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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill provides funding for local education agencies to facilitate digital learning.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ provides for grants to local education agencies for:
14 • the purchase of digital content and hardware;
15 • professional development for educators; and
16 • peripherals and networking equipment;
17 ▸ establishes requirements for a local education agency to participate in the grant
18 program;
19 ▸ requires the State Board of Education to report on the use of the grants to facilitate
20 digital learning; and
21 ▸ repeals provisions related to grants for digital learning on July 1, 2025.
22 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23 This bill appropriates:
24 ▸ to the State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative
25 Programs, as an ongoing appropriation:
26 • from the Education Fund, $10,000,000.
27 Other Special Clauses:
28 This bill provides a special effective date.
29 Utah Code Sections Affected:
30 AMENDS:
31 63I-2-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapters 102, 189, 372, and 393
32 ENACTS:
33 53A-1-710, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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35 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
36 Section 1. Section 53A-1-710 is enacted to read:
37 53A-1-710. Grants for digital textbooks.
38 (1) As used in this section:
39 (a) "Hardware" means:
40 (i) personal mobile devices; and
41 (ii) desktop or laptop computers.
42 (b) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school district, a school within a
43 school district, or a charter school.
44 (2) (a) The State Board of Education shall award grants to LEAs to facilitate digital
45 learning.
46 (b) An LEA that receives a grant under Subsection (2)(a):
47 (i) shall provide matching funds equal to 25% of the grant award; and
48 (ii) may use the grant for:
49 (A) digital content;
50 (B) hardware;
51 (C) professional development for educators related to the use of the technology
52 described in Subsections (2)(b)(ii)(A) and (B); or
53 (D) peripherals or networking equipment, including a wireless network.
54 (3) (a) The State Board of Education shall solicit proposals from LEAs for the use of
55 the grant to facilitate digital learning.
56 (b) A school within a school district may submit an application to the State Board of
57 Education if the local school board approves of the school's participation in the grant program.
58 (c) In awarding a grant under Subsection (2), the State Board of Education shall
59 consider the LEA's capacity to use the grant to serve the greatest number of students possible.
60 (4) The State Board of Education may not award a grant under Subsection (2) that
61 exceeds $500 per student for the purchase of digital content and hardware.
62 (5) (a) The State Board of Education shall report annually to the Education Interim
63 Committee on the following:
64 (i) the subject area of the classes that converted to digital learning;
65 (ii) the cost per student for the conversion to digital learning; and
66 (iii) student and teacher satisfaction with digital learning.
67 (b) Upon request of the State Board of Education, an LEA that receives a grant under
68 Subsection (2) shall provide to the State Board of Education information that is necessary for
69 the report required in Subsection (5)(a).
70 Section 2. Section 63I-2-253 is amended to read:
71 63I-2-253. Repeal dates -- Titles 53, 53A, and 53B.
72 [
73 [
74 [
75 [
76 (4) Section 53A-1-710 is repealed July 1, 2025.
77 (5) Section 53A-1a-513.5 is repealed July 1, 2017.
78 (6) Title 53A, Chapter 1a, Part 10, UPSTART, is repealed July 1, 2019.
79 (7) Title 53A, Chapter 8a, Part 8, Peer Assistance and Review Pilot Program, is
80 repealed July 1, 2017.
81 (8) Section 53A-17a-169 is repealed July 1, 2017.
82 Section 3. Appropriation.
83 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
84 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, the following sums of money
85 are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
86 previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
87 addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2016.
88 To State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative Programs
89 From Education Fund
$10,000,000
90 Schedule of Programs:
91 Contracts and Grants $10,000,000
92 The Legislature intends that:
93 (1) $5,000,000 of the appropriation under this section is to be used to purchase the
94 digital content and hardware described in Subsections 53A-1-710(2)(b)(ii)(A) and (B);
95 (2) $5,000,000 of the appropriation under this section is to be used for the professional
96 development described in Subsection 53A-1-710(2)(b)(ii)(C) or to purchase peripherals or
97 networking equipment described in Subsection 53A-1-710(2)(b)(ii)(D); and
98 (3) the appropriation under this section is:
99 (a) ongoing, subject to availability of funds; and
100 (b) non-lapsing.
101 Section 4. Effective date.
102 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect on May 12, 2015.
103 (2) Uncodified Section 3, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
as of 7-16-14 2:18 PM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel