2
3
4
5
6 Cosponsors:
7 Walt Brooks
8 Rebecca Chavez-Houck
9 Brad M. Daw
10 Justin L. Fawson
11 Timothy D. Hawkes
Karen Kwan
A. Cory Maloy
Carol Spackman Moss
Derrin R. Owens
Marie H. Poulson
Susan Pulsipher
Tim Quinn
V. Lowry Snow
Christine F. Watkins
Logan Wilde
Mike Winder
12
13 LONG TITLE
14 General Description:
15 This bill creates the program Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic
16 Education.
17 Highlighted Provisions:
18 This bill:
19 ▸ amends defined terms for the Utah Data Research Center; and
20 ▸ enacts Title 53E, Chapter 10, Part 7, ULEAD, including:
21 • defining terms;
22 • creating and defining the duties of the Director Selection Committee;
23 • enacting the qualifications, duties, and functions of the ULEAD director
24 (director);
25 • authorizing the director to collaborate or arrange with participating universities;
26 • enacting language requiring the director to create and maintain electronic
27 resources and a research clearinghouse; and
28 • creating and defining the duties of the ULEAD Steering Committee.
29 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
30 None
31 Other Special Clauses:
32 None
33 Utah Code Sections Affected:
34 AMENDS:
35 35A-14-102, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2017, Chapter 375 and last amended by
36 Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2017, Chapter 382
37 ENACTS:
38 53E-10-701, Utah Code Annotated 1953
39 53E-10-702, Utah Code Annotated 1953
40 53E-10-703, Utah Code Annotated 1953
41 53E-10-704, Utah Code Annotated 1953
42 53E-10-705, Utah Code Annotated 1953
43 53E-10-706, Utah Code Annotated 1953
44 53E-10-707, Utah Code Annotated 1953
45
46 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
47 Section 1. Section 35A-14-102 is amended to read:
48 35A-14-102. Definitions.
49 As used in this chapter:
50 (1) "Advisory board" means the Utah Data Research Advisory Board created in Section
51 35A-14-203.
52 (2) "Center" means the Utah Data Research Center.
53 (3) "Data" means any information about a person stored in a physical or electronic
54 record.
55 (4) "Data research program" means the data maintained by the center in accordance
56 with Section 35A-14-301.
57 (5) "De-identified data" means data about a person that cannot, without additional
58 information, identify the person to another person or machine.
59 (6) "Director" means the director of the Workforce Research and Analysis Division.
60 (7) "Participating entity" means:
61 (a) the State Board of Education, which includes the director as defined in Section
62 53E-10-701;
63 (b) the State Board of Regents;
64 (c) the Utah System of Technical Colleges Board of Trustees;
65 (d) the Department of Workforce Services; and
66 (e) the Department of Health.
67 Section 2. Section 53E-10-701 is enacted to read:
68
69 53E-10-701. Definitions.
70 As used in this part:
71 (1) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
72 (2) "Director" means the director of ULEAD appointed under this part.
73 (3) "Director Selection Committee" or "selection committee" means the committee
74 created in Section 53E-10-703 that appoints the director.
75 (4) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a public:
76 (a) school district;
77 (b) school; or
78 (c) charter school.
79 (5) "Participating institution" means a public or private research institution that enters
80 into an arrangement with the director to provide research and other services described in this
81 part.
82 (6) "Research clearinghouse" means a collection of information maintained and
83 distributed by ULEAD in accordance with Section 53E-10-705.
84 (7) "Steering committee" means the committee that advises the director and is created
85 in Section 53E-10-706.
86 (8) "ULEAD" means Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic
87 Education through the efforts of the director, participating institutions, and the steering
88 committee as described in this part.
89 Section 3. Section 53E-10-702 is enacted to read:
90 53E-10-702. ULEAD established -- Duties -- Funding.
91 There is created the Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic
92 Education, a collaborative effort in research and innovation between the director, participating
93 institutions, and education leaders to:
94 (1) gather and explain current education research in an electronic research
95 clearinghouse for use by practitioners;
96 (2) initiate and disseminate research reports on innovative and successful practices by
97 Utah LEAs, and guided by the steering committee, practitioners, and policymakers;
98 (3) promote statewide innovation and collaboration by:
99 (a) identifying experts in areas of practice;
100 (b) conducting conferences, webinars, and online forums for practitioners; and
101 (c) facilitating direct collaboration between schools; and
102 (4) (a) report to the Legislature and policymakers on innovative and successful K-12
103 practices; and
104 (b) in the report, propose policy changes to remove barriers to implementation of
105 successful practices.
106 Section 4. Section 53E-10-703 is enacted to read:
107 53E-10-703. ULEAD director -- Qualification and employment -- Duties --
108 Reporting -- Annual conference.
109 (1) The ULEAD director shall:
110 (a) (i) hold a doctorate degree in education or an equivalent degree; and
111 (ii) have demonstrated experience in research and dissemination of best practices in
112 education; and
113 (b) (i) be a full-time employee; and
114 (ii) report to the state superintendent of public instruction.
115 (2) The state superintendent shall:
116 (a) evaluate the director's performance annually;
117 (b) report on the director's performance to the selection committee; and
118 (c) provide space for the director and the director's staff.
119 (3) The director may hire staff, using only money specifically appropriated to ULEAD.
120 (4) The director shall perform the following duties and functions:
121 (a) gather current research on innovative and effective practices in K-12 education for
122 use by policymakers and practitioners;
123 (b) facilitate collaboration between LEAs, higher education researchers, and
124 practitioners by:
125 (i) sharing innovative and effective practices shown to improve student learning;
126 (ii) identifying experts in specific areas of practice; and
127 (iii) maintaining a research clearinghouse and directory of researchers; and
128 (c) analyze barriers to replication or adaption of innovative and successful practices
129 studied by ULEAD or contributed to the ULEAD research clearinghouse.
130 (5) The director shall:
131 (a) prioritize reports and other research based on recommendations of the steering
132 committee in accordance with Subsection 53E-10-707(5), and after consulting with individuals
133 described in Subsection 53E-10-707(6);
134 (b) identify Utah LEAs, or schools outside the public school system, that are:
135 (i) innovative in specific areas of practice; and
136 (ii) more effective or efficient than comparable LEAs in improving student learning;
137 (c) establish criteria for innovative practice reports to be performed by participating
138 institutions and included in the research clearinghouse, including report templates;
139 (d) arrange with participating institutions to generate innovative practice reports on
140 effective and innovative K-12 education practices; and
141 (e) (i) disseminate each innovative practice report to LEAs; and
142 (ii) publish innovative practice reports on the ULEAD website.
143 (6) In an innovative practice report, a participating institution shall:
144 (a) include or reference a review of research regarding the practice in which the subject
145 LEA has demonstrated success;
146 (b) identify through academically acceptable, evidence-based research methods the
147 causes of the LEA's successful practice;
148 (c) identify opportunities for LEAs to adopt or customize innovative or best practices;
149 (d) address limitations to successful replication or adaptation of the successful practice
150 by other LEAs, which may include barriers arising from federal or state law, state or LEA
151 policy, socioeconomic conditions, or funding limitations;
152 (e) include practical templates for successful replication and adaptation of successful
153 practices, following criteria established by the director;
154 (f) identify experts in the successful practice that is the subject of the innovative
155 practice report, including teachers or administrators at the subject LEA; and
156 (g) include:
157 (i) an executive summary describing the innovative practice report; and
158 (ii) a video component or other elements designed to ensure that an innovative practice
159 report is readily understandable by practitioners.
160 (7) The director may, if requested by an LEA leader or policymaker, conduct an
161 evidence-based review of a possible innovation in an area of practice.
162 (8) The director may also accept innovative practice reports from trained practitioners
163 that meet the criteria set by the director.
164 (9) The director or a participating institution, to enable successful replication or
165 adaption of successful practices, may recommend to:
166 (a) the Legislature, amendments to state law; or
167 (b) the board, revisions to board rule or policy.
168 (10) The director shall:
169 (a) report on the activities of ULEAD annually to the board; and
170 (b) provide reports or other information to the board upon board request.
171 (11) The director shall:
172 (a) prepare an annual report on ULEAD research and other activities;
173 (b) on or before September 30, submit the annual report:
174 (i) to the Education Interim Committee and the Public Education Appropriations
175 Subcommittee; and
176 (ii) in accordance with Section 68-3-14;
177 (c) publish the annual report on the ULEAD website; and
178 (d) disseminate the report to LEAs through electronic channels.
179 (12) The director shall facilitate and conduct an annual conference on successful and
180 innovative K-12 education practices, featuring:
181 (a) Utah education leaders; and
182 (b) practitioners and researchers, chosen by the director, to discuss the subjects of LEA
183 and other ULEAD activities, or other innovative and successful education practices.
184 Section 5. Section 53E-10-704 is enacted to read:
185 53E-10-704. Director Selection Committee -- Membership -- Powers and duties --
186 Compensation.
187 (1) There is created the Director Selection Committee to appoint the director.
188 (2) The selection committee shall consist of the following nine members each
189 appointed for two-year staggered terms, with the initial terms of the members described in
190 Subsections (2)(a), (b), and (c) to be three years:
191 (a) one member of the office of the governor, who is the chair of the selection
192 committee and appointed by the governor;
193 (b) one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the speaker of the
194 House of Representatives;
195 (c) one member of the Senate, appointed by the president of the Senate;
196 (d) one member of the board, appointed by the chair of the board;
197 (e) one member of the Board of Regents, appointed by the chair of the Board of
198 Regents;
199 (f) one member appointed by the state superintendent of public instruction;
200 (g) one member of the State Charter School Board, appointed by the chair of the State
201 Charter School Board;
202 (h) one member of the Utah School Boards Association recognized in Section
203 53G-4-502, appointed by the association executive director; and
204 (i) one member of a state association that represents school superintendents, appointed
205 by the association executive director.
206 (3) (a) A member of the selection committee may be appointed for more than one term.
207 (b) If a midterm vacancy occurs on the selection committee, the appointing individual,
208 as described in Subsection (2), for the vacant position shall appoint an individual for the
209 remainder of the term.
210 (4) A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of selection
211 committee business.
212 (5) (a) The selection committee shall select and appoint a director for a four-year term.
213 (b) The director may be appointed for more than one term.
214 (6) (a) In a year in which the director is appointed, the selection committee shall:
215 (i) solicit applications for the director position to be submitted no later than June 1;
216 (ii) hold at least two meetings to discuss candidates for the open director position; and
217 (iii) select and appoint by majority vote a candidate to fill the director position to begin
218 employment no later than August 1.
219 (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (6)(a), if a midterm vacancy in the director position
220 occurs, the selection committee shall:
221 (i) no later than 25 business days after the day on which the position is vacated, solicit
222 applications for the director position;
223 (ii) hold at least two meetings to discuss candidates for the vacant position; and
224 (iii) no later than 60 business days after the day on which the position is vacated, select
225 a candidate to fill the director position for the remainder of the term.
226 (7) (a) The selection committee:
227 (i) may remove a director before the completion of the director's term only by a
228 majority vote of the selection committee; and
229 (ii) is the only person empowered to remove the director.
230 (b) The chair shall hold a meeting to consider removing the director upon request of
231 two or more selection committee members.
232 (8) A member of the selection committee may not receive compensation except a
233 member who is a legislator shall receive compensation for travel and other expense
234 reimbursements in accordance with Section 36-2-2.
235 (9) The selection committee shall:
236 (a) establish criteria for evaluation of the ULEAD program, including the degree of
237 participation by participating institutions and practitioners; and
238 (b) evaluate the effectiveness of ULEAD every four years for purposes of continuing
239 the program.
240 (10) The selection committee shall hold a meeting described in this section in
241 accordance with Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.
242 Section 6. Section 53E-10-705 is enacted to read:
243 53E-10-705. Participating institutions.
244 (1) The director may arrange or collaborate with a participating institution:
245 (a) to conduct an innovative practice report or provide other research services,
246 including research regarding barriers to adoption of practices studied by ULEAD;
247 (b) to assist an LEA to:
248 (i) facilitate communities of practice for replication or adaptation of best practices
249 identified by ULEAD; and
250 (ii) advise teachers and school leaders on conducting their own research to improve
251 education practices;
252 (c) to assist an LEA with an application to the board for waiver from a board rule in
253 accordance with Section 53G-7-202 to allow replication or adaptation of best practices; or
254 (d) for any other purpose that is consistent with and advances the director's duties and
255 functions.
256 (2) An agreement entered into by a participating institution with the board or an LEA
257 to perform ULEAD work shall:
258 (a) include provisions allowing and governing external research data sharing; and
259 (b) comply with state and federal law.
260 (3) The director shall support federal and private research funding requests by a
261 participating institution for research that is in support of the director's duties and functions.
262 Section 7. Section 53E-10-706 is enacted to read:
263 53E-10-706. Electronic resources -- Research clearinghouse.
264 (1) The board shall publish a ULEAD website containing information provided by the
265 director as described in this part.
266 (2) The director shall within two years of appointment:
267 (a) develop and maintain a research clearinghouse publicly available through the
268 website described in Subsection (1); and
269 (b) include in the research clearinghouse:
270 (i) research on K-12 education, including peer-reviewed research;
271 (ii) information on K-12 education innovation and best practices;
272 (iii) an index and explanation of academic, state, federal, or other K-12 education
273 research repositories;
274 (iv) K-12 education research and policy briefs generated by Utah public and private
275 institutions of higher education, including participating institutions, categorized and searchable
276 by topic;
277 (v) access points to and explanation of currently available K-12 education data,
278 including data managed by the Utah Data Research Center created in Section 35A-14-201 and
279 data maintained by the board;
280 (vi) other K-12 education information as determined by the director, including
281 information regarding efforts by institutions or other individuals to promote innovative and
282 effective education practices in Utah; and
283 (vii) each innovative practice report prepared by ULEAD, categorized and searchable
284 by topic, location of the studied LEA, and socioeconomic and demographic profile.
285 (3) The director shall publish:
286 (a) an electronic directory of K-12 education experts identified in ULEAD research and
287 reports; and
288 (b) a monthly report to LEAs, via electronic channels provided by the board,
289 highlighting ULEAD activities and soliciting proposals from education practitioners for
290 ULEAD research and reports.
291 (4) The director may provide electronic seminars or forums for professional learning
292 regarding subjects of ULEAD research and reports to K-12 practitioners.
293 Section 8. Section 53E-10-707 is enacted to read:
294 53E-10-707. ULEAD Steering Committee.
295 (1) (a) There is created the ULEAD Steering Committee.
296 (b) The director is the chair of the steering committee.
297 (2) The steering committee shall consist of the following members each appointed for a
298 term of one year:
299 (a) the director;
300 (b) one member appointed by the chair of the board;
301 (c) the state superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee;
302 (d) the staff director of the State Charter School Board or the director's designee;
303 (e) one member appointed by the office of the governor;
304 (f) one member, appointed by the director, who is a superintendent of a school district;
305 (g) one member, appointed by the director, of a local school board;
306 (h) two principals or other public school leaders of public schools that are not charter
307 schools, appointed by the director;
308 (i) two principals or other public school leaders of charter schools, appointed by the
309 director;
310 (j) two educators who hold a current license under Chapter 6, Education Professional
311 Licensure, nominated by LEA leaders and appointed by the director; and
312 (k) two members representing citizens or business, nominated by the members of the
313 public and appointed by the director.
314 (3) (a) A member of the steering committee may be appointed for more than one term.
315 (b) If a midterm vacancy occurs on the steering committee, the appointing individual,
316 as described in Subsection (2), for the vacant position shall appoint an individual for the
317 remainder of the term.
318 (4) (a) The steering committee shall hold a meeting at least semi annually in January
319 and July or on dates otherwise chosen by the director.
320 (b) The board shall provide space for the steering committee to meet.
321 (5) The steering committee shall:
322 (a) discuss prospective and current ULEAD projects and findings;
323 (b) consult with and make recommendations to the director to prioritize ULEAD
324 reports and areas of focused research;
325 (c) facilitate connections between the director and Utah's political, business, education
326 technology, and academic communities; and
327 (d) make recommendations to improve gathering, retaining, and disseminating
328 education data and research and evaluation findings for use by participating institutions and
329 other education policy researchers, including data managed by the Utah Data Research Center
330 created in Section 35A-14-201.
331 (6) In order to determine research priorities for ULEAD, the director shall consult with:
332 (a) members of the Legislature responsible for public education;
333 (b) members of Utah professional education associations, including principals and
334 school boards; and
335 (c) policy-research centers based in Utah.
336 (7) The board or state superintendent of public instruction may request that the director
337 arrange with a participating institution to prepare a report on a specific LEA or area of practice
338 meeting the criteria established in this part.
339 (8) A member of the steering committee may not receive compensation except a
340 member who is a legislator shall receive compensation for travel and other expense
341 reimbursements in accordance with Section 36-2-2.
342 (9) The steering committee shall hold a meeting described in this section in accordance
343 with Title 52, Chapter 4, Open and Public Meetings Act.