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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill makes certain speech-language pathologists and audiologists eligible for the
11 Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
12 Highlighted Provisions:
13 This bill:
14 ▸ defines terms;
15 ▸ makes certain speech-language pathologists and audiologists eligible for the
16 Teacher Salary Supplement Program; and
17 ▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 None
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 None
22 Utah Code Sections Affected:
23 AMENDS:
24 53F-2-504, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 373
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26 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27 Section 1. Section 53F-2-504 is amended to read:
28 53F-2-504. Teacher Salary Supplement Program.
29 (1) As used in this section:
30 (a) "Educator" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53E-6-102.
31 (b) "Eligible teacher" means a teacher who:
32 (i) has a qualifying educational background or qualifying teaching background;
33 (ii) has a supplement-approved assignment that corresponds to the teacher's qualifying
34 educational background or qualifying [
35 (iii) qualifies for the teacher's supplement-approved assignment in accordance with
36 state board rule; and
37 (iv) (A) is a new employee; or
38 (B) has not received an unsatisfactory rating on the teacher's three most recent
39 evaluations.
40 [
41 (i) computer science; or
42 (ii) computer information technology.
43 [
44 (i) integrated science;
45 (ii) chemistry;
46 (iii) physics;
47 (iv) physical science; or
48 (v) general science.
49 [
50 (i) for a teacher who is assigned a secondary school level mathematics course:
51 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics; or
52 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
53 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements for a bachelor's degree
54 major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in mathematics;
55 (ii) for a teacher who is assigned a grade 7 or 8 integrated science course, chemistry
56 course, or physics course:
57 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of science;
58 or
59 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
60 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
61 bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of science;
62 (iii) for a teacher who is assigned a computer science course:
63 (A) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of
64 computer science; or
65 (B) a bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree that has course
66 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the course requirements of those required for a
67 bachelor's degree major, master's degree, or doctoral degree in a field of computer science; [
68 (iv) for a teacher who is assigned to teach special education, a bachelor's degree major,
69 master's degree, or doctoral degree in special education[
70 (v) for a speech-language pathologist, a master's or doctoral degree in speech-language
71 pathology; or
72 (vi) for an audiologist, a master's degree or doctoral degree in audiology.
73 [
74 (i) the teacher has [
75 Utah public schools for at least 10 years; or
76 (ii) the teacher has a professional deaf education license issued by the state board.
77 [
78 (i) teach:
79 [
80 [
81 [
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84 [
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86 (ii) provide speech-language pathology services in a public school; or
87 (iii) provide audiology services in a public school.
88 (h) "Teacher" means an educator who:
89 (i) has an assignment to teach in a classroom;
90 (ii) is a speech-language pathologist; or
91 (iii) is an audiologist.
92 (2) (a) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature shall:
93 (i) annually appropriate money to the Teacher Salary Supplement Program to maintain
94 annual salary supplements for eligible teachers provided in previous years; and
95 (ii) provide salary supplements to new recipients.
96 (b) Money appropriated for the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall include
97 money for the following employer-paid benefits:
98 (i) retirement;
99 (ii) workers' compensation;
100 (iii) Social Security; and
101 (iv) Medicare.
102 (3) (a) The annual salary supplement for an eligible teacher who is assigned full-time
103 to a supplement-approved assignment is:
104 (i) for a fiscal year beginning before July 1, 2023, $4,100 and funded through an
105 appropriation described in Subsection (2); and
106 (ii) for a fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2023, the amount equal to:
107 (A) the amount of the annual salary supplement in the preceding fiscal year; and
108 (B) a percentage increase that is equal to the percentage increase in the value of the
109 WPU in the preceding fiscal year.
110 (b) An eligible teacher who is assigned part-time to a supplement-approved assignment
111 shall receive a partial salary supplement based on the number of hours worked in the
112 supplement-approved assignment.
113 (4) The state board shall:
114 (a) create an online application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary
115 supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program;
116 (b) determine if a teacher is an eligible teacher;
117 (c) verify, as needed, the determinations made under Subsection (4)(b) with school
118 district and school administrators; and
119 (d) certify a list of eligible teachers.
120 (5) An eligible teacher shall apply to the state board, as provided by the board to
121 receive the salary supplement authorized in this section in accordance with state board rule
122 made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
123 (6) (a) The state board shall establish and administer an appeal process for a teacher to
124 follow if the teacher applies for a salary supplement and does not receive a salary supplement
125 under Subsection (8).
126 (b) (i) The appeal process established in Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
127 appeal eligibility as an eligible teacher with a qualifying educational background on the basis
128 that the teacher has a degree or degree major with course requirements that are substantially
129 equivalent to the qualifying educational background associated with the teacher's
130 supplement-approved assignment.
131 (ii) A teacher shall provide transcripts and other documentation to the state board in
132 order for the state board to determine if the teacher has a degree or degree major with course
133 requirements that are substantially equivalent to the qualifying educational background
134 associated with the teacher's supplement-approved assignment.
135 (c) (i) The appeal process established under Subsection (6)(a) shall allow a teacher to
136 appeal eligibility as an eligible teacher with a qualifying [
137 the basis that the teacher has a qualifying [
138 (ii) The teacher shall provide to the state board evidence to verify that the teacher has a
139 qualifying [
140 (7) (a) The state board shall distribute money appropriated to the Teacher Salary
141 Supplement Program to school districts and charter schools for the Teacher Salary Supplement
142 Program in accordance with the provisions of this section.
143 (b) The state board shall include the employer-paid benefits described under
144 Subsection (2)(b) in the amount of each salary supplement.
145 (c) The employer-paid benefits described under Subsection (2)(b) are an addition to the
146 salary supplement limits described under Subsection (3).
147 (8) (a) Money received from the Teacher Salary Supplement Program shall be used by
148 a school district or charter school to provide a salary supplement equal to the amount specified
149 in Subsection (3) for each eligible teacher.
150 (b) The salary supplement is part of an eligible teacher's base pay, subject to eligible
151 teacher's qualification as an eligible teacher every year, semester, or trimester.
152 (9) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, if the appropriation for the program
153 is insufficient to cover the costs associated with salary supplements, the state board may
154 distribute the funds in the Teacher Salary Supplement Program on a pro rata basis.
155 Section 2. Effective date.
156 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.