The State Board of Education shall adopt math curriculum standards for students
             136      who participate in the Math Education Initiative.
             137          (2) The standards adopted pursuant to Subsection (1) shall include:
             138          (a) the Singapore 2001 elementary mathematics standards; and
             139          (b) the standards for the quick recall of arithmetic facts contained in the Curriculum
             140      Focal Points of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.


             141          (3) (a) A school district or charter school shall deliver instruction to students who
             142      participate in the Math Education Initiative in accordance with the math curriculum standards
             143      adopted under this section.
             144          (b) A school district or charter school may deliver instruction to students who do not
             145      participate in the Math Education Initiative in accordance with the math curriculum standards
             146      adopted under this section in lieu of other math curriculum standards prescribed by the board.
 
}

Renumber remaining sections accordingly

    The motion passed unanimously.

    MOTION: Sen. Dayton moved to pass S.B.159 out of committee with a favorable recommendation.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Hillyard and Morgan absent for the vote.

     MOTION: Sen. Stephenson moved to adjourn.

    The motion passed unanimously with Sens. Hillyard and Morgan absent for the vote.

    Chair Bramble adjourned the meeting at 10:08 A.M.

    Minutes were reported by Karen C. Allred, Secretary.




___________________________________________
    
Sen. Curtis Bramble