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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates an education program for refugee students within the Refugee Services
10 Office of the Department of Workforce Services (DWS).
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms;
14 ▸ authorizes DWS to partner with one or more local education agencies to create an
15 education program for refugees; and
16 ▸ describes that the education program would assist adult refugee students, who are
17 no longer eligible for traditional high school, in obtaining a high school diploma or
18 its equivalent;
19 ▸ describes the rulemaking authority for DWS to administer the education program;
20 and
21 ▸ describes the annual reporting requirement of DWS related to the education
22 program.
23 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
24 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021:
25 ▸ to the Department of Workforce Services -- Operations and Policy -- Workforce
26 Development as an ongoing appropriation:
27 • from the General Fund, $500,000.
28 Other Special Clauses:
29 None
30 Utah Code Sections Affected:
31 ENACTS:
32 35A-3-703, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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34 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
35 Section 1. Section 35A-3-703 is enacted to read:
36 35A-3-703. Continuation of high school education.
37 (1) As used in this section, "local education agency" means a school district or charter
38 school.
39 (2) Subject to appropriations from the Legislature, the department may partner with
40 one or more local education agencies to provide an education program to assist refugees in:
41 (a) obtaining a high school diploma or its equivalent; and
42 (b) career pathway planning.
43 (3) The education program may only assist refugees who:
44 (a) have not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent;
45 (b) are no longer eligible for traditional high school; and
46 (c) are 18 years of age or older and 23 years of age or younger.
47 (4) The department shall administer and coordinate the provision of the education
48 program described in this section, including determining eligibility for the program:
49 (a) with input from any office or advisory committee involved with the provision of
50 refugee services within the department;
51 (b) with input from any partnering local education agency; and
52 (c) in accordance with any state and federal requirements related to the provision of
53 services to refugees.
54 (5) The department may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
55 Administrative Rulemaking Act, to provide for the administration and coordination of the
56 education program described in this section.
57 (6) The department shall include in its annual report described in Section 35A-1-109
58 the following information:
59 (a) the name of each local education agency that the department is partnering with to
60 provide an education program described in this section;
61 (b) the number of refugee students being served by the education program described in
62 this section;
63 (c) the number of refugee students who have obtained a high school diploma or its
64 equivalent as a result of the education program described in this section; and
65 (d) recommendations to the Legislature regarding what is working well and what
66 improvements could be made to the education program described in this section.
67 Section 2. Appropriation.
68 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
69 2020, and ending June 30, 2021. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
70 fiscal year 2021. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
71 Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
72 indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
73 ITEM 1
74 To the Department of Workforce Services -- Operations and Policy
75 From General Fund
$500,000
76 Schedule of Programs:
77 Workforce Development $500,000