S.J.R. 26

1

JOINT RESOLUTION ON ENGAGEMENT IN PUBLIC
2 EDUCATION SYSTEM
3 2012 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Aaron Osmond
6 House Sponsor: Brad R. Wilson
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature addresses matters related to public education.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 . expresses a legislative desire to improve collaboration between the Legislature and
14 the State Board of Education;
15 . encourages legislators and State Board of Education members to spend time directly
16 in the classrooms of the public education system and to report on the visits within
17 seven days; and
18 . encourages the State Board of Education to provide an online repository where
19 legislators and State Board of Education members can report on their classroom
20 visits.
21 Special Clauses:
22 None
23
24 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 WHEREAS, under Article X of the Utah Constitution, the Legislature and the State
26 Board of Education each play an important role with respect to the public education system;
27 WHEREAS, public education now accounts for over 50% of the total budget for the

28 state;
29 WHEREAS, an effective and high quality public education for each child in the state is
30 the stated goal of both the members of the Legislature and the State Board of Education; and
31 WHEREAS, each year a significant number of bills is proposed to improve and reform
32 public education to achieve this goal:
33 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature expresses the desire to
34 improve collaboration between the Legislature and the State Board of Education with respect to
35 public education improvement and reform.
36 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages its members and the
37 members of the State Board of Education to strive actively to spend at least 16 hours during the
38 legislative interim period each year directly observing student and teacher interaction in
39 classrooms of the public schools within or near their district; specifically four hours in an
40 elementary school, four hours in a middle school, four hours in a high school, and four hours in
41 a charter school.
42 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages the State Board of
43 Education to create and maintain, if it can do so within its existing budget, an online repository
44 where members of the Legislature and the State Board of Education can report the details of
45 their visits, including dates of visits, schools visited, classes visited, teachers visited, hours
46 spent, and general observations and recommendations, to provide formal public evidence of
47 legislative and State Board of Education direct engagement in the public schools and to provide
48 the public an opportunity to read and review that information.
49 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature encourages members of the
50 Legislature and the State Board of Education to report on their visits on the online repository
51 within seven days after the visit.
52 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the State Board
53 of Education.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-22-12 10:05 AM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel