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7 LONG TITLE
8 Committee Note:
9 The Education Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10 General Description:
11 This bill requires the State Board of Education to establish a professional learning grant
12 program.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 ▸ defines terms;
16 ▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules to establish a professional
17 learning grant program;
18 ▸ provides requirements for the professional learning grant program; and
19 ▸ makes technical changes.
20 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2017:
22 ▸ to State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic School
23 Program as an ongoing appropriation:
24 • from the Education Fund, $30,000,000.
25 Other Special Clauses:
26 None
27 Utah Code Sections Affected:
28 AMENDS:
29 53A-1-710, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 446
30 53A-17a-162, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 12
31 ENACTS:
32 53A-15-1701, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33 53A-15-1702, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34 53A-15-1704, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35 RENUMBERS AND AMENDS:
36 53A-15-1703, (Renumbered from 53A-3-701, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015,
37 Chapter 415)
38 REPEALS:
39 53A-17a-124, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 346
40
41 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
42 Section 1. Section 53A-1-710 is amended to read:
43 53A-1-710. Digital teaching and learning program task force -- Funding proposal
44 for a program -- Master plan -- Reporting requirements.
45 (1) As used in this section:
46 (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
47 (b) "Core subject areas" means the following subject areas:
48 (i) English language arts;
49 (ii) mathematics;
50 (iii) science; and
51 (iv) social studies.
52 (c) "[
53 standards described in Section [
54 (d) "LEA plan" means an LEA's plan to implement a digital teaching and learning
55 program that meets requirements set by the board.
56 (e) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
57 (i) a school district;
58 (ii) a charter school; or
59 (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
60 (f) "Statewide assessment" means a test of student achievement in English language
61 arts, mathematics, or science, including a test administered in a computer adaptive format,
62 which is administered statewide under Part 6, Achievement Tests.
63 (g) "Utah Education and Telehealth Network" or "UETN" means the Utah Education
64 and Telehealth Network created in Section 53B-17-105.
65 (2) (a) The board shall establish a digital teaching and learning task force to develop a
66 funding proposal to present to the Legislature for digital teaching and learning in elementary
67 and secondary schools.
68 (b) The digital teaching and learning task force shall include representatives of:
69 (i) the board;
70 (ii) UETN;
71 (iii) LEAs; and
72 (iv) the Governor's Education Excellence Commission.
73 (3) (a) The board, in consultation with the digital teaching and learning task force
74 created in Subsection (2), shall create a funding proposal for a statewide digital teaching and
75 learning program designed to:
76 (i) improve student outcomes through the use of digital teaching and learning
77 technology; and
78 (ii) provide [
79 student outcomes through the use of digital teaching and learning technology.
80 (b) The board shall:
81 (i) identify outcome based metrics to measure student achievement related to a digital
82 teaching and learning program; and
83 (ii) develop minimum benchmark standards for student achievement and school level
84 outcomes to measure successful implementation of a digital teaching and learning program.
85 (4) As funding allows, the board shall develop a master plan for a statewide digital
86 teaching and learning program, including the following:
87 (a) a statement of purpose that describes the objectives or goals the board will
88 accomplish by implementing a digital teaching and learning program;
89 (b) a forecast for fundamental components needed to implement a digital teaching and
90 learning program, including a forecast for:
91 (i) student and teacher devices;
92 (ii) Wi-Fi and wireless compatible technology;
93 (iii) curriculum software;
94 (iv) assessment solutions;
95 (v) technical support;
96 (vi) change management of LEAs;
97 (vii) [
98 (viii) Internet delivery and capacity; and
99 (ix) security and privacy of users;
100 (c) a determination of the requirements for:
101 (i) statewide technology infrastructure; and
102 (ii) local LEA technology infrastructure;
103 (d) standards for [
104 and maintaining a digital teaching and learning program;
105 (e) a statewide technical support plan that will guide the implementation and
106 maintenance of a digital teaching and learning program, including standards and competency
107 requirements for technical support personnel;
108 (f) (i) a grant program for LEAs; or
109 (ii) a distribution formula to fund LEA digital teaching and learning programs;
110 (g) in consultation with UETN, an inventory of the state public education system's
111 current technology resources and other items and a plan to integrate those resources into a
112 digital teaching and learning program;
113 (h) an ongoing evaluation process that is overseen by the board;
114 (i) proposed rules that incorporate the principles of the master plan into the state's
115 public education system as a whole; and
116 (j) a plan to ensure long-term sustainability that:
117 (i) accounts for the financial impacts of a digital teaching and learning program; and
118 (ii) facilitates the redirection of LEA savings that arise from implementing a digital
119 teaching and learning program.
120 (5) UETN shall:
121 (a) in consultation with the board, conduct an inventory of the state public education
122 system's current technology resources and other items as determined by UETN, including
123 software;
124 (b) perform an engineering study to determine the technology infrastructure needs of
125 the public education system to implement a digital teaching and learning program, including
126 the infrastructure needed for the board, UETN, and LEAs; and
127 (c) as funding allows, provide infrastructure and technology support for school districts
128 and charter schools.
129 (6) On or before December 1, 2015, the board and UETN shall present the funding
130 proposal for a statewide digital teaching and learning program described in Subsection (3) to
131 the Education Interim Committee and the Executive Appropriations Committee, including:
132 (a) the board's progress on the development of a master plan described in Subsection
133 (4); and
134 (b) the progress of UETN on the inventory and study described in Subsection (5).
135 Section 2. Section 53A-15-1701 is enacted to read:
136
137 53A-15-1701. Title.
138 This part is known as "Educator Professional Learning."
139 Section 3. Section 53A-15-1702 is enacted to read:
140 53A-15-1702. Definitions.
141 As used in this part:
142 (1) "Board" means the State Board of Education established in Section 53A-1-101.
143 (2) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
144 (a) a school district;
145 (b) a charter school; or
146 (c) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
147 (3) "Professional learning" means a comprehensive, sustained, and evidence-based
148 approach to improving teachers' and principals' effectiveness in raising student achievement.
149 Section 4. Section 53A-15-1703, which is renumbered from Section 53A-3-701 is
150 renumbered and amended to read:
151 [
152 [
153
154
155 [
156 professional learning that meets the following standards:
157 (a) professional learning occurs within learning communities committed to continuous
158 improvement, individual and collective responsibility, and goal alignment;
159 (b) professional learning requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and
160 create support systems, for professional learning;
161 (c) professional learning requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources
162 for educator learning;
163 (d) professional learning uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and
164 system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning;
165 (e) professional learning integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to
166 achieve its intended outcomes;
167 (f) professional learning applies research on change and sustains support for
168 implementation of professional learning for long-term change;
169 (g) professional learning aligns its outcomes with:
170 (i) performance standards for teachers and school administrators as described in rules
171 of the [
172 (ii) performance standards for students as described in the core standards for Utah
173 public schools adopted by the [
174 53A-1-402.6; and
175 (h) professional learning:
176 (i) incorporates the use of technology in the design, implementation, and evaluation of
177 [
178 (ii) includes targeted professional learning on the use of technology devices to enhance
179 the teaching and learning environment and the integration of technology in content delivery.
180 [
181 Legislature for professional learning or federal grant money awarded for professional learning
182 to implement professional learning that meets the standards specified in Subsection [
183 [
184 superintendent of public instruction, and in collaboration with an independent consultant
185 acquired through a competitive bid process, shall conduct a statewide survey of school districts
186 and charter schools to:
187 (i) determine the current state of professional learning for educators as aligned with the
188 standards specified in Subsection [
189 (ii) determine the effectiveness of current professional learning practices; and
190 (iii) identify resources to implement professional learning as described in Subsection
191 [
192 (b) The [
193 have demonstrated successful experience in conducting a statewide analysis of professional
194 learning.
195 (c) (i) Annually in the fall, beginning in 2015 through 2020, the [
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197 school districts and charter schools, shall gather and use data to determine the impact of
198 professional learning efforts and resources.
199 (ii) Data used to determine the impact of professional learning efforts and resources
200 under Subsection [
201 (A) student achievement data;
202 (B) educator evaluation data; and
203 (C) survey data.
204 Section 5. Section 53A-15-1704 is enacted to read:
205 53A-15-1704. Professional learning grant program.
206 (1) In accordance with this section and Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
207 Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules to establish a qualifying professional learning
208 grant program.
209 (2) To request a professional learning grant, an LEA shall prepare a professional
210 learning plan that:
211 (a) outlines the LEA's professional learning goals and demonstrates how the LEA will
212 support the goals over time through:
213 (i) the use of a learning community described in Section 53A-15-1703; and
214 (ii) other methods;
215 (b) describes the LEA's targeted outcomes, based on the LEA's:
216 (i) analysis of student data; and
217 (ii) evaluation of educator knowledge and skills;
218 (c) integrates the professional learning standards described in Section 53A-15-1703;
219 (d) includes an evaluation method to optimize effectiveness that:
220 (i) measures student growth;
221 (ii) requires observation of educator practice; and
222 (iii) includes educator feedback;
223 (e) is developed in collaboration with teachers, principals, and other educators; and
224 (f) incorporates a strategy for compensation, where appropriate, of professional
225 learning participants.
226 (3) An LEA shall submit a professional learning plan described in Subsection (2) to the
227 board on or before July 1 immediately preceding the school year for which the LEA is seeking
228 funding.
229 (4) In accordance with Subsection (5), the board shall determine:
230 (a) procedures for approving an LEA professional learning plan;
231 (b) qualifying criteria for an LEA to receive a grant; and
232 (c) a distribution formula to award a grant that funds an LEA's approved professional
233 learning plan.
234 (5) The board shall award a grant to fund an LEA learning plan if the plan meets the
235 qualifying criteria described in Subsection (4)(b) and prioritizes the following objectives, as
236 applicable, based on student data:
237 (a) improved mathematics instruction, particularly for grades 4 through 8;
238 (b) reading intervention for secondary students;
239 (c) improved data collection and analysis;
240 (d) providing quality feedback on educator instruction;
241 (e) multi-tiered systems of support for a student who:
242 (i) is learning English;
243 (ii) needs accommodations as described in an individualized education program
244 prepared in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec.
245 1400 et seq.; or
246 (iii) requires accelerated learning strategies; and
247 (f) use of a learning community that:
248 (i) collaborates to focus on student learning;
249 (ii) identifies and prioritizes essential skills within curriculum;
250 (iii) improves formative assessment data analysis and reporting;
251 (iv) provides targeted interventions and timely extension opportunities; and
252 (v) supports school leaders to provide quality feedback on:
253 (A) classroom instruction;
254 (B) student learning; and
255 (C) learning community performance.
256 (6) On or before June 1 of the school year for which an LEA received a grant described
257 in this section, the LEA shall submit a report to the board that provides student and educator
258 data analyzed to show the effectiveness of the LEA's professional learning plan.
259 (7) On or before December 1 of each year, the board shall report to the Education
260 Interim Committee regarding:
261 (a) the results of the professional learning grant program, based on:
262 (i) student achievement data;
263 (ii) educator evaluation data; and
264 (iii) survey data; and
265 (b) statewide improvement in professional learning practices based on the professional
266 learning standards described in Section 53A-15-1703.
267 Section 6. Section 53A-17a-162 is amended to read:
268 53A-17a-162. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
269 (1) As used in this section:
270 (a) "Endowed chair" means a person who holds an endowed position or administrator
271 of an endowed program for the purpose of arts and integrated arts instruction at an endowed
272 university.
273 (b) "Endowed university" means an institution of higher education in the state that:
274 (i) awards elementary education degrees in arts instruction;
275 (ii) has received a major philanthropic donation for the purpose of arts and integrated
276 arts instruction; and
277 (iii) has created an endowed position as a result of a donation described in Subsection
278 (1)(b)(ii).
279 (c) "Integrated arts advocate" means a person who:
280 (i) advocates for arts and integrated arts instruction in the state; and
281 (ii) coordinates with an endowed chair pursuant to the agreement creating the endowed
282 chair.
283 (d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
284 (i) a school district;
285 (ii) a charter school; or
286 (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
287 (2) The Legislature finds that a strategic placement of arts in elementary education can
288 impact the critical thinking of students in other core subject areas, including mathematics,
289 reading, and science.
290 (3) The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program is created to
291 enhance the social, emotional, academic, and arts learning of students in kindergarten through
292 grade six by integrating arts teaching and learning into core subject areas and providing
293 professional development for positions that support elementary arts and integrated arts
294 education.
295 (4) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
296 Learning Program, and subject to Subsection (5), the State Board of Education shall, after
297 consulting with endowed chairs and the integrated arts advocate and receiving their
298 recommendations, administer a grant program to enable LEAs to:
299 (a) hire highly qualified arts specialists, art coordinators, and other positions that
300 support arts education and arts integration;
301 (b) provide up to $10,000 in one-time funds for each new school arts specialist
302 described under Subsection (4)(a) to purchase supplies and equipment; and
303 (c) engage in other activities that improve the quantity and quality of integrated arts
304 education.
305 (5) (a) An LEA that receives a grant under Subsection (4) shall provide matching funds
306 of no less than 20% of the grant amount, including no less than 20% of the grant amount for
307 actual salary and benefit costs per full-time equivalent position funded under Subsection (4)(a).
308 (b) An LEA may not:
309 (i) include administrative, facility, or capital costs to provide the matching funds
310 required under Subsection (5)(a); or
311 (ii) use funds from the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program to
312 supplant funds for existing programs.
313 (6) An LEA that receives a grant under this section shall partner with an endowed chair
314 to provide professional development in integrated elementary arts education.
315 (7) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
316 Learning Program, the State Board of Education shall administer a grant program to fund
317 activities within arts and the integrated arts programs at an endowed university in the college
318 where the endowed chair resides to:
319 (a) provide [
320 arts education in accordance with the professional learning standards in Section [
321 53A-15-1703 to LEAs that receive a grant under Subsection (4);
322 (b) design and conduct research on:
323 (i) elementary integrated arts education and instruction;
324 (ii) implementation and evaluation of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
325 Learning Program; and
326 (iii) effectiveness of the professional development under Subsection (7)(a); and
327 (c) provide the public with integrated elementary arts education resources.
328 (8) The State Board of Education shall:
329 (a) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
330 Rulemaking Act, to administer the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning
331 Program; and
332 (b) after consultation with endowed chairs and the integrated arts advocate, submit an
333 annual written report to the Education Interim Committee describing the program's impact on
334 students in kindergarten through grade six.
335 Section 7. Repealer.
336 This bill repeals:
337 Section 53A-17a-124, Quality Teaching Block Grant Program -- State
338 contributions.
339 Section 8. Appropriation.
340 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
341 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2017, the following sums of money
342 are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
343 previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
344 addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2017.
345 To State Board of Education Minimum School Program -- Related to
346 Basic School Program
347 From Education Fund
$30,000,000
348 Schedule of Programs:
349 Professional Learning Grant Program $30,000,000
350 The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education use the appropriation for the
351 professional learning grant program described in Section 53A-15-1704.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel