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MINUTES OF HOUSE EDUCATION
STANDING COMMITTEE
Room 445, State Capitol
February 22, 2012

MEMBERS PRESENT:    Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair
        Rep. Bill Wright, Vice Chair
        Rep. Patrice Arent
        Rep. LaVar Christensen
        Rep. Becky Edwards
        Rep. Steven Eliason
        Rep. John G. Mathis
        Rep. Kay L. McIff
        Rep. Carol Spackman Moss
        Rep. Merlynn Newbold
        Rep. Marie H. Poulson
        Rep. Kraig Powell
        
MEMBERS EXCUSED:    Rep. Greg H. Hughes
        Rep. Rebecca D. Lockhart

MEMBERS ABSENT:    Rep. Ken W. Sumsion            
            
STAFF PRESENT:    Constance C. Steffen, Policy Analyst
        Linda Service, Committee Secretary
        
Note: List of visitors and copy of handouts are filed with committee minutes.


Chair Gibson called the meeting to order at 4:43 p.m.

MOTION:    Rep. McIff moved to approve the minutes of the February 13, and February 15, 2012 committee meetings. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Wright was absent for the vote.

1st Sub. H.B. 135 Focus on Front-line Teachers Program (Rep. J. Nielson)

MOTION:    Rep. Nielson moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Lines 9 through 10 :    

             9          This bill provides additional
{   WPUs to a school district or charter school with a higher

             10      than average percentage of resources allocated to front-line teachers  
}
  funding to certain education agencies that meet certain criteria       .


2.    Page 1, Lines 13 through 17 :    

             13          .    defines terms;
{   and   }

             14          .    creates the Focus on Front-Line Teachers Program, which provides for the
             15      distribution of additional WPUs to a qualifying district or charter school, depending
             16      on how relatively high the district or charter school is in comparison to the state
             17      average in its allocation of resources for front-line teachers
{   .   }        ; and

    . requires certain education agencies to report information on front-line teachers to the Education Interim Committee;  


3.    Page 1, Lines 19 through 21 :    

             19          This bill appropriates:
             20          .    to the Basic School Program, as an ongoing appropriation:
             21              .    from the Education Fund, $5,000,000
{   .   }        ; and

    .     to the Utah State Board of Education - Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, as an ongoing appropriation:
        .     from the Education Fund, $40,000.  


4.    Page 4, Lines 97 through 98 :    

             97          (c) the results of the audit described in Subsection (5).
  (7) By the November Interim meeting each year, the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind shall report to the Education Interim Committee the front-line teacher percentage, the compensation percentage, and the LEA percentage, calculated for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.      

             98          
{   (7)   }        (8)       The State Board of Education may use no more than 1% of money appropriated for


5.    Page 4, Line 109 :    

             109           Focus on Front-Line Teachers Program (1775 WPUs)        $5,000,000
  To Utah State Board of Education - Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind

        From Education Fund                                     $40,000
        Schedule of Programs:
            Instruction                            $40,000  
    

The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Christensen, Rep. Edwards, Rep. Mathis, Rep. Newbold, and Rep. Wright were absent for the vote.



Rep. Nielson introduced the bill which provides additional WPUs to a school district or charter school with a higher than average percentage of resources allocated to front-line teachers.

Supt. Larry Shumway, Utah State Office of Education, commented on the bill.

Mr. Peter Cannon, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Gibson moved to pass the bill out as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion failed with Rep. Gibson and Rep. Powell voting in favor of the motion.

H.B. 149    Online Education Survey (Rep. S. Eliason)

Rep. Eliason introduced the bill which provides for the establishment of a pilot online school survey system in which students, parents, and teachers evaluate schools.

MOTION:    Rep. Edwards moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 3, Lines 77 through 81 :    

             77          (f) a survey for teachers to evaluate their school, including safety and security of the
             78      school;
{   and   }

             79          (g) a survey for teachers to evaluate their school's administrators and, if applicable,
             80      their school district's administrators
{   .   }        ;

    (h) statistically valid and reliable measurement tools; and
    (i) survey questions that represent information that a student, parent, or teacher has direct knowledge of.  

             81          (5) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (5)(b), the pilot online school survey

2.    Page 4, Lines 112 through 115 :    

             112          (b) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
             113      State Board of Education shall make rules establishing procedures for administering or making
             114      available online the surveys specified in Subsection (7)(a)
{   .   }        including rules to ensure the privacy and protection of individual educator survey results.      

             115          (8) The survey data shall be available to:
The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Newbold and Rep. Wright were absent for the vote.


The following spoke in support of the bill
    Supt. Larry Shumway, Utah State Office of Education
    Mr. Peter Cannon, citizen
    Dr. Sara Jones, Utah Education Association

MOTION:    Rep. Poulson moved to pass the bill out as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Wright was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Powell moved to place the bill on the consent calendar. The motion passed unanimously.

H.B. 501    Youth Suicide Prevention (Rep. E. Hutchings)

Rep. Hutchings introduced the bill which requires the State Board of Education to provide suicide prevention training for licensed employees. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff assisted in the presentation.

The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Supt, Larry Shumway, Utah State Office of Education
    Ms. Holly Christensen, Provo Canyon School

Mr. Ray Whitmer commented on the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Newbold moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason and Rep. Wright were absent for the vote.
    
S.B. 152    Charter School Financing (Sen. J. Valentine) (Rep. D. Brown)

Sen. Valentine introduced the bill which amends provisions regarding the financing of charter schools, establishes the Charter School Credit Enhancement Program, and establishes the Charter School Reserve Account. Mr. Richard Ellis, State Treasurer, and Mr. Ryan Warburton, Ballard Spahr, assisted in the presentation.

Mr. Chris Bleak, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools, spoke in support of the bill.

MOTION:    Rep. Arent moved to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation.

SUBSTITUTE MOTION:    Rep. Powell moved to amend the bill as follows:

    Delete lines 444 - 453.


The motion failed with Rep. Moss, Rep. Poulson, and Rep. Powell voting in favor of the motion.

A vote was taken on Rep. Arent's motion to pass the bill out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed with Rep. Powell voting in opposition. Rep. Eliason was absent for the vote.     

S.B. 48    Mission of Public Education (Sen. P. Jones) (Rep. F. Gibson)

Sen. Jones introduced the bill which expands the mission statement of public education. Ms. Debra Roberts, State Board of Education, assisted in the presentation.

MOTION:    Rep. Arent moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 1, Line 26 through Page 2, Line 32
    Senate 2nd Reading Amendments
    2-15-2012 :
    

             26          (1) The Legislature envisions
{   a public education system established in   }        an educated citizenry that encompasses       the following

             27      foundational principles:
             27a          
{   S. (a) that parents are a child's first teachers and are responsible for the education of

             27b      their children; .S  
}

             28          S.
{   [   } (a)      {   ]   }      {   (b)   } .S citizen participation in civic and political affairs;

             29          S.
{   [   } (b)      {   ]   }      {   (c)   } .S economic prosperity for the state by graduating students who are college

             29a      and career
             30      ready;
             31          S.
{   [   } (c)      {   ]   }      {   (d)   } .S strong moral and social values; and

             32          S.
{   [   } (d)      {   ]   }      {   (e)   } .S loyalty and commitment to constitutional government.


2.    Page 2, Lines 42 through 45
    Senate 2nd Reading Amendments
    2-15-2012 :
    

             42          (3) The Legislature:
             43          (a) S. [S.]
{   [   } recognizes that parents are a child's first teachers and are responsible for the


             43a
     education of their children;
{   ]   }

             43b          
{   [   } (b)      {   ]   } [.S] .S encourages family engagement and adequate preparation so that students enter

             43c      the
             44      public education system ready to learn; and
             45          S. [[] .S
{   (b)   } S. []]      {   [   } (c)      {   ]   } .S intends that the mission detailed in Subsection (2) be

The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Edwards, Rep. Mathis, and Rep. Wright were absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Christensen moved to amend the bill as follows:

1.    Page 2, Line 47
    Senate 2nd Reading Amendments
    2-15-2012 :
    

             47      and client choice, while holding them accountable for results.
 

    (4) This section will be applied consistent with Section 53A-13-109.  

The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Arent moved to amend the bill as follows:

    On line 43 after "parents" insert "or guardians"

The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. McIff moved to pass the bill out as amended with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason was absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Arent moved to place the bill on the consent calendar. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason was absent for the vote.

S.C.R. 5    Concurrent Resolution Encouraging Parental Engagement in the Education of Children (Sen. P. Jones) (Rep. C. Moss)

Sen. Jones introduced the resolution which recognizes and supports parent engagement in the education of their children.

The following commented on the resolution:
    Mr. Peter Cannon, citizen


    Supt. Larry Shumway, Utah State Office of Education



The following spoke in support of the bill:
    Ms. Deon Turley, PTA Education Commissioner
    Mr. Lewis Fazio, citizen

MOTION:    Rep. Poulson moved to pass the resolution out with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. Eliason, Rep. McIff, and Rep Wright were absent for the vote.

MOTION:    Rep. Moss moved to adjourn. The motion passed unanimously.
Chair Gibson adjourned the meeting at 6:47 p.m.







            ___________________________________
            Rep. Francis Gibson, Chair