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H.B. 166 Enrolled

             1     

REDUCTIONS TO EDUCATION MANDATES

             2     
2010 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: John Dougall

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Wayne L. Niederhauser

             6      Cosponsors:
             7      Julie FisherTodd E. KiserRonda Rudd Menlove              8     
             9      LONG TITLE
             10      General Description:
             11          This bill amends provisions related to public school funding, administration, and
             12      reporting requirements.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This bill:
             15          .    exempts school districts and charter schools from the requirement to administer the
             16      tenth grade basic skills competency test for two years;
             17          .    requires the State Board of Education to prepare and present a pilot program to
             18      replace the tenth grade basic skills competency test with computer adaptive testing
             19      and administration of the ACT exam for two years;
             20          .    modifies the requirements to obtain a basic high school diploma for two years;
             21          .    exempts a local school board from the requirement to develop and administer
             22      certain activity disclosure statements for two years;
             23          .    exempts a school district from certain requirements related to the disposal of
             24      textbooks for two years;
             25          .    exempts a local school board from the requirement to prepare and present an annual
             26      presentation on adoption for two years;
             27          .    exempts a school district from certain requirements related to an independent
             28      evaluation of the purchasing of instructional materials for two years;
             29          .    eliminates the requirement to administer criterion-referenced tests for students in


             30      the second grade;
             31          .    exempts the State Board of Education and public schools from complying with
             32      certain school performance reporting requirements for two years;
             33          .    requires the State Board of Education to review mandates or requirements in board
             34      rule to determine if certain mandates could be temporarily waived;
             35          .    amends provisions related to the transportation levy; and
             36          .    makes technical changes.
             37      Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
             38          None
             39      Other Special Clauses:
             40          None
             41      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             42      AMENDS:
             43          53A-1-401, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2005, First Special Session, Chapter 2
             44          53A-1-602, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 300
             45          53A-1-603, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 300
             46          53A-1-611, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 277
             47          53A-3-420, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2007, Chapter 114
             48          53A-3-602.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapters 299 and 300
             49          53A-12-207, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1991, Chapter 106
             50          53A-13-107, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2002, Chapter 279
             51          53A-14-107, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 397
             52          53A-17a-127, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 391
             53     
             54      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             55          Section 1. Section 53A-1-401 is amended to read:
             56           53A-1-401. Powers of State Board of Education -- Adoption of rules --
             57      Enforcement.


             58          (1) (a) The State Board of Education has general control and supervision of the state's
             59      public education system.
             60          (b) "General control and supervision" as used in Article X, Sec. 3, of the Utah
             61      Constitution means directed to the whole system.
             62          (2) The board may not govern, manage, or operate school districts, institutions, and
             63      programs, unless granted that authority by statute.
             64          (3) The board may adopt rules and policies in accordance with its responsibilities
             65      under the constitution and state laws, and may interrupt disbursements of state aid to any
             66      district which fails to comply with rules adopted in accordance with this Subsection (3).
             67          (4) (a) The board may sell any interest it holds in real property upon a finding by the
             68      board that the property interest is surplus.
             69          (b) The board may use the money it receives from a sale under Subsection (4)(a) for
             70      capital improvements, equipment, or materials, but not for personnel or ongoing costs.
             71          (c) If the property interest under Subsection (4)(a) was held for the benefit of an
             72      agency or institution administered by the board, the money may only be used for purposes
             73      related to the agency or institution.
             74          (d) The board shall advise the Legislature of any sale under Subsection (4)(a) and
             75      related matters during the next following session of the Legislature.
             76          (5) The board shall develop policies and procedures related to federal educational
             77      programs in accordance with Title 53A, Chapter 1, Part 9, Implementing Federal Programs
             78      Act.
             79          (6) On or before December 31, 2010, the State Board of Education shall review
             80      mandates or requirements provided for in board rule to determine whether certain mandates or
             81      requirements could be waived to remove funding pressures on public schools on a temporary
             82      basis.
             83          Section 2. Section 53A-1-602 is amended to read:
             84           53A-1-602. Definitions.
             85          As used in this part:


             86          (1) (a) "Achievement test" means a standardized test which measures or attempts to
             87      measure the level of performance which a student has attained in one or more courses of study.
             88          (b) "Achievement test" includes a norm-referenced or criterion-referenced test.
             89          (2) "Basic skills course" means a subject which requires mastery of specific functions,
             90      as defined under rules made by the State Board of Education, to include reading, language
             91      arts, mathematics through intermediate algebra, science, in grades 4 through 12, and
             92      effectiveness of written expression.
             93          (3) "Utah Performance Assessment System for Students" or "U-PASS" means:
             94          (a) systematic norm-referenced achievement testing of all students in grades 3, 5, and
             95      8 required by this part in all schools within each school district by means of tests designated
             96      by the State Board of Education;
             97          (b) criterion-referenced achievement testing of students in grades [2] 3 through 12 in
             98      basic skills courses;
             99          (c) an online writing assessment in grades 5 and 8;
             100          (d) a tenth grade basic skills competency test as detailed in Section 53A-1-611 ;
             101          (e) the use of student behavior indicators in assessing student performance; and
             102          (f) [beginning with the 2007-08 school year,] testing of students in grade 3 to measure
             103      reading grade level.
             104          Section 3. Section 53A-1-603 is amended to read:
             105           53A-1-603. Duties of State Board of Education.
             106          (1) Except as provided in Subsection (5), the State Board of Education shall:
             107          (a) require each school district and charter school to implement the Utah Performance
             108      Assessment System for Students, hereafter referred to as U-PASS;
             109          (b) require the state superintendent of public instruction to submit and recommend
             110      criterion-referenced and norm-referenced achievement tests, a tenth grade basic skills
             111      competency test, an online writing assessment for grades 5 and 8, and a test for students in
             112      grade 3 to measure reading grade level to the board for approval and adoption and distribution
             113      to each school district and charter school by the state superintendent;


             114          (c) develop an assessment method to uniformly measure statewide performance,
             115      school district performance, and school performance of students in grades [2] 3 through 12 in
             116      mastering basic skills courses; and
             117          (d) provide for the state to participate in the National Assessment of Educational
             118      Progress state-by-state comparison testing program.
             119          (2) Except as provided in Subsection (5) and Subsection 53A-1-611 (6), under
             120      U-PASS, the state office shall annually require that each district and charter school, as
             121      applicable, administer:
             122          (a) a statewide norm-referenced test to all students in grades 3, 5, and 8;
             123          (b) statewide criterion-referenced tests in grades [2] 3 through 12 and courses in basic
             124      skill areas of the core curriculum;
             125          (c) an online writing assessment to all students in grades 5 and 8;
             126          (d) a tenth grade basic skills competency test as detailed in Section 53A-1-611 ; and
             127          (e) a test to all students in grade 3 to measure reading grade level.
             128          (3) The board shall adopt rules for the conduct and administration of U-PASS to
             129      include the following:
             130          (a) the computation of student performance based on information that is disaggregated
             131      with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, limited English proficiency, and those students who
             132      qualify for free or reduced price school lunch;
             133          (b) security features to maintain the integrity of the system, which could include
             134      statewide uniform testing dates, multiple test forms, and test administration protocols;
             135          (c) the exemption of student test scores, by exemption category, such as limited
             136      English proficiency, mobility, and students with disabilities, with the percent or number of
             137      student test scores exempted being publically reported at a district level;
             138          (d) compiling of criterion-referenced and online writing test scores and test score
             139      averages at the classroom level to allow for:
             140          (i) an annual review of those scores by parents of students and professional and other
             141      appropriate staff at the classroom level at the earliest point in time;


             142          (ii) the assessment of year-to-year student progress in specific classes, courses, and
             143      subjects;
             144          (iii) a teacher to review, prior to the beginning of a new school year, test scores from
             145      the previous school year of students who have been assigned to the teacher's class for the new
             146      school year; and
             147          (iv) allowing a school district or charter school to have its tests administered and
             148      scored electronically to accelerate the review of test scores and their usefulness to parents and
             149      educators under Subsections (3)(d)(i), (ii), and (iii), without violating the integrity of U-PASS;
             150      and
             151          (e) providing that:
             152          (i) scores on the tests and assessments required under Subsection (2)(b) shall be
             153      considered in determining a student's academic grade for the appropriate course and whether a
             154      student shall advance to the next grade level; and
             155          (ii) except as provided in Subsection 53A-1-611 (6), the student's score on the tenth
             156      grade basic skills competency test shall be recorded on the student's transcript of credits.
             157          (4) The State Board of Education shall consider administering the basic skills
             158      competency test on a Saturday to preserve instructional time.
             159          (5) (a) The State Board of Education may exempt a school district or charter school
             160      from the testing requirements specified in Subsection (2) if the school district or charter school
             161      pilots an assessment system that incorporates:
             162          (i) online classroom-based assessment that utilizes adaptive testing in all grades;
             163          (ii) online writing assessments in grades 4 through 12; and
             164          (iii) assessments administered in grades 8, 10, and 11 to determine readiness for
             165      postsecondary education.
             166          (b) A school district or charter school that receives an exemption under Subsection
             167      (5)(a) is subject to an accountability plan and high school graduation standards that are:
             168          (i) based on the assessment system described in Subsections (5)(a)(i) through (iii); and
             169          (ii) developed and adopted by the State Board of Education.


             170          (c) By the November 2009 meeting of the Education Interim Committee, the State
             171      Board of Education shall submit recommendations to the committee on the state's assessment
             172      system.
             173          (d) The State Board of Education may only provide the following exemptions under
             174      this Subsection (5):
             175          (i) up to three rural school districts;
             176          (ii) up to two urban school districts; and
             177          (iii) up to five charter schools.
             178          (6) (a) A school district or charter school, as applicable, is encouraged to administer
             179      an online writing assessment to students in grade 11.
             180          (b) The State Board of Education may award a grant to a school district or charter
             181      school to pay for an online writing assessment and instruction program that may be used to
             182      assess the writing of students in grade 11.
             183          (7) (a) On or before the 2010 October meeting of the Education Interim Committee,
             184      the State Board of Education shall prepare and present its plan for a pilot program for the
             185      2010-11 and 2011-12 school years to:
             186          (i) replace the tenth grade basic skills competency test with computer adaptive testing
             187      of basic skills; and
             188          (ii) administer the ACT exam to secondary students.
             189          (b) The State Board of Education shall implement the pilot program described in
             190      Subsection (7)(a) for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school years.
             191          (c) The State Board of Education shall re-direct the money saved by not administering
             192      the tenth grade basic skills competency test pursuant to Subsection 53A-1-611 (6) to fund the
             193      implementation of the pilot program described in Subsection (7)(b) for fiscal years 2010-11
             194      and 2011-12.
             195          Section 4. Section 53A-1-611 is amended to read:
             196           53A-1-611. Standards and assessment processes to measure student performance
             197      -- Basic skills competency test.


             198          (1) The Legislature recognizes the need for the State Board of Education to develop
             199      and implement standards and assessment processes to ensure that student progress is measured
             200      and that school boards and school personnel are accountable.
             201          (2) (a) In addition to its responsibilities under Sections 53A-1-603 through
             202      53A-1-605 , the State Board of Education, through the state superintendent of public
             203      instruction, shall design a basic skills competency test to be administered in the tenth grade.
             204          (b) Except as provided in [Subsection (5)] Subsections (5) and (6) and Section
             205      53A-11-1404 , a student must pass the basic skills competency test, in addition to the
             206      established requirements of the state and local board of education of the district in which the
             207      student attends school, in order to receive a basic high school diploma of graduation.
             208          (c) The state board shall include in the test, at a minimum, components on English
             209      language arts and reading and mathematics.
             210          (d) Except as provided in [Subsection (5)] Subsections (5) and (6) and Section
             211      53A-11-1404 , a student who fails to pass all components of the test may not receive a basic
             212      high school diploma but may receive a certificate of completion or alternative completion
             213      diploma under rules made by the State Board of Education in accordance with Title 63G,
             214      Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
             215          (e) The state board shall make rules:
             216          (i) to allow students who initially fail the test to retake all or part of the test; and
             217          (ii) that take into account and are consistent with federal law relating to students with
             218      disabilities in the administration of the test.
             219          (3) The state board shall implement the tenth grade basic skills competency test, no
             220      later than the beginning of the 2003-04 school year.
             221          (4) The requirements of this section are to be complementary to the other achievement
             222      testing provisions of this part.
             223          (5) A student enrolled in a school district or charter school that is exempt from
             224      administering the tenth grade basic skills competency test is subject to high school graduation
             225      standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 53A-1-603 .


             226          (6) (a) A student is exempt from the requirements of Subsection (2) if:
             227          (i) the student is enrolled in the tenth grade during:
             228          (A) the 2010-11 school year; or
             229          (B) the 2011-12 school year; or
             230          (ii) the student:
             231          (A) was enrolled in the tenth grade during:
             232          (I) the 2008-09 school year; or
             233          (II) the 2009-10 school year; and
             234          (B) did not pass the tenth grade basic skills competency test while the student was in
             235      tenth grade.
             236          (b) School districts and charter schools are exempt from administering the tenth grade
             237      basic skills competency test during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 school year.
             238          Section 5. Section 53A-3-420 is amended to read:
             239           53A-3-420. Activity disclosure statements.
             240          (1) [A] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, a local
             241      school board shall require the development of activity disclosure statements for each
             242      school-sponsored group or program which involves students and faculty in grades 9 through
             243      12 in contests, performances, events, or other activities that require them to miss normal class
             244      time or takes place outside regular school time.
             245          (2) The activity disclosure statements shall be disseminated to the students desiring
             246      involvement in the specific activity or to the students' parents or legal guardians or to both
             247      students and their parents.
             248          (3) An activity disclosure statement shall contain the following information:
             249          (a) the specific name of the team, group, or activity;
             250          (b) the maximum number of students involved;
             251          (c) whether or not tryouts are used to select students, specifying date and time
             252      requirements for tryouts, if applicable;
             253          (d) beginning and ending dates of the activity;


             254          (e) a tentative schedule of the events, performances, games, or other activities with
             255      dates, times, and places specified if available;
             256          (f) if applicable, designation of any nonseason events or activities, including an
             257      indication of the status, required, expected, suggested, or optional, with the dates, times, and
             258      places specified;
             259          (g) personal costs associated with the activity;
             260          (h) the name of the school employee responsible for the activity; and
             261          (i) any additional information considered important for the students and parents to
             262      know.
             263          Section 6. Section 53A-3-602.5 is amended to read:
             264           53A-3-602.5. School performance report -- Components -- Annual filing.
             265          (1) [The] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, the State
             266      Board of Education in collaboration with the state's school districts and charter schools shall
             267      develop a school performance report to inform the state's residents of the quality of schools
             268      and the educational achievement of students in the state's public education system.
             269          (2) The report described in Subsection (1) shall be written and include the following
             270      statistical data for each school in each school district and each charter school, as applicable,
             271      and shall also aggregate the data at the district and state level:
             272          (a) except as provided in Subsection (2)(a)(ii), test scores over the previous year on:
             273          (i) norm-referenced achievement tests;
             274          (ii) criterion-referenced tests to include the scores aggregated for all students:
             275          (A) by grade level or course for the previous two years and an indication of whether
             276      there was a sufficient magnitude of gain in the scores between the two years; and
             277          (B) by class;
             278          (iii) online writing assessments required under Section 53A-1-603 ; and
             279          (iv) tenth grade basic skills competency tests required under Section 53A-1-603 ;
             280          (b) college entrance examinations data, including the number and percentage of each
             281      graduating class taking the examinations for the previous four years;


             282          (c) advanced placement and concurrent enrollment data, including:
             283          (i) the number of students taking advanced placement and concurrent enrollment
             284      courses;
             285          (ii) the number and percent of students taking a specific advanced placement course
             286      who take advanced placement tests to receive college credit for the course;
             287          (iii) of those students taking the test referred to in Subsection (2)(c)(ii), the number
             288      and percent who pass the test; and
             289          (iv) of those students taking a concurrent enrollment course, the number and percent
             290      of those who receive college credit for the course;
             291          (d) the number and percent of students in grade 3 reading at or above grade level;
             292          (e) the number and percent of students who were absent from school 10 days or more
             293      during the school year;
             294          (f) achievement gaps that reflect the differences in achievement of various student
             295      groups as defined by State Board of Education rule;
             296          (g) the number and percent of "student dropouts" within the district as defined by
             297      State Board of Education rule;
             298          (h) course-taking patterns and trends in secondary schools;
             299          (i) student mobility;
             300          (j) staff qualifications, to include years of professional service and the number and
             301      percent of staff who have a degree or endorsement in their assigned teaching area and the
             302      number and percent of staff who have a graduate degree;
             303          (k) the number and percent of parents who participate in SEP, SEOP, and
             304      parent-teacher conferences;
             305          (l) average class size by grade level and subject;
             306          (m) average daily attendance as defined by State Board of Education rule, including
             307      every period in secondary schools; and
             308          (n) enrollment totals disaggregated with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, limited
             309      English proficiency, and those students who qualify for free or reduced price school lunch.


             310          (3) [The] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, the State
             311      Board of Education, in collaboration with the state's school districts and charter schools, shall
             312      provide for the collection and electronic reporting of the following data for each school in each
             313      school district and each charter school:
             314          (a) test scores and trends over the previous four years on the tests referred to in
             315      Subsection (2)(a);
             316          (b) the average grade given in each math, science, and English course in grades 9
             317      through 12 for which criteria-referenced tests are required under Section 53A-1-603 ;
             318          (c) incidents of student discipline as defined by State Board of Education rule,
             319      including suspensions, expulsions, and court referrals; and
             320          (d) the number and percent of students receiving fee waivers and the total dollar
             321      amount of fees waived.
             322          (4) (a) (i) The State Board of Education shall adopt common definitions and data
             323      collection procedures for local school boards and charter schools to use in collecting and
             324      forwarding the data required under Subsections (2) and (3) to the state superintendent of
             325      public instruction.
             326          (ii) Average class size by grade and subject shall be calculated for the purposes of
             327      Subsection (2)(l) in accordance with the following:
             328          (A) for kindergarten through grade six, average class size by grade shall be calculated
             329      by dividing grade membership on October 1 by the number of classes in the corresponding
             330      grade; and
             331          (B) for grades seven through 12, average class size shall be calculated for core
             332      language arts, mathematics, and science courses by dividing membership on October 1 in core
             333      language arts, mathematics, or science course classes by the number of classes for the
             334      corresponding course.
             335          (b) The state board, through the state superintendent of public instruction, shall adopt
             336      standard reporting forms and provide a common template for collecting and reporting the data,
             337      which shall be used by all school districts and charter schools.


             338          (c) The state superintendent shall use the automated decision support system referred
             339      to in Section 53A-1-301 to collect and report the data required under Subsections (2) and (3).
             340          (5) [The state board] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school
             341      year, the State Board of Education, through the state superintendent of public instruction, shall
             342      issue its report annually by October 1 to include the required data from the previous school
             343      year or years as indicated in Subsections (2) and (3).
             344          (6) (a) Each local school board and each charter school shall receive a written or an
             345      electronic copy of the report from the state superintendent of public instruction containing the
             346      data for that school district or charter school in a clear summary format and have it distributed,
             347      on a one per household basis, to the residence of students enrolled in the school district before
             348      November 30th of each year.
             349          (b) Each local school board, each charter school, and the state board shall have a
             350      complete report of the statewide data available for copying or in an electronic format at their
             351      respective offices.
             352          Section 7. Section 53A-12-207 is amended to read:
             353           53A-12-207. Disposal of textbooks.
             354          [A] (1) For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, a local
             355      school district may not dispose of textbooks used in its public schools without first notifying
             356      all other school districts in the state of its intent to dispose of the textbooks. [This provision]
             357          (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to textbooks that have been damaged, mutilated, or
             358      worn out.
             359          (3) The State [Office] Board of Education [will] shall develop rules and procedures
             360      directing the disposal of textbooks.
             361          Section 8. Section 53A-13-107 is amended to read:
             362           53A-13-107. Adoption information.
             363          (1) [Each] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, a local
             364      school board shall ensure that an annual presentation on adoption is given to its secondary
             365      school students in grades 7-12, so that each student receives the presentation at least once


             366      during grades 7-9 and at least once during grades 10-12.
             367          (2) The presentation shall be made by a licensed teacher as part of the health education
             368      core.
             369          Section 9. Section 53A-14-107 is amended to read:
             370           53A-14-107. Instructional materials alignment with core curriculum.
             371          (1) [A] For a school year beginning with or after the 2012-13 school year, a school
             372      district may not purchase primary instructional materials unless the primary instructional
             373      materials provider:
             374          (a) contracts with an independent party to evaluate and map the alignment of the
             375      primary instructional materials with the core curriculum adopted under Section 53A-1-402 ;
             376          (b) provides a detailed summary of the evaluation under Subsection (1)(a) on a public
             377      website at no charge, for use by teachers and the general public; and
             378          (c) pays the costs related to the requirements of this Subsection (1).
             379          (2) The requirements under Subsection (1) may not be performed by:
             380          (a) the State Board of Education;
             381          (b) the superintendent of public instruction or the State Office of Education;
             382          (c) the State Instructional Materials Commission appointed pursuant to Section
             383      53A-14-101 ;
             384          (d) a local school board or a school district; or
             385          (e) the instructional materials creator or publisher.
             386          (3) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
             387      the State Board of Education shall make rules that establish:
             388          (a) the qualifications of the independent parties who may evaluate and map the
             389      alignment of the primary instructional materials in accordance with the provisions of
             390      Subsection (1)(a); and
             391          (b) requirements for the detailed summary of the evaluation and its placement on a
             392      public website in accordance with the provisions of Subsection (1)(b).
             393          Section 10. Section 53A-17a-127 is amended to read:


             394           53A-17a-127. Eligibility for state-supported transportation -- Approved bus
             395      routes -- Additional local tax.
             396          (1) A student eligible for state-supported transportation means:
             397          (a) a student enrolled in kindergarten through grade six who lives at least 1-1/2 miles
             398      from school;
             399          (b) a student enrolled in grades seven through 12 who lives at least two miles from
             400      school; and
             401          (c) a student enrolled in a special program offered by a school district and approved by
             402      the State Board of Education for trainable, motor, multiple-disabled, or other students with
             403      severe disabilities who are incapable of walking to school or where it is unsafe for students to
             404      walk because of their disabling condition, without reference to distance from school.
             405          (2) If a school district implements double sessions as an alternative to new building
             406      construction, with the approval of the State Board of Education, those affected elementary
             407      school students residing less than 1-1/2 miles from school may be transported one way to or
             408      from school because of safety factors relating to darkness or other hazardous conditions as
             409      determined by the local school board.
             410          (3) (a) The State Board of Education shall distribute transportation monies to school
             411      districts based on:
             412          (i) an allowance per mile for approved bus routes;
             413          (ii) an allowance per hour for approved bus routes; and
             414          (iii) a minimum allocation for each school district eligible for transportation funding.
             415          (b) The State Board of Education shall distribute appropriated transportation funds
             416      based on the prior year's eligible transportation costs as legally reported under Subsection
             417      53A-17a-126 (3).
             418          (c) The State Board of Education shall annually review the allowance per mile and the
             419      allowance per hour and adjust the allowances to reflect current economic conditions.
             420          (4) (a) Approved bus routes for funding purposes shall be determined on fall data
             421      collected by October 1.


             422          (b) Approved route funding shall be determined on the basis of the most efficient and
             423      economic routes.
             424          (5) A Transportation Advisory Committee with representation from local school
             425      superintendents, business officials, school district transportation supervisors, and the state
             426      superintendent's staff shall serve as a review committee for addressing school transportation
             427      needs, including recommended approved bus routes.
             428          (6) (a) A local school board may provide for the transportation of students [who are
             429      not eligible under Subsection (1),] regardless of the distance from school, from:
             430          (i) general funds of the district; and
             431          (ii) a tax rate not to exceed .0003 per dollar of taxable value imposed on the district.
             432          (b) A local school board may use revenue from the tax described in Subsection
             433      (6)(a)(ii) to pay for transporting [participating students to interscholastic activities, night
             434      activities, and educational field trips approved by the board] students and for the replacement
             435      of school buses.
             436          (c) (i) If a local school board levies a tax under Subsection (6)(a)(ii) of at least .0002,
             437      the state may contribute an amount not to exceed 85% of the state average cost per mile,
             438      contingent upon the Legislature appropriating funds for a state contribution.
             439          (ii) The state superintendent's staff shall distribute the state contribution according to
             440      rules enacted by the State Board of Education.
             441          (d) (i) The amount of state guarantee money which a school district would otherwise
             442      be entitled to receive under Subsection (6)(c) may not be reduced for the sole reason that the
             443      district's levy is reduced as a consequence of changes in the certified tax rate under Section
             444      59-2-924 due to changes in property valuation.
             445          (ii) Subsection (6)(d)(i) applies for a period of two years following the change in the
             446      certified tax rate.


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