First Substitute S.B. 148

Representative Bradley G. Last proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
UPSTART PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

             2     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             3     
STATE OF UTAH

             4     
Chief Sponsor: J. Stuart Adams

             5     
House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last

             6     
             7      LONG TITLE
             8      General Description:
             9          This bill amends provisions related to the UPSTART pilot project.
             10      Highlighted Provisions:
             11          This bill:
             12          .    modifies the definition of low income;
             13          .    requires the contractor to give priority to preschool children from low income
             14      families and preschool children who are English language learners, if the number of
             15      families who would like to participate in the program exceed the number of
             16      participants funded by the legislative appropriation;
             17          .    requires the State Board of Education to issue a request for proposals for a
             18      home-based educational technology program for preschool children that takes effect
             19      upon the expiration of the pilot project, provided that the Legislature reauthorizes
             20      and funds the program;
             21          .    extends the repeal date for the UPSTART pilot project; and
             22          .    makes technical amendments.
             23      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             24          None
             25      Other Special Clauses:


             26          None
             27      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             28      AMENDS:
             29           53A-1a-1001 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 397
             30           53A-1a-1002 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 397
             31           53A-1a-1004 , as enacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 397
             32           63I-2-253 , as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapters 173 and 434
             33     
             34      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             35          Section 1. Section 53A-1a-1001 is amended to read:
             36           53A-1a-1001. Definitions.
             37          As used in this part:
             38          (1) "Contractor" means the educational technology provider selected by the State Board
             39      of Education under Section 53A-1a-1002 .
             40          (2) "Low income" means an income below [200%] 185% of the federal poverty
             41      guideline.
             42          (3) "Preschool children" means children who are:
             43          (a) age four or five; and
             44          (b) have not entered kindergarten.
             45          (4) "UPSTART" means the pilot project established by Section 53A-1a-1002 that uses
             46      a home-based educational technology program to develop school readiness skills of preschool
             47      children.
             48          Section 2. Section 53A-1a-1002 is amended to read:
             49           53A-1a-1002. UPSTART program to develop school readiness skills of preschool
             50      children.
             51          (1) UPSTART, a pilot project that uses a home-based educational technology program
             52      to develop school readiness skills of preschool children, is established within the public
             53      education system.
             54          (2) UPSTART is created to:
             55          (a) evaluate the effectiveness of giving preschool children access, at home, to
             56      interactive individualized instruction delivered by computers and the Internet to prepare them


             57      academically for success in school; and
             58          (b) test the feasibility of scaling a home-based curriculum in reading, math, and science
             59      delivered by computers and the Internet to all preschool children in Utah.
             60          (3) The State Board of Education shall contract with an educational technology
             61      provider, selected through a request for proposals process, for the delivery of a home-based
             62      educational technology program for preschool children that meets the requirements of
             63      Subsection (4).
             64          (4) A home-based educational technology program for preschool children shall meet
             65      the following standards:
             66          (a) the contractor shall provide computer-assisted instruction for preschool children on
             67      a home computer connected by the Internet to a centralized file storage facility;
             68          (b) the contractor shall:
             69          (i) provide technical support to families for the installation and operation of the
             70      instructional software; and
             71          (ii) provide for the installation of computer and Internet access in homes of low income
             72      families that cannot afford the equipment and service;
             73          (c) the contractor shall have the capability of doing the following through the Internet:
             74          (i) communicating with parents;
             75          (ii) updating the instructional software;
             76          (iii) validating user access;
             77          (iv) collecting usage data;
             78          (v) storing research data; and
             79          (vi) producing reports for parents, schools, and the Legislature;
             80          (d) the program shall include the following components:
             81          (i) computer-assisted, individualized instruction in reading, mathematics, and science;
             82          (ii) a multisensory reading tutoring program; and
             83          (iii) a validated computer adaptive reading test that does not require the presence of
             84      trained adults to administer and is an accurate indicator of reading readiness of children who
             85      cannot read;
             86          (e) the contractor shall have the capability to quickly and efficiently modify, improve,
             87      and support the product;


             88          (f) the contractor shall work in cooperation with school district personnel who will
             89      provide administrative and technical support of the program as provided in Section
             90      53A-1a-1003 ;
             91          (g) the contractor shall solicit families to participate in the program as provided in
             92      Section 53A-1a-1004 ; and
             93          (h) in implementing the home-based educational technology program, the contractor
             94      shall seek the advise and expertise of early childhood education professionals within the Utah
             95      System of Higher Education on issues such as:
             96          (i) soliciting families to participate in the program;
             97          (ii) providing training to families; and
             98          (iii) motivating families to regularly use the instructional software.
             99          (5) The contract shall provide funding for a home-based educational technology
             100      program for preschool children for one year with an option to extend the contract for additional
             101      years or to expand the program to a greater number of preschool children, subject to the
             102      appropriation of money by the Legislature for UPSTART.
             103          (6) (a) The State Board of Education shall issue a request for proposals for a
             104      home-based educational technology program for preschool children that takes effect upon the
             105      expiration of the pilot project on July 1, 2019, provided that the Legislature reauthorizes and
             106      funds the program.
             107          (b) The State Board of Education shall evaluate a proposal based on:
             108          (i) whether the home-based educational technology program meets the standards
             109      specified in Subsection 53A-1a-1002 (4);
             110          (ii) the results of an independent evaluation of the home-based educational technology
             111      program;
             112          (iii) the experience of the home-based educational technology program provider; and
             113          (iv) the per pupil cost of the home-based educational technology program.
             114          Section 3. Section 53A-1a-1004 is amended to read:
             115           53A-1a-1004. Family participation in UPSTART.
             116          (1) The contractor shall solicit families to participate in UPSTART through a public
             117      information campaign and referrals from participating school districts.
             118          (2) (a) Preschool children who participate in UPSTART shall:


             119          (i) be from families with diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds; and
             120          (ii) reside in different regions of the state in both urban and rural areas.
             121          (b) (i) If the number of families who would like to participate in UPSTART exceeds
             122      the number of participants funded by the legislative appropriation, the contractor shall give
             123      priority to preschool children from low income families and preschool children who are
             124      English language learners.
             125          (ii) At least 30% of the preschool children who participate in UPSTART shall be from
             126      low income families.
             127          (3) A low income family that cannot afford a computer and Internet service to operate
             128      the instructional software may obtain a computer and peripheral equipment on loan and receive
             129      free Internet service for the duration of the family's participation in the pilot project.
             130          (4) (a) The contractor shall make the home-based educational technology program
             131      available to families at [an agreed upon] a cost agreed upon by the State Board of Education
             132      and the contractor if the number of families who would like to participate in UPSTART
             133      exceeds the number of participants funded by the legislative appropriation.
             134          (b) The State Board of Education and the contractor shall annually post on their
             135      websites information on purchasing a home-based educational technology program as provided
             136      in Subsection (4)(a).
             137          Section 4. Section 63I-2-253 is amended to read:
             138           63I-2-253. Repeal dates -- Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
             139          (1) Section 53A-1-402.7 is repealed July 1, 2014.
             140          (2) Section 53A-1-403.5 is repealed July 1, 2017.
             141          (3) Section 53A-1-411 is repealed July 1, 2016.
             142          [(4) Section 53A-1-412 is repealed July 1, 2013.]
             143          [(5)] (4) Section 53A-1a-513.5 is repealed July 1, 2017.
             144          [(6)] (5) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 10, UPSTART, is repealed July 1, [2014] 2019.
             145          [(7)] (6) Title 53A, Chapter 8a, Part 8, Peer Assistance and Review Pilot Program, is
             146      repealed July 1, 2017.
             147          [(8) Subsection 53A-13-110 (4) is repealed July 1, 2013.]
             148          [(9)] (7) Section 53A-17a-169 is repealed July 1, 2016.


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