1     
ELEMENTARY ARTS LEARNING PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

2     
2015 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble

5     
House Sponsor: Val L. Peterson

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     defines terms;
13          ▸     modifies a grant program for integrated elementary arts education;
14          ▸     increases a local education agency's flexibility in the number and types of art
15     specialist positions the agency may hire through the program;
16          ▸     increases the matching funds that a local education agency must provide to 20% of
17     the grant amount;
18          ▸     allows an integrated arts program at an endowed university in the college where the
19     endowed chair resides to:
20               •     provide high quality professional development in elementary integrated arts
21     education in accordance with professional learning standards;
22               •     conduct research on elementary integrated arts education; and
23               •     provide the public with elementary integrated arts education resources;
24          ▸     removes the requirement for an independent evaluation; and
25          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
26     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
27          None
28     Other Special Clauses:
29          This bill provides a special effective date.
30     Utah Code Sections Affected:
31     AMENDS:
32          53A-17a-162, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 330
33     

34     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35          Section 1. Section 53A-17a-162 is amended to read:
36          53A-17a-162. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
37          (1) As used in this section:
38          (a) "Endowed chair" means a person who holds an endowed position or administrator
39     of an endowed program for the purpose of arts and integrated arts instruction at an endowed
40     university.
41          (b) "Endowed university" means an institution of higher education in the state that:
42          (i) awards elementary education degrees in arts instruction;
43          (ii) has received a major philanthropic donation for the purpose of arts and integrated
44     arts instruction; and
45          (iii) has created an endowed position as a result of a donation described in Subsection
46     (1)(b)(ii).
47          (c) "Integrated arts advocate" means a person who:
48          (i) advocates for arts and integrated arts instruction in the state; and
49          (ii) coordinates with an endowed chair pursuant to the agreement creating the endowed
50     chair.
51          (d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
52          (i) a school district;
53          (ii) a charter school; or
54          (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
55          [(1)] (2) The Legislature finds that a strategic placement of arts in elementary
56     education can impact the critical thinking of students in other core subject areas, including
57     mathematics, reading, and science.
58          [(2)] (3) The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program is created
59     to enhance the social, emotional, academic, and arts learning of students in kindergarten
60     through grade six by integrating arts teaching and learning into core subject areas and
61     providing professional development for positions that support elementary arts and integrated
62     arts education.
63          [(3)] (4) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
64     Learning Program, and subject to Subsection (5), the State Board of Education shall, after
65     consulting with [the Utah Arts Council] endowed chairs and the integrated arts advocate and
66     receiving their recommendations, administer a grant program to enable LEAs to:
67          (a) [subject to Subsection (6), establish a grant program to allow school districts and
68     charter schools to] hire [50] highly qualified[, full-time] arts specialists [to be based at 50
69     schools], art coordinators, and other positions that support arts education and arts integration;
70          (b) provide up to $10,000 in one-time funds for each new school arts specialist
71     described under Subsection [(3)] (4)(a) to purchase supplies and equipment; and
72          [(c) establish a grant program to allow 10 school districts to hire art coordinators,
73     provided that a qualifying school district provides matching funds in an amount equal to the
74     grant amount; and]
75          [(d) annually contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a
76     request for proposals process, to evaluate the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
77     Learning Program.]
78          [(4) Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program money may not be
79     used to supplant funds for existing programs funded by the state, but shall be used to augment
80     existing programs.]
81          [(5) Schools that participate in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning
82     Program shall partner with institutions of higher education that award elementary education
83     degrees to obtain quality pre-service and in-service training, research, and leadership
84     development for arts education.]
85          [(6) (a) Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, a school district or charter school may
86     receive a grant under Subsection (3)(a) if the school district or charter school provides
87     matching funds for 10% of the grant amount.]
88          [(b) A qualifying school district or charter school under Subsection (6)(a) shall increase
89     its match amount by an additional 10% each subsequent year, until the school district or charter
90     school provides matching funds in an amount equal to the grant amount.]
91          [(7) Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, the State Board of Education shall make
92     funds available for additional schools to participate in the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Elementary
93     Arts Learning Program, corresponding to the amount of the matching funds required from
94     schools under Subsection (6).]
95          (c) engage in other activities that improve the quantity and quality of integrated arts
96     education.
97          (5) (a) An LEA that receives a grant under Subsection (4) shall provide matching funds
98     of no less than 20% of the grant amount, including no less than 20% of the grant amount for
99     actual salary and benefit costs per full-time equivalent position funded under Subsection (4)(a).
100          (b) An LEA may not:
101          (i) include administrative, facility, or capital costs to provide the matching funds
102     required under Subsection (5)(a); or
103          (ii) use funds from the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program to
104     supplant funds for existing programs.
105          (6) An LEA that receives a grant under this section shall partner with an endowed chair
106     to provide professional development in integrated elementary arts education.
107          (7) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
108     Learning Program, the State Board of Education shall administer a grant program to fund
109     activities within arts and the integrated arts programs at an endowed university in the college
110     where the endowed chair resides to:
111          (a) provide high quality professional development in elementary integrated arts
112     education in accordance with the professional learning standards in Section 53A-3-701 to
113     LEAs that receive a grant under Subsection (4);
114          (b) design and conduct research on:
115          (i) elementary integrated arts education and instruction;
116          (ii) implementation and evaluation of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
117     Learning Program; and
118          (iii) effectiveness of the professional development under Subsection (7)(a); and
119          (c) provide the public with integrated elementary arts education resources.
120          (8) The State Board of Education shall[,]:
121          (a) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
122     Rulemaking Act, to administer the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning
123     Program; and
124          (b) after consultation with [the Utah Arts Council, make] endowed chairs and the
125     integrated arts advocate, submit an annual written report [during the 2009, 2010, and 2011
126     interims] to the Education Interim Committee describing the program's impact on students in
127     kindergarten through grade six.
128          Section 2. Effective date.
129          If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
130     upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
131     Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto,
132     the date of veto override.