Senator Ann Millner proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
SCHOOL GRADING MODIFICATIONS

2     
2016 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Ann Millner

5     
House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends provisions related to assigning a letter grade to a school based on the
10     proficiency, learning gains, or college and career readiness of the school's students.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     amends provisions related to the letter grade that is assigned to the percentage of
14     points earned under school grading.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          53A-1-1110, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2014, Chapter 403
22     REPEALS:
23          53A-1-1114, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 452
24     

25     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26          Section 1. Section 53A-1-1110 is amended to read:
27          53A-1-1110. Letter grade based on percentage of maximum points earned.
28          (1) [Except as provided in Subsections (2) and (3), a] A school shall receive a letter
29     grade based on the percentage of the maximum number of points the school may earn as
30     calculated under Section 53A-1-1109 as follows:
31          [(a) A, 100% - 80%;]
32          [(b) B, 79% - 70%;]
33          [(c) C, 69% - 60%;]
34          [(d) D, 59% - 50%; and]
35          [(e) F, 49% or less.]
36          (a) for a school that is not a high school:
37          (i) A, 100%-64%;
38          (ii) B, 63%-51%;
39          (iii) C, 50%-39%;
40          (iv) D, 38%-30%; and
41          (v) F, 29% or less; and
42          (b) for a high school:
43          (i) A, 100%-64%;
44          (ii) B, 63%-51%;
45          (iii) C, 50%-43%;
46          (iv) D, 42%-40%; and
47          (v) F, 39% or less.
48          [(2) When 85% of schools receive an A or B, the State Board of Education shall
49     increase the endpoints of the ranges listed in Subsections (1)(a) through (1)(e) by five
50     percentage points, except the lower endpoint of the A range may not be greater than 90%. ]
51          (2) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), and subject to Subsection (3), for a school year in
52     which at least 65% of schools described in Subsection (1)(a) or (b) receive an A or a B, the
53     board shall increase an endpoint of a range described in Subsection (1)(a) or (b) by five
54     percentage points over the previous school year.
55          (3) (a) Subsection (2) applies until the:
56          (i) lower endpoint of the:
57          (A) A range equals 90%;
58          (B) B range equals 80%;
59          (C) C range equals 70%;
60          (D) D range equals 60%; and
61          (ii) upper endpoint of the F range equals 59%.
62          (b) The board may increase an endpoint of a range described in Subsection (1)(a) or (b)
63     by less than five percentage points over the previous school year if increasing the endpoint by
64     five percentage points would increase the endpoint above the applicable percentage described
65     in Subsection (3)(a).
66          (c) If the board increases an endpoint of a range as described in this section, the board
67     shall publish, on the board's website, each letter grade that is assigned to the percentage of
68     points earned.
69          [(3) The] (4) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), the board shall lower a school's grade by
70     one letter grade if:
71          (a) student participation in a statewide assessment is fewer than 95%; or
72          (b) the participation of nonproficient students as determined by prior year test scores is
73     fewer than 95%.
74          Section 2. Repealer.
75          This bill repeals:
76          Section 53A-1-1114, Exceptions applicable to determining school grades for the
77     2014-15 school year.