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7 LONG TITLE
8 Committee Note:
9 The Education Interim Committee recommended this bill.
10 Legislative Vote: 17 voting for 0 voting against 3 absent
11 General Description:
12 This bill expands the eligibility of a PRIME program certificate.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This bill:
15 ▸ expands the eligibility options to earn a TRANSFORM certificate;
16 ▸ requires the Utah Board of Higher Education to determine scholarship amounts; and
17 ▸ makes technical changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 53E-10-309, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 167
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26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 53E-10-309 is amended to read:
28 53E-10-309. Utah PRIME Program -- LAUNCH certificate -- TRANSFORM
29 certificate.
30 (1) As used in this section:
31 (a) "Eligible institution" means:
32 (i) a degree-granting institution of higher education or a technical college within the
33 state system of higher education, as identified in [
34 (ii) a private, nonprofit college or university in the state that is accredited by the
35 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
36 (b) "Industry certification" means a career and technical education certification
37 awarded through validation of skills in cooperation with a business, trade association, or other
38 industry group, in accordance with rules adopted by the state board under Section 53F-2-311.
39 (c) "Institutional certificate" means a career and technical education program
40 completion certificate awarded by the state board, an institution of higher education, or a
41 technical college.
42 (d) "LAUNCH certificate" means a certificate of completion awarded by the state
43 board to an eligible student who meets the criteria described in this section.
44 (e) "Participating LEA" means an LEA that participates in the program.
45 (f) "Program" means the Utah PRIME program described in Subsection [
46 (g) "Plan for college and career readiness" means the same as that term is defined in
47 Section 53E-2-304.
48 (h) "Qualifying student" means an eligible student who meets the criteria for a
49 LAUNCH certificate or a TRANSFORM certificate as described in this section.
50 (i) "Technical college" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53B-1-101.5.
51 (j) "TRANSFORM certificate" means a certificate of completion established by the
52 Utah Board of Higher Education in accordance with Section 53B-16-105.
53 (2) The state board shall award a LAUNCH certificate to an eligible student who:
54 (a) completes six concurrent enrollment credits;
55 (b) is awarded an industry certification or institutional certificate; and
56 (c) has on file a plan for college and career readiness.
57 (3) The state board shall award a TRANSFORM certificate to an eligible student who
58 completes:
59 (a) [
60 (i) the requirements established by the Utah Board of Higher Education in accordance
61 with Section 53B-16-105 and in coordination with the state board; and
62 (ii) completes five general education courses, each from a different general education
63 category, as designated for concurrent enrollment by the Utah Board of Higher Education; [
64 (b) [
65 courses[
66 (c) a youth apprenticeship as described in Sections 35A-6-102 and 35A-6-104.5.
67 [
68 Education shall award to each student who earns a TRANSFORM certificate a [
69 scholarship to be used at an eligible institution.
70 (b) The Utah Board of Higher Education shall annually determine the PRIME
71 scholarship amount based on:
72 (i) the number of eligible students; and
73 (ii) appropriations made by the Legislature.
74 [
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76 described in Section 53B-8-201.
77 [
78 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, to ensure that credits described in
79 Subsections (2) and (3) earned by a qualifying student are transferable to institutions of higher
80 education.
81 [
82 Legislature for this purpose, the state board shall:
83 (a) administer the Utah PRIME program to expand access to concurrent enrollment
84 courses and career and technical education certificates by expanding digital delivery models for
85 distance learning programs or funding enrollment in participating LEAs; and
86 (b) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
87 Rulemaking Act, to:
88 (i) establish eligibility requirements for a participating LEA;
89 (ii) create an application process for LEAs to apply for the program; and
90 (iii) create a funding formula for participating LEAs.
91 (c) A participating LEA shall offer concurrent enrollment courses, including career and
92 technical education courses, that meet the requirements for the LAUNCH certificate and
93 TRANSFORM certificate.
94 Section 2. Effective date.
95 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.