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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill expands the grades in which a school administers a benchmark assessment for
10 reading.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ expands the grades in which a school administers a benchmark assessment for
14 reading to include grades 4 through 6; and
15 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021:
18 ▸ to State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs -- Electronic Elementary Reading
19 Tool, as an ongoing appropriation:
20 • from the Education Fund, $1,500,000.
21 Other Special Clauses:
22 None
23 Utah Code Sections Affected:
24 AMENDS:
25 53E-4-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
26 53F-4-201, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
27
28 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29 Section 1. Section 53E-4-307 is amended to read:
30 53E-4-307. Benchmark assessments in reading -- Report to parent.
31 (1) As used in this section, "competency" means a demonstrable acquisition of a
32 specified knowledge, skill, or ability that has been organized into a hierarchical arrangement
33 leading to higher levels of knowledge, skill, or ability.
34 (2) The state board shall approve a benchmark assessment for use statewide by school
35 districts and charter schools to assess the reading competency of students in grades 1[
36 through 6 as provided by this section.
37 (3) A school district or charter school shall:
38 (a) administer benchmark assessments to students in grades 1, 2, and 3 at the
39 beginning, middle, and end of the school year using the benchmark assessment approved by the
40 state board; and
41 (b) after administering a benchmark assessment, report the results to a student's parent.
42 (4) If a benchmark assessment or supplemental reading assessment indicates a student
43 lacks competency in a reading skill, or is lagging behind other students in the student's grade in
44 acquiring a reading skill, the school district or charter school shall:
45 (a) provide focused individualized intervention to develop the reading skill;
46 (b) administer formative assessments to measure the success of the focused
47 intervention;
48 (c) inform the student's parent of activities that the parent may engage in with the
49 student to assist the student in improving reading proficiency; and
50 (d) provide information to the parent regarding appropriate interventions available to
51 the student outside of the regular school day that may include tutoring, before and after school
52 programs, or summer school.
53 (5) In accordance with Section 53F-4-201, the state board shall contract with one or
54 more educational technology providers for a [
55 reading for students in kindergarten through grade [
56 Section 2. Section 53F-4-201 is amended to read:
57 53F-4-201. State board required to contract for a benchmark assessment system
58 for reading.
59 (1) (a) As described in Section 53E-4-307, the state board shall approve a benchmark
60 assessment for use statewide by school districts and charter schools.
61 (b) The state board shall contract with one or more educational technology providers,
62 selected through a request for proposals process, for a [
63 system for reading for students in kindergarten through grade [
64 of this section.
65 (2) Subject to legislative appropriations, a [
66 for reading shall be made available to school districts and charter schools that apply to use a
67 [
68 (3) A [
69 kindergarten through grade [
70 (a) be in a digital format;
71 (b) include benchmark assessments of reading proficiency to be administered at the
72 beginning, in the middle, and at the end of kindergarten[
73 grades 1 through 6;
74 (c) include formative assessments to be administered every two to four weeks for
75 students who are at high risk of not attaining proficiency in reading;
76 (d) align with the language arts core standards for Utah public schools adopted by the
77 state board; and
78 (e) include a data analysis component hosted by the provider that:
79 (i) has the capacity to generate electronic information immediately and produce
80 individualized student progress reports, class summaries, and class groupings for instruction;
81 (ii) may have the capability of identifying lesson plans that may be used to develop
82 reading skills;
83 (iii) enables teachers, administrators, and designated supervisors to access reports
84 through a secured password system;
85 (iv) produces electronic printable reports for parents and administrators; and
86 (v) has the capability for principals to monitor usage by teachers.
87 Section 3. Appropriation.
88 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
89 2020, and ending June 30, 2021. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
90 fiscal year 2021. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
91 Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
92 indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
93 ITEM 1
94 To the State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs
95 From Education Fund
$1,500,000
96 Schedule of Programs
97 Electronic Elementary Reading Tool $1,500,000