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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill makes certain speech-language pathologists and audiologists eligible for the
10 Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ makes certain speech-language pathologists and audiologists eligible for the
14 Teacher Salary Supplement Program; and
15 ▸ defines terms.
16 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
17 None
18 Other Special Clauses:
19 None
20 Utah Code Sections Affected:
21 AMENDS:
22 53F-2-504, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapter 328
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24 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
25 Section 1. Section 53F-2-504 is amended to read:
26 53F-2-504. Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
27 (1) As used in this section:
28 (a) "Educator" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53E-6-102.
29 [
30 (i) has a qualifying educational background or qualifying [
31 background;
32 (ii) has a supplement-approved assignment that corresponds to the teacher's qualifying
33 educational background or qualifying [
34 (iii) qualifies for the teacher's supplement-approved assignment in accordance with
35 state board rule; and
36 (iv) is a new employee or received at least a satisfactory rating on the teacher's most
37 recent evaluation.
38 [
39 (i) computer science; or
40 (ii) computer information technology.
41 [
42 (i) integrated science;
43 (ii) chemistry;
44 (iii) physics;
45 (iv) physical science; or
46 (v) general science.
47 [
48 (i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
49 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; or
50 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
51 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree
52 major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics;
53 (ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade 7 or 8 integrated science course, chemistry
54 course, or physics course:
55 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of science;
56 or
57 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
58 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
59 bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of science;
60 (iii) for a teacher who is assigned a computer science course:
61 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of
62 computer science; or
63 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
64 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
65 bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of computer science; [
66 (iv) for a teacher who is assigned to teach special education, a bachelor's degree major,
67 master's degree, or doctoral degree in special education[
68 (v) for a speech-language pathologist, a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or
69 doctoral degree in speech-language pathology; or
70 (vi) for an audiologist, a master's degree or doctoral degree in audiology.
71 [
72 (i) the teacher has [
73 Utah public schools for at least 10 years; or
74 (ii) the teacher has a professional deaf education license issued by the state board.
75 [
76 (i) teach:
77 [
78 [
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80 [
81 [
82 [
83 [
84 (ii) provide speech-language pathology services in a public school; or
85 (iii) provide audiology services in a public school.
86 (h) "Teacher" means an educator who:
87 (i) has an assignment to teach in a classroom;
88 (ii) is a speech-language pathologist; or
89 (iii) is an audiologist.
90 (2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall:
91 (i) annually appropriate money to the Teacher Salary Supplement Program to maintain
92 annual salary supplements for eligible teachers provided in previous years; and
93 (ii) provide salary supplements to new recipients.
94 (b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
95 money for the following employer-paid benefits:
96 (i) retirement;
97 (ii) workers' compensation;
98 (iii) Social Security; and
99 (iv) Medicare.
100 (3) (a) The annual salary supplement for an eligible teacher who is assigned full-time
101 to a supplement-approved assignment is $4,100 and funded through an appropriation described
102 in Subsection (2).
103 (b) An eligible teacher who is assigned part-time to a supplement-approved assignment
104 shall receive a partial salary supplement based on the number of hours worked in the
105 supplement-approved assignment.
106 (4) The state board shall:
107 (a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
108 supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
109 (b) determine if a teacher is an eligible teacher;
110 (c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
111 district and school administrators; and
112 (d) certify a list of eligible teachers .
113 (5) An eligible teacher shall apply to the state board, as provided by the board to
114 receive the salary supplement authorized in this section in accordance with state board rule
115 made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
116 (6) (a) The state board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
117 follow if the teacher applies for a salary supplement and does not receive a salary supplement
118 under Subsection (8).
119 (b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
120 appeal eligibility as an eligible teacher with a qualifying educational background on the basis
121 that the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements that are substantially
122 equivalent to the qualifying educational background associated with the teacher's
123 supplement-approved assignment.
124 (ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the state board in
125 order for the state board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course
126 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the qualifying educational background
127 associated with the teacher's supplement-approved assignment.
128 (c) (i) The appeal process established under Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
129 appeal eligibility as an eligible teacher with a qualifying [
130 the basis that the teacher has a qualifying [
131 (ii) The teacher shall provide to the state board evidence to verify that the teacher has a
132 qualifying [
133 (7) (a) The state board shall distribute money appropriated to the Teacher Salary
134 Supplement Program to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary Supplement
135 Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
136 (b) The state board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under
137 Subsection (2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement.
138 (c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
139 salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
140 (8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall be used by
141 a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement equal to the amount specified
142 in Subsection (3) for each eligible teacher.
143 (b) The salary supplement is part of an eligible teacher's base pay, subject to eligible
144 teacher's qualification as an eligible teacher every year, semester, or trimester.
145 (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
146 is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the state board may
147 distribute the funds in the Teacher Salary Supplement Program on a pro rata basis.