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H.B. 393

This document includes House Floor Amendments incorporated into the bill on Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 3:44 PM by lerror. -->              1     

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION AMENDMENTS

             2     
2013 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: Gregory H. Hughes

             5     
Senate Sponsor: Stephen H. Urquhart

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions related to competency-based education.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    requires that, before the 2014 General Session, the State Board of Education make
             13      recommendations on a possible funding formula for competency-based
             13a      H. [ courses ] education .H ; and
             14          .    allows a school district or charter school to establish competency-based H. [ curriculum
             15      standards
] education programs .H
and assessments that would result in course credit
             15a      if the student
             16      demonstrates competency in the subject.
             17      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             18          None
             19      Other Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             22      AMENDS:
             23          53A-1-409, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2004, Chapter 19
             24     
             25      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             26          Section 1. Section 53A-1-409 is amended to read:
             27           53A-1-409. Competency-based education -- Recommendations -- Coordination.


             28          (1) As used in this section:
             29          (a) "Competency" means a demonstrable acquisition of a specified knowledge, skill, or
             30      ability that has been organized into a hierarchical arrangement leading to higher levels of
             31      knowledge, skill, or ability.
             32          (b) "Competency-based education" means an education approach that requires
             33      [students] a student to acquire a competency and includes a classroom structure and operation
             34      that aid and facilitate the acquisition of specified competencies on an individual basis wherein
             35      [students are] a student is allowed to master and demonstrate competencies as fast as [they are]
             36      the student is able.
             37          (c) "Gain score" means the measured difference of a student's score at the beginning
             38      and end of a time period that may be aggregated at the class, grade, school, and school district
             39      levels.
             40          (2) The State Board of Education shall:
             41          (a) provide expertise to and consult with local school boards [and], school districts, and
             42      charter schools relating to competency-based education and progress-based assessments;
             43          (b) before the beginning of the 2014 General Session of the Legislature, make
             44      recommendations to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, including the amount
             45      and allocation of public education money, based upon both new public education money and
             46      the reallocation of money required to develop and implement:
             47          (i) competency-based education and progress-based assessments;
             48          (ii) (A) a weighted competency unit that distributes public education money based on
             49      student achievement resulting from competency-based program objectives, strategies, and
             50      standards; and
             51          (B) a course-level funding formula that distributes funds to school districts and charter
             52      schools that establish competency-based H. [ curriculum standards ] education .H ;
             53          (iii) a plan to assist students, teachers, schools, and districts that need remediation
             54      based upon Subsections (2)(b)(i) and (ii);
             55          (iv) the reallocation of teaching resources from noncore electives into grades 1-3, 7-12
             56      math, and 7-12 English; and
             57          (v) a teacher development program focused on achieving progress in core academics,
             58      including instruction in explicit, systematic, and intensive phonics for teachers in grades


             59      kindergarten through 3;
             60          (c) assist school districts and charter schools to develop and implement:
             61          (i) competency-based education H. [ and competency-based curriculum standards ] .H ;
             61a      and
             62          (ii) the use of gain scores; and
             63          (d) develop and use monetary and nonmonetary incentives, tools, and rewards to
             64      encourage school districts and charter schools to accomplish the items described under
             65      [Subsections (2)(a) through (c)] this section.
             66          (3) A funding formula described in Subsection (2)(b)(ii)(B) shall:
             67          (a) base the funding for a competency-based course on a proportionate amount of the
             68      weighted pupil unit;
             69          (b) partially distribute funds based on initial enrollment;
             70          (c) distribute remaining funds based on a student's successful completion of a course
             71      through demonstrated competency H. and subject mastery .H ; and
             72          (d) not be dependent on the amount of time a student is instructed in the course or the
             73      age of the student.
             74          (4) H. [ (a) ] .H A local school board or a charter school governing board may establish
             75      H. [ competency-based curriculum standards that exceed the minimum standards established by the
             76      State Board of Education under Section 53A-1-402 .
             77          (b) In establishing the competency-based curriculum standards described in Subsection
             78      (4)(a), a local school board or a charter school governing board shall ensure that the standards:
             79          (i) promote greater educational achievement for students;
             80          (ii) allow a student to progress through the curriculum to graduation at the student's
             81      own pace;
             82          (iii) foster student advancement based on competency and not chronological age of the
             83      student;
             84          (iv) eliminate requirements for the student to be in a classroom for a certain amount of
             85      time; and
             86          (v) prepare students for admission to higher education institutions in the United States
             87      without the need for remediation
] a competency-based education program .H
.
             88          (5) A local school board or charter school governing board that establishes H. a .H
             89      competency-based H. [ curriculum standards under Subsection (4) ] education program .H shall:


             90          (a) establish assessments to accurately measure competency;
             91          (b) provide the assessments to an enrolled student at no cost to the student; H. and .H
             92      (c) award credit to a student who demonstrates competency H. and subject mastery .H ;
             93          (d) submit the competency-based curriculum standards to the State Board of Education
             94      for review; and
             95          (e) publish the competency-based curriculum standards on its website or by other
             96      electronic means readily accessible to the public.
             97          (6) A local school board or charter school governing board may:
             98          (a) on a random lottery-based basis, limit enrollment to courses that have been
             99      designated as competency-based courses;
             100           H. [ (b) allow for online learning options at no additional charge to an enrolled student,
             101      accessible at any time from any location that a student, parent, or guardian may choose;
] .H

             102           H. [ (c) ] (b) .H waive or adapt traditional attendance requirements;
             103           H. [ (d) ] (c) .H adjust class sizes to maximize the value of course instructors
or course mentors;

             104           H. [ (e) ] (d) .H enroll students from any geographic location within the state; and
             105           H. [ (f) ] (e) .H provide proctored online competency-based assessments.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 3-1-13 11:46 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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