1     
MINIMUM SCHOOL PROGRAM REPORTING

2     
MODIFICATIONS

3     
2018 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Susan Pulsipher

6     
Senate Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore

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8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This bill repeals reporting and planning requirements related to certain programs within
11     the Minimum School Program.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     repeals requirements on local education boards related to class size reduction,
15     including:
16               •     a requirement that a local education board submit a plan to the State Board of
17     Education to qualify for class size reduction money; and
18               •     a requirement that a local education board report on the use of class size
19     reduction money in the prior school year;
20          ▸     repeals reporting requirements related to the K-3 Reading Improvement Program
21     and federal Title I money;
22          ▸     repeals an annual required report from the State Board of Education to the Public
23     Education Appropriations Subcommittee related to class size; and
24          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
25     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
26          None
27     Other Special Clauses:
28          None
29     Utah Code Sections Affected:
30     AMENDS:
31          53F-2-312, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 2
32     

33     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
34          Section 1. Section 53F-2-312 is amended to read:
35          53F-2-312. Appropriation for class size reduction.
36          (1) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for class size reduction shall
37     be used to reduce the average class size in kindergarten through [the eighth] grade 8 in the
38     state's public schools.
39          (2) [Each] A school district or charter school shall receive an allocation [based upon]
40     for class size reduction based on the school district or charter school's prior year average daily
41     membership plus growth in kindergarten through grade 8 [plus growth] as determined under
42     Subsection 53F-2-302(3) [as] compared to the total prior year average daily membership plus
43     growth in kindergarten through grade 8 [plus growth of school districts and charter schools that
44     qualify for an allocation pursuant to Subsection (8)] statewide.
45          (3) (a) A local education board may use an allocation to reduce class size in any one or
46     all of the grades referred to under this section, except as otherwise provided in Subsection
47     (3)(b).
48          (b) (i) [Each] A local education board shall use 50% of an allocation to reduce class
49     size in any one or all of grades kindergarten through grade 2, with an emphasis on improving
50     student reading skills.
51          (ii) If a school district's or charter school's average class size is below 18 students in
52     [grades] kindergarten through grade 2, a local education board may petition the State Board of
53     Education for, and the State Board of Education may grant, a waiver [to use an allocation
54     under] of the requirement described in Subsection (3)(b)(i) [for class size reduction in the other
55     grades].
56          (4) [Schools] A school may use nontraditional innovative and creative methods to
57     reduce class sizes with this appropriation and may use part of an allocation to focus on class
58     size reduction for specific groups, such as at risk students, or for specific blocks of time during
59     the school day.
60          (5) (a) A local education board may use up to 20% of an allocation under [Subsection
61     (1)] this section for capital facilities projects if such projects would help to reduce class size.
62          (b) If a school district's or charter school's student population increases by at least 5%
63     or at least 700 students from the previous school year, the local education board may use up to
64     50% of [any] an allocation received by the [respective] school district or charter school under
65     this section for classroom construction.
66          (6) This appropriation is to supplement any other appropriation made for class size
67     reduction.
68          (7) The Legislature shall provide for an annual adjustment in the appropriation
69     authorized under this section in proportion to the increase in the number of students in the state
70     in kindergarten through grade [eight] 8.
71          [(8) (a) For a school district or charter school to qualify for class size reduction money,
72     a local education board shall submit:]
73          [(i) a plan for the use of the allocation of class size reduction money to the State Board
74     of Education; and]
75          [(ii) beginning with the 2014-15 school year, a report on the local education board's use
76     of class size reduction money in the prior school year.]
77          [(b) The plan and report required pursuant to Subsection (8)(a) shall include the
78     following information:]
79          [(i) (A) the number of teachers employed using class size reduction money;]
80          [(B) the amount of class size reduction money expended for teachers; and]
81          [(C) if supplemental school district or charter school funds are expended to pay for
82     teachers employed using class size reduction money, the amount of the supplemental money;]
83          [(ii) (A) the number of paraprofessionals employed using class size reduction money;]
84          [(B) the amount of class size reduction money expended for paraprofessionals; and]
85          [(C) if supplemental school district or charter school funds are expended to pay for
86     paraprofessionals employed using class size reduction money, the amount of the supplemental
87     money; and]
88          [(iii) the amount of class size reduction money expended for capital facilities.]
89          [(c) In addition to submitting a plan and report on the use of class size reduction
90     money, a local education board shall annually submit a report to the State Board of Education
91     that includes the following information:]
92          [(i) the number of teachers employed using K-3 Reading Improvement Program money
93     received pursuant to Sections 53F-2-503 and 53F-8-406;]
94          [(ii) the amount of K-3 Reading Improvement Program money expended for teachers;]
95          [(iii) the number of teachers employed in kindergarten through grade 8 using Title I
96     money;]
97          [(iv) the amount of Title I money expended for teachers in kindergarten through grade
98     8; and]
99          [(v) a comparison of actual average class size by grade in grades kindergarten through
100     8 in the school district or charter school with what the average class size would be without the
101     expenditure of class size reduction, K-3 Reading Improvement Program, and Title I money.]
102          [(d) The information required to be reported in Subsections (8)(b)(i)(A) through (C),
103     (8)(b)(ii)(A) through (C), and (8)(c) shall be categorized by a teacher's or paraprofessional's
104     teaching assignment, such as the grade level, course, or subject taught.]
105          [(e) The State Board of Education may make rules specifying procedures and standards
106     for the submission of:]
107          [(i) a plan and a report on the use of class size reduction money as required by this
108     section; and]
109          [(ii) a report required under Subsection (8)(c).]
110          [(f) Based on the data contained in the class size reduction plans and reports submitted
111     by local education boards, and data on average class size, the State Board of Education shall
112     annually report to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the impact of class
113     size reduction, K-3 Reading Improvement Program, and Title I money on class size.]
114