2
3
4
5
6 Cosponsors:
7 Adam Robertson
Travis M. Seegmiller
Rex P. Shipp
Keven J. Stratton
8
9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This bill prohibits certain sensitive instructional materials in public schools.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 ▸ defines certain instructional materials as sensitive materials;
15 ▸ prohibits sensitive materials in a public school;
16 ▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to, in consultation with the
17 Office of the Attorney General, provide guidance and training to public schools on
18 identifying sensitive materials;
19 ▸ requires a local education agency to include parents who are reflective of a school's
20 community when determining whether an instructional material is sensitive
21 material;
22 ▸ requires the state board to report to the Education Interim Committee and the
23 Government Operations Interim Committee on:
24 • implementation and compliance with certain provisions; and
25 • complaints a local education agency or the state board receives regarding a
26 violation of provisions in this bill;
27 ▸ defines terms; and
28 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
29 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
30 None
31 Other Special Clauses:
32 None
33 Utah Code Sections Affected:
34 AMENDS:
35 53E-4-202, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapters 84 and 345
36 53E-4-403, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
37 ENACTS:
38 53G-10-103, Utah Code Annotated 1953
39
40 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
41 Section 1. Section 53E-4-202 is amended to read:
42 53E-4-202. Core standards for Utah public schools.
43 (1) (a) In establishing minimum standards related to curriculum and instruction
44 requirements under Section 53E-3-501, the state board shall, in consultation with local school
45 boards, school superintendents, teachers, employers, and parents implement core standards for
46 Utah public schools that will enable students to, among other objectives:
47 (i) communicate effectively, both verbally and through written communication;
48 (ii) apply mathematics; and
49 (iii) access, analyze, and apply information.
50 (b) Except as provided in this public education code, the state board may recommend
51 but may not require a local school board or charter school governing board to use:
52 (i) a particular curriculum or instructional material; or
53 (ii) a model curriculum or instructional material.
54 (2) The state board shall, in establishing the core standards for Utah public schools:
55 (a) identify the basic knowledge, skills, and competencies each student is expected to
56 acquire or master as the student advances through the public education system; and
57 (b) align with each other the core standards for Utah public schools and the
58 assessments described in Section 53E-4-303.
59 (3) The basic knowledge, skills, and competencies identified pursuant to Subsection
60 (2)(a) shall increase in depth and complexity from year to year and focus on consistent and
61 continual progress within and between grade levels and courses in the basic academic areas of:
62 (a) English, including explicit phonics, spelling, grammar, reading, writing,
63 vocabulary, speech, and listening; and
64 (b) mathematics, including basic computational skills.
65 (4) Before adopting core standards for Utah public schools, the state board shall:
66 (a) publicize draft core standards for Utah public schools on the state board's website
67 and the Utah Public Notice website created under Section 63A-16-601;
68 (b) invite public comment on the draft core standards for Utah public schools for a
69 period of not less than 90 days; and
70 (c) conduct three public hearings that are held in different regions of the state on the
71 draft core standards for Utah public schools.
72 (5) LEA governing boards shall design their school programs, that are supported by
73 generally accepted scientific standards of evidence, to focus on the core standards for Utah
74 public schools with the expectation that each program will enhance or help achieve mastery of
75 the core standards for Utah public schools.
76 (6) Except as provided in [
77 may select instructional materials and methods of teaching, that are supported by generally
78 accepted scientific standards of evidence, that the school considers most appropriate to meet
79 the core standards for Utah public schools.
80 (7) The state may exit any agreement, contract, memorandum of understanding, or
81 consortium that cedes control of the core standards for Utah public schools to any other entity,
82 including a federal agency or consortium, for any reason, including:
83 (a) the cost of developing or implementing the core standards for Utah public schools;
84 (b) the proposed core standards for Utah public schools are inconsistent with
85 community values; or
86 (c) the agreement, contract, memorandum of understanding, or consortium:
87 (i) was entered into in violation of Chapter 3, Part 8, Implementing Federal or National
88 Education Programs, or Title 63J, Chapter 5, Federal Funds Procedures Act;
89 (ii) conflicts with Utah law;
90 (iii) requires Utah student data to be included in a national or multi-state database;
91 (iv) requires records of teacher performance to be included in a national or multi-state
92 database; or
93 (v) imposes curriculum, assessment, or data tracking requirements on home school or
94 private school students.
95 (8) The state board shall submit a report in accordance with Section 53E-1-203 on the
96 development and implementation of the core standards for Utah public schools, including the
97 time line established for the review of the core standards for Utah public schools by a standards
98 review committee and the recommendations of a standards review committee established under
99 Section 53E-4-203.
100 Section 2. Section 53E-4-403 is amended to read:
101 53E-4-403. Commission's evaluation of instructional materials --
102 Recommendation by the state board.
103 (1) Semi-annually after reviewing the evaluations of the commission, the state board
104 shall recommend instructional materials for use in the public schools.
105 (2) The standard period of time instructional materials shall remain on the list of
106 recommended instructional materials shall be five years.
107 (3) Unsatisfactory instructional materials may be removed from the list of
108 recommended instructional materials at any time within the period applicable to the
109 instructional materials.
110 (4) Except as provided in [
111 shall have discretion to select instructional materials for use by the school. A school may
112 select:
113 (a) instructional materials recommended by the state board as provided in this section;
114 or
115 (b) other instructional materials the school considers appropriate to teach the core
116 standards for Utah public schools.
117 Section 3. Section 53G-10-103 is enacted to read:
118 53G-10-103. Sensitive instructional materials.
119 (1) As used in this section:
120 (a) (i) "Instructional material" means a material, regardless of format, used:
121 (A) as or in place of textbooks to deliver curriculum within the state curriculum
122 framework for courses of study by students; or
123 (B) to support a student's learning in the school setting.
124 (ii) "Instructional material" includes reading materials, handouts, videos, digital
125 materials, websites, online applications, and live presentations.
126 (b) "LEA governing board" means:
127 (i) for a school district, the local school board;
128 (ii) for a charter school, the charter school governing board; or
129 (iii) for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, the state board.
130 (c) "Material" means the same as that term is defined in Section 76-10-1201.
131 (d) "Minor" means any person less than 18 years old.
132 (e) "Public school" means:
133 (i) a district school;
134 (ii) a charter school; or
135 (iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
136 (f) (i) "School setting" means, for a public school:
137 (A) in a classroom;
138 (B) in a school library; or
139 (C) on school property.
140 (ii) "School setting" includes the following activities that an organization or individual
141 or organization outside of a public school conducts, if a public school or an LEA sponsors or
142 requires the activity:
143 (A) an assembly;
144 (B) a guest lecture;
145 (C) a live presentation; or
146 (D) an event.
147 (g) (i) "Sensitive material" means an instructional material that is pornographic or
148 indecent material as that term is defined in Section 76-10-1235.
149 (ii) "Sensitive material" does not include an instructional material:
150 (A) that an LEA selects under Section 53G-10-402;
151 (B) for medical courses;
152 (C) for family and consumer science courses; or
153 (D) for another course the state board exempts in state board rule.
154 (2) (a) Sensitive materials are prohibited in the school setting.
155 (b) A public school may not:
156 (i) adopt, use, distribute, provide a student access to, or maintain in the school setting,
157 sensitive materials; or
158 (ii) permit a speaker or presenter in the school setting to display or distribute sensitive
159 materials.
160 (3) An LEA shall include parents who are reflective of the members of the school's
161 community when determining if an instructional material is sensitive material.
162 (4) The state board shall:
163 (a) in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, provide guidance and
164 training to support public schools in identifying instructional materials that meet the definition
165 of sensitive materials under this section; and
166 (b) report to the Education Interim Committee and the Government Operations Interim
167 Committee, at or before the November 2022 interim meeting, on implementation and
168 compliance with this section, including:
169 (i) any policy the state board or an LEA adopts to implement or comply with this
170 section;
171 (ii) any rule the state board makes to implement or comply with this section; and
172 (iii) any complaints an LEA or the state board receives regarding a violation of this
173 section, including:
174 (A) action taken in response to a complaint described in this Subsection (4)(b)(iii); and
175 (B) if an LEA retains an instructional material for which the LEA or the state board
176 receives a complaint, the LEA's rationale for retaining the instructional material.