S.B. 81 Enrolled

1

PARAEDUCATOR FUNDING
2 2012 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Karen Mayne
5 House Sponsor: David Litvack
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill provides funding to hire paraeducators at certain schools.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 . provides funding for Title 1 school improvement schools to hire paraeducators to
13 assist in teaching; and
14 . requires the State Board of Education to report on funding expenditures.
15 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16 This bill appropriates:
17 . to the Related to Basic Program, as an ongoing appropriation:
18 . from the Education Fund, $300,000.
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 This bill provides an effective date.
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 ENACTS:
23 53A-17a-167, Utah Code Annotated 1953
24
25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 53A-17a-167 is enacted to read:
27 53A-17a-167. Appropriation for Title 1 Schools in Improvement Paraeducators
28 Program.
29 (1) As used in this section:

30 (a) "Eligible school" means a Title 1 school that has not achieved adequate yearly
31 progress, as defined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq. in
32 the same subject area for two consecutive years.
33 (b) "Paraeducator" means a school employee who:
34 (i) delivers instruction under the direct supervision of a teacher; and
35 (ii) meets the requirements under Subsection (3).
36 (c) "Program" means the Title 1 Schools in Improvement Paraeducators Program
37 created in this section.
38 (2) The program is created to provide funding for eligible schools to hire paraeducators
39 to provide additional instructional aid in the classroom to assist students in achieving academic
40 success and assist the school in exiting Title 1 school improvement status.
41 (3) A paraeducator who is funded under this section shall have:
42 (a) earned a secondary school diploma or a recognized equivalent;
43 (b) (i) completed at least two years with a minimum of 48 semester hours at an
44 accredited higher education institution;
45 (ii) obtained an associates or higher degree from an accredited higher education
46 institution; or
47 (iii) satisfied a rigorous state or local assessment about the individual's knowledge of,
48 and ability to assist in instructing students in reading, writing, and mathematics; and
49 (c) received large group-, small group-, and individual-level professional development
50 that is intensive and focused and covers curriculum, instruction, assessment, classroom and
51 behavior management, and teaming.
52 (4) The State Board of Education shall distribute money appropriated for the program
53 to eligible schools, in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
54 (5) Funds appropriated under the program may not be used to supplant other money
55 used for paraeducators at eligible schools.
56 (6) The State Board of Education shall submit an annual report to the Legislature's
57 Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee that includes information on:

58 (a) the amount of money distributed to each eligible school under this section;
59 (b) how many paraeducators were hired at each eligible school with program money;
60 (c) additional funding eligible schools used to supplement program money in hiring
61 paraeducators; and
62 (d) accountability measures, including test scores of students served by the program.
63 Section 2. Appropriation.
64 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
65 following sums of money are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or
66 reduced from amounts previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated for the
67 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2013. These are additions to any
68 amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2013.
69 To Related to Basic Program
70 From Education Fund $300,000
71 Schedule of Programs:
72 Title 1 Schools in Improvement
73 Paraeducators Program $300,000
74 Section 3. Effective date.
75 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect on May 8, 2012.
76 (2) Uncodified Section 2, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2012.