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• 2022 General Session
• S.B. 145

S.B. 145 Reading Competency Benchmark Assessment

• Bill Text
• Status
• Hearings/Debate

Bill Sponsor: Sen. Stevenson, Jerry W.

Floor Sponsor: Rep. Stenquist, Jeffrey D.

• Drafting Attorney: Michael E. Curtis
• Fiscal Analyst: Ben Leishman

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• Bill Tracking

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• Bill Text
  • Introduced (Currently Displayed)

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• Related Documents
  • Fiscal Note
  • Senate Transmittal Letter 1
  • Program Evaluation Questions

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• Information
  • Last Action: 4 Mar 2022, Senate/ filed
  • Last Location: Senate file for bills not passed

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• Similar Bills
  • Education
  • K-12 Education
  • Student Assessment

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• Sections Affected
  • 53E-4-307

Introduced

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S.B. 145

1     READING COMPETENCY BENCHMARK ASSESSMENT
2     2022 GENERAL SESSION
3     STATE OF UTAH
4     Chief Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson
5     House Sponsor: Jeffrey D. Stenquist
6     

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends the grade levels to which a requirement applies for a statewide reading
10     competency benchmark assessment.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This bill:
13          ▸     amends the grade levels to which a requirement applies for a statewide reading
14     competency benchmark assessment.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          53E-4-307, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Fifth Special Session, Chapter 14
22     

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23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 53E-4-307 is amended to read:
25          53E-4-307. Benchmark assessments in reading -- Report to parent.
26          (1) As used in this section, "competency" means a demonstrable acquisition of a
27     specified knowledge, skill, or ability that has been organized into a hierarchical arrangement

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28     leading to higher levels of knowledge, skill, or ability.
29          (2) The state board shall approve a benchmark assessment for use statewide by school
30     districts and charter schools to assess the reading competency of students in grades 1 through
31     [6] 8 as provided by this section.
32          (3) A school district or charter school shall:
33          (a) administer benchmark assessments to students in grades 1, 2, and 3 at the
34     beginning, middle, and end of the school year using the benchmark assessment approved by the
35     state board; and
36          (b) after administering a benchmark assessment, report the results to a student's parent.
37          (4) If a benchmark assessment or supplemental reading assessment indicates a student
38     lacks competency in a reading skill, or is lagging behind other students in the student's grade in
39     acquiring a reading skill, the school district or charter school shall:
40          (a) provide focused individualized intervention to develop the reading skill;
41          (b) administer formative assessments to measure the success of the focused
42     intervention;
43          (c) inform the student's parent of activities that the parent may engage in with the
44     student to assist the student in improving reading proficiency; and
45          (d) provide information to the parent regarding appropriate interventions available to
46     the student outside of the regular school day that may include tutoring, before and after school
47     programs, or summer school.
48          (5) (a) In accordance with Section 53F-4-201 and except as provided in Subsection
49     (5)(b), the state board shall contract with one or more educational technology providers for a
50     benchmark assessment system for reading for students in kindergarten through grade [6] 8.
51          (b) If revenue is insufficient for the benchmark assessment system for the grades
52     described in Subsection (5)(a), the state board shall first prioritize funding a benchmark
53     assessment for students in kindergarten through grade 3.