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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill requires the State Board of Education to establish a professional learning grant
10 program.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules to establish a professional
14 learning grant program;
15 ▸ provides requirements for the professional learning grant program; and
16 ▸ makes technical changes.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2016:
19 ▸ to State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic School
20 Program as an ongoing appropriation:
21 • from the Education Fund, $30,000,000.
22 Other Special Clauses:
23 This bill provides a special effective date.
24 Utah Code Sections Affected:
25 AMENDS:
26 53A-17a-124, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 346
27 ENACTS:
28 53A-15-1502, Utah Code Annotated 1953
29 RENUMBERS AND AMENDS:
30 53A-15-1501, (Renumbered from 53A-3-701, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2003,
31 Chapter 221)
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33 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
34 Section 1. Section 53A-15-1501, which is renumbered from Section 53A-3-701 is
35 renumbered and amended to read:
36
37 [
38 (1) As used in this section, "professional learning" means a comprehensive, sustained,
39 and evidence-based approach to improving teachers' and principals' effectiveness in raising
40 student achievement.
41 (2) A school district or charter school shall implement high quality professional
42 learning that meets the following standards:
43 (a) professional learning occurs within learning communities committed to continuous
44 improvement, individual and collective responsibility, and goal alignment;
45 (b) professional learning requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and
46 create support systems, for professional learning;
47 (c) professional learning requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources
48 for educator learning;
49 (d) professional learning uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and
50 system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning;
51 (e) professional learning integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to
52 achieve its intended outcomes;
53 (f) professional learning applies research on change and sustains support for
54 implementation of professional learning for long-term change;
55 (g) professional learning aligns its outcomes with:
56 (i) performance standards for teachers and school administrators as described in rules
57 of the State Board of Education; and
58 (ii) performance standards for students as described in the core curriculum standards
59 adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 53A-1-402.6; and
60 (h) professional learning:
61 (i) incorporates the use of technology in the design, implementation, and evaluation of
62 high quality professional learning practices; and
63 (ii) includes targeted professional learning on the use of technology devices to enhance
64 the teaching and learning environment and the integration of technology in content delivery.
65 (3) School districts and charter schools shall use money appropriated by the Legislature
66 for professional learning or federal grant money awarded for professional learning to
67 implement professional learning that meets the standards specified in Subsection (2).
68 (4) (a) In the fall of 2014, the State Board of Education, through the state
69 superintendent of public instruction, and in collaboration with an independent consultant
70 acquired through a competitive bid process, shall conduct a statewide survey of school districts
71 and charter schools to:
72 (i) determine the current state of professional learning for educators as aligned with the
73 standards specified in Subsection (2);
74 (ii) determine the effectiveness of current professional learning practices; and
75 (iii) identify resources to implement professional learning as described in Subsection
76 (2).
77 (b) The State Board of Education shall select a consultant from bidders who have
78 demonstrated successful experience in conducting a statewide analysis of professional learning.
79 (c) (i) Annually in the fall, beginning in 2015 through 2020, the State Board of
80 Education, through the state superintendent of public instruction, in conjunction with school
81 districts and charter schools, shall gather and use data to determine the impact of professional
82 learning efforts and resources.
83 (ii) Data used to determine the impact of professional learning efforts and resources
84 under Subsection (4)(c)(i) shall include:
85 (A) student achievement data;
86 (B) educator evaluation data; and
87 (C) survey data.
88 Section 2. Section 53A-15-1502 is enacted to read:
89 53A-15-1502. Professional learning grant program.
90 (1) As used in this section:
91 (a) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
92 (i) a school district;
93 (ii) a charter school; or
94 (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
95 (b) "Board" means the State Board of Education established in Section 53A-1-101.
96 (2) In accordance with this section and Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
97 Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules to establish a qualifying professional learning
98 grant program.
99 (3) To request a professional learning grant, an LEA shall prepare a professional
100 learning plan that:
101 (a) outlines the LEA's professional learning goals and demonstrates how the LEA will
102 support the goals over time through:
103 (i) the use of a learning community described in Section 53A-15-1501; and
104 (ii) other methods;
105 (b) describes the LEA's targeted outcomes, based on the LEA's:
106 (i) analysis of student data; and
107 (ii) evaluation of educator knowledge and skills;
108 (c) integrates the professional learning standards described in Section 53A-15-1501;
109 and
110 (d) includes an evaluation method to optimize effectiveness that:
111 (i) measures student growth; and
112 (ii) requires observation of educator practice.
113 (4) An LEA shall submit a professional learning plan described in Subsection (3) to the
114 board on or before July 1 immediately preceding the school year for which the LEA is seeking
115 funding.
116 (5) In accordance with Subsection (6), the board shall determine:
117 (a) procedures for approving an LEA professional learning plan;
118 (b) qualifying criteria for an LEA to receive a grant; and
119 (c) a distribution formula to award a grant that funds an LEA's approved professional
120 learning plan.
121 (6) The board shall award a grant to fund an LEA learning plan if the plan meets the
122 qualifying criteria described in Subsection (5)(b) and prioritizes the following objectives, as
123 applicable based on student data:
124 (a) improved mathematics instruction, particularly for grades 4 through 8;
125 (b) reading intervention for secondary students;
126 (c) improved data collection and analysis;
127 (d) providing quality feedback on educator instruction;
128 (e) multi-tiered systems of support for a student who:
129 (i) is learning English;
130 (ii) needs accommodations as described in an individualized education program
131 prepared in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec.
132 1400 et seq.; or
133 (iii) requires accelerated learning strategies; and
134 (f) use of a learning community that:
135 (i) collaborates to focus on student learning;
136 (ii) identifies and prioritizes essential skills within curriculum;
137 (iii) improves formative assessment data analysis and reporting;
138 (iv) provides targeted interventions and timely extension opportunities; and
139 (v) supports school leaders to provide quality feedback on:
140 (A) classroom instruction;
141 (B) student learning; and
142 (C) learning community performance.
143 (7) On or before June 1 of the school year for which an LEA received a grant described
144 in this section, the LEA shall submit a report to the board that provides student and educator
145 data analyzed to show the effectiveness of the LEA's professional learning plan.
146 (8) On or before December 1 of each year, the board shall report to the Education
147 Interim Committee regarding:
148 (a) the results of the professional learning grant program, based on:
149 (i) student achievement data;
150 (ii) educator evaluation data; and
151 (iii) survey data; and
152 (b) statewide improvement in professional learning practices based on the professional
153 learning standards described in Section 53A-15-1501.
154 Section 3. Section 53A-17a-124 is amended to read:
155 53A-17a-124. Quality Teaching Block Grant Program -- State contributions.
156 (1) The State Board of Education shall distribute money appropriated for the Quality
157 Teaching Block Grant Program to school districts and charter schools according to a formula
158 adopted by the board, after consultation with school districts and charter schools, that allocates
159 the funding in a fair and equitable manner.
160 (2) School districts and charter schools shall use Quality Teaching Block Grant money
161 to implement professional learning that meets the standards specified in Section [
162 53A-15-1501.
163 Section 4. Appropriation.
164 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
165 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, the following sums of money
166 are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
167 previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
168 addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2016.
169 To State Board of Education Minimum School Program - Related
170 to Basic School Program
171 From Education Fund
$30,000,000
172 Schedule of Programs:
173 Professional Learning Grant Program $30,000,000
174 The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education use the appropriation for the
175 professional learning grant program described in Section 53A-15-1502.
176 Section 5. Effective date.
177 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), this bill takes effect on May 12, 2015.
178 (2) Uncodified Section 4, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
as of 2-12-15 11:37 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel