1     
MINIMUM SCHOOL PROGRAM AMENDMENTS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Bruce R. Cutler

5     
Senate Sponsor: Ann Millner

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     Committee Note:
9          The Education Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10     General Description:
11          This bill amends provisions related to the Minimum School Program.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     amends provisions related to a local school board paying for a student to attend a
15     school district outside of the state;
16          ▸     amends provisions related to necessarily existent small schools;
17          ▸     amends funding requirements for comprehensive guidance programs; and
18          ▸     repeals the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account.
19     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20          None
21     Other Special Clauses:
22          None
23     Utah Code Sections Affected:
24     AMENDS:
25          53A-2-204, as enacted by Laws of Utah 1988, Chapter 2
26          53A-17a-109, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 106
27          53A-17a-113, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2010, Chapter 3

28          53A-17a-156, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2016, Chapter 217
29     REPEALS:
30          53A-17a-157, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 122
31     

32     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
33          Section 1. Section 53A-2-204 is amended to read:
34          53A-2-204. District paying tuition -- Effect on state aid.
35          (1) A local school board may by written agreement pay the tuition of a child attending
36     school in a district outside the state. Both districts shall approve the agreement and file it with
37     the State Board of Education.
38          (2) The average daily membership of the child may be added to that of other eligible
39     children attending schools within the district of residence for the purpose of apportionment of
40     state funds.
41          (3) (a) The district of residence shall bear any excess tuition costs over the state's
42     contribution for attendance in the district of residence unless otherwise approved in advance by
43     the State Board of Education.
44          (b) (i) If a child who resides in a Utah school district's boundaries attends school in a
45     neighboring state under this section, the State Board of Education may make an out-of-state
46     tuition payment to the Utah school district of residence.
47          (ii) If the State Board of Education approves the use of state funds for an out-of-state
48     tuition payment described in Subsection (3)(b)(i), the State Board of Education shall use funds
49     appropriated by the Legislature for necessarily existent small schools as described in Section
50     53A-17a-109.
51          Section 2. Section 53A-17a-109 is amended to read:
52          53A-17a-109. Necessarily existent small schools -- Computing additional
53     weighted pupil units -- Consolidation of small schools.
54          (1) As used in this section:
55          (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
56          (b) "Necessarily existent small schools funding balance" means the difference between:
57          (i) the amount appropriated for the necessarily existent small schools program in a
58     fiscal year; and

59          (ii) the amount distributed to school districts for the necessarily existent small schools
60     program in the same fiscal year.
61          (2) (a) Upon application by a school district, the board shall, in consultation with the
62     local school board, classify schools in the district as necessarily existent small schools, in
63     accordance with this section and board rules adopted under this section.
64          (b) An application must be submitted to the board before April 2, and the board must
65     report a decision to a school district before June 2.
66          (3) The board shall adopt standards and make rules to:
67          (a) govern the approval of necessarily existent small schools consistent with principles
68     of efficiency and economy and which shall serve the purpose of eliminating schools where
69     consolidation is feasible by participation in special school units; and
70          (b) ensure that districts are not building secondary schools in close proximity to one
71     another where economy and efficiency would be better served by one school meeting the needs
72     of secondary students in a designated geographical area.
73          (4) A one or two-year secondary school that has received necessarily existent small
74     school money under this section prior to July 1, 2000, may continue to receive such money in
75     subsequent years under board rule.
76          (5) The board shall prepare and publish objective standards and guidelines for
77     determining which small schools are necessarily existent after consultation with local school
78     boards.
79          (6) (a) Additional weighted pupil units for schools classified as necessarily existent
80     small schools shall be computed using regression formulas adopted by the board.
81          (b) The regression formulas establish the following maximum sizes for funding under
82     the necessarily existent small school program:
83          (i) an elementary school                    160
84          (ii) a one or two-year secondary school          300
85          (iii) a three-year secondary school               450
86          (iv) a four-year secondary school               500
87          (v) a six-year secondary school               600
88          (c) Schools with fewer than 10 students shall receive the same add-on weighted pupil
89     units as schools with 10 students.

90          (d) The board shall prepare and distribute an allocation table based on the regression
91     formula to each school district.
92          (7) (a) To avoid penalizing a district financially for consolidating its small schools,
93     additional weighted pupil units may be allowed a district each year, not to exceed two years.
94          (b) The additional weighted pupil units may not exceed the difference between what
95     the district receives for a consolidated school and what it would have received for the small
96     schools had they not been consolidated.
97          (8) Subject to legislative appropriation, the board shall give first priority from an
98     appropriation made under this section to funding an expense approved by the board as
99     described in Subsection 53A-2-204(3)(a).
100          [(8)] (9) (a) Subject to Subsection [(8)] (9)(b) and after a distribution made under
101     Subsection (8), the board may distribute a portion of necessarily existent small schools funding
102     in accordance with a formula adopted by the board that considers the tax effort of a local
103     school board.
104          (b) The amount distributed in accordance with Subsection [(8)] (9)(a) may not exceed
105     the necessarily existent small schools fund in balance of the prior fiscal year.
106          [(9)] (10) A district may use the money allocated under this section for maintenance
107     and operation of school programs or for other school purposes as approved by the board.
108          Section 3. Section 53A-17a-113 is amended to read:
109          53A-17a-113. Weighted pupil units for career and technical education programs
110     -- Funding of approved programs -- Performance measures -- Qualifying criteria.
111          (1) (a) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for approved career and
112     technical education programs and the comprehensive guidance program:
113          (i) shall be allocated to eligible recipients as provided in Subsections (2), (3), and (4)[,
114     and (5)]; and
115          (ii) may not be used to fund programs below the ninth grade level.
116          (b) Subsection (1)(a)(ii) does not apply to the following programs:
117          (i) comprehensive guidance;
118          (ii) Technology-Life-Careers; and
119          (iii) work-based learning programs.
120          (2) (a) Weighted pupil units are computed for pupils in approved programs.

121          (b) (i) The board shall fund approved programs based upon hours of membership of
122     9th through 12th grade students.
123          (ii) Subsection (2)(b)(i) does not apply to the following programs:
124          (A) comprehensive guidance;
125          (B) Technology-Life-Careers; and
126          (C) work-based learning programs.
127          (c) The board shall use an amount not to exceed 20% of the total appropriation under
128     this section to fund approved programs based on performance measures such as placement and
129     competency attainment defined in standards set by the board.
130          (d) Leadership organization funds shall constitute an amount not to exceed 1% of the
131     total appropriation under this section, and shall be distributed to each local educational agency
132     sponsoring career and technical education student leadership organizations based on the
133     agency's share of the state's total membership in those organizations.
134          (e) The board shall make the necessary calculations for distribution of the
135     appropriation to school districts and may revise and recommend changes necessary for
136     achieving equity and ease of administration.
137          (3) (a) Twenty weighted pupil units shall be computed for career and technical
138     education administrative costs for each district, except 25 weighted pupil units may be
139     computed for each district that consolidates career and technical education administrative
140     services with one or more other districts.
141          (b) Between 10 and 25 weighted pupil units shall be computed for each high school
142     conducting approved career and technical education programs in a district according to
143     standards established by the board.
144          (c) Forty weighted pupil units shall be computed for each district that operates an
145     approved career and technical education center.
146          (d) Between five and seven weighted pupil units shall be computed for each summer
147     career and technical education agriculture program according to standards established by the
148     board.
149          (e) The board shall, by rule, establish qualifying criteria for districts to receive
150     weighted pupil units under this Subsection (3).
151          (4) (a) Money remaining after the allocations made under Subsections (2) and (3) shall

152     be allocated using average daily membership in approved programs for the previous year.
153          (b) A district that has experienced student growth in grades 9 through 12 for the
154     previous year shall have the growth factor applied to the previous year's weighted pupil units
155     when calculating the allocation of money under this Subsection (4).
156          [(5) Of the money allocated to comprehensive guidance programs pursuant to board
157     rules, $1,000,000 in grants shall be awarded to school districts or charter schools that:]
158          [(a) provide an equal amount of matching funds; and]
159          [(b) do not supplant other funds used for comprehensive guidance programs.]
160          [(6)] (5) (a) The board shall establish rules for the upgrading of high school career and
161     technical education programs.
162          (b) The rules shall reflect career and technical training and actual marketable job skills
163     in society.
164          (c) The rules shall include procedures to assist school districts to convert existing
165     programs which are not preparing students for the job market into programs that will
166     accomplish that purpose.
167          [(7)] (6) Programs that do not meet board standards may not be funded under this
168     section.
169          Section 4. Section 53A-17a-156 is amended to read:
170          53A-17a-156. Teacher Salary Supplement Program -- Appeal process.
171          (1) As used in this section:
172          (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
173          (b) "Certificate teacher" means a teacher who holds a National Board certification.
174          (c) "Eligible teacher" means a teacher who:
175          (i) has an assignment to teach:
176          (A) a secondary school level mathematics course;
177          (B) integrated science in grade seven or eight;
178          (C) chemistry;
179          (D) physics; or
180          (E) computer science;
181          (ii) holds the appropriate endorsement for the assigned course;
182          (iii) has qualifying educational background; and

183          (iv) (A) is a new employee; or
184          (B) received a satisfactory rating or above on the teacher's most recent evaluation.
185          (d) "National Board certification" means the same as that term is defined in Section
186     53A-6-103.
187          (e) "Qualifying educational background" means:
188          (i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
189          (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; or
190          (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
191     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree
192     major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics;
193          (ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade seven or eight integrated science course,
194     chemistry course, or physics course, a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral
195     degree in:
196          (A) integrated science;
197          (B) chemistry;
198          (C) physics;
199          (D) physical science;
200          (E) general science; or
201          (F) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
202     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
203     degree listed in Subsections (1)(e)(ii)(A) through (E);
204          (iii) for a teacher who is assigned a computer science course, a bachelor's degree major,
205     master's degree, or doctoral degree in:
206          (A) computer science;
207          (B) computer information technology; or
208          (C) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
209     requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
210     degree listed in Subsections (1)(e)(iii)(A) and (B).
211          (f) "Title I school" means a school that receives funds under the Elementary and
212     Secondary Education Act of 1965, Title I, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.
213          (g) "Title I school certificate teacher" means a certificate teacher who is assigned to

214     teach at a Title I school.
215          (2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall annually appropriate
216     money to [the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account established in Section
217     53A-17a-157 to fund] the Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
218          (b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
219     money for the following employer-paid benefits:
220          (i) retirement;
221          (ii) workers' compensation;
222          (iii) Social Security; and
223          (iv) Medicare.
224          (3) (a) (i) The annual salary supplement for an eligible teacher who is assigned full
225     time to teach one or more courses listed in Subsections (1)(c)(i)(A) through (E) is $4,100.
226          (ii) An eligible teacher who has a part-time assignment to teach one or more courses
227     listed in Subsections (1)(c)(i)(A) through (E) shall receive a partial salary supplement based on
228     the number of hours worked in a course assignment that meets the requirements of Subsections
229     (1)(c)(ii) and (iii).
230          (b) The annual salary supplement for a certificate teacher is $750.
231          (c) (i) The annual salary supplement for a Title I school certificate teacher is $1,500.
232          (ii) A certificate teacher who qualifies for a salary supplement under Subsections (3)(b)
233     and (c) may only receive the salary supplement that is greater in value.
234          (4) The board shall:
235          (a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
236     supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
237          (b) determine if a teacher:
238          (i) (A) is an eligible teacher; and
239          (B) has a course assignment as listed in Subsections (1)(c)(i)(A) through (E);
240          (ii) is a certificate teacher; or
241          (iii) is a Title I school certificate teacher;
242          (c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
243     district and school administrators; and
244          (d) certify a list of eligible teachers, certificate teachers, and Title I school certificate

245     teachers.
246          (5) (a) An eligible teacher, a certificate teacher, or a Title I school certificate teacher
247     shall apply with the board before the conclusion of a school year to receive the salary
248     supplement authorized in this section.
249          (b) An eligible teacher, a certificate teacher, or a Title I school certificate teacher may
250     apply with the board, after verification that the requirements under this section have been
251     satisfied, to receive a salary supplement after the completion of:
252          (i) the school year as an annual award; or
253          (ii) a semester or trimester as a partial award based on the portion of the school year
254     that has been completed.
255          (6) (a) The board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
256     follow if the teacher applies for the salary supplement and is not certified under Subsection (4).
257          (b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
258     appeal eligibility as an eligible teacher on the basis that the teacher has a degree or degree
259     major with course requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for
260     a degree listed in:
261          (A) Subsection (1)(e)(i)(A);
262          (B) Subsections (1)(e)(ii)(A) through (E); or
263          (C) Subsections (1)(e)(iii)(A) and (B).
264          (ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the board in order
265     for the board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements
266     that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a degree listed in:
267          (A) Subsection (1)(e)(i)(A);
268          (B) Subsections (1)(e)(ii)(A) through (E); or
269          (C) Subsections (1)(e)(iii)(A) and (B).
270          (c) (i) The appeal process established under Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
271     appeal eligibility as a certificate teacher on the basis that the teacher holds a current certificate.
272          (ii) A teacher shall provide to the board a certificate or other related documentation in
273     order for the board to determine if the teacher holds a current certificate.
274          (d) (i) The appeal process established under Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
275     appeal eligibility as a Title I school certificate teacher on the basis that the teacher:

276          (A) holds a current certificate; and
277          (B) is assigned to teach at a Title I school.
278          (ii) A teacher shall provide to the board:
279          (A) information described in Subsection (6)(c)(ii); and
280          (B) verification that the teacher is assigned to teach at a Title I school.
281          (7) (a) The board shall distribute money [from] appropriated to the Teacher Salary
282     Supplement [Restricted Account] Program to school districts and charter schools for the
283     Teacher Salary Supplement Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
284          (b) The board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under Subsection
285     (2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement.
286          (c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
287     salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
288          (8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement [Restricted Account]
289     Program shall be used by a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement
290     equal to the amount specified in Subsection (3) for each eligible teacher, certificate teacher, or
291     Title I school certificate teacher.
292          (b) The salary supplement is part of the teacher's base pay, subject to the teacher's
293     qualification as an eligible teacher, a certificate teacher, or a Title I school certificate teacher
294     every year, semester, or trimester.
295          (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
296     is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the board may limit or
297     reduce the salary supplements.
298          Section 5. Repealer.
299          This bill repeals:
300          Section 53A-17a-157, Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account.






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