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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates multiple programs to support teacher retention efforts.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ creates the educator support hotline;
13 ▸ requires the state board to administer the support hotline;
14 ▸ creates the Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Program
15 (the program);
16 ▸ establishes the required criteria for a local education agency or regional education
17 service agency (LEA) or regional education service agency to apply for a grant
18 under the program; and
19 ▸ requires an LEA to provide paid postpartum recovery leave.
20 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025:
22 ▸ to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations -
23 Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Pilot Program as a
24 one-time appropriation:
25 • from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account,
26 One-time, $4,800,000
27 Other Special Clauses:
28 This bill provides a special effective date.
29 Utah Code Sections Affected:
30 ENACTS:
31 53E-10-801, Utah Code Annotated 1953
32 53F-5-222, Utah Code Annotated 1953
33 53G-11-208, Utah Code Annotated 1953
34
35 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
36 Section 1. Section 53E-10-801 is enacted to read:
37 53E-10-801. Educator support hotline.
38 (1) The state board shall:
39 (a) create the educator support hotline to provide an educator with professional
40 resources and supports; and
41 (b) allow an educator the option to call the hotline anonymously.
42 (2) An educator may use the hotline to:
43 (a) report school or LEA practices impairing an educator's ability to perform the
44 educator's job;
45 (b) receive technical assistance for fulfilling job responsibilities and duties;
46 (c) receive referrals for additional resources and supports;
47 (d) inquire about professional development opportunities being offered by the state
48 board; and
49 (e) make general inquiries related to an educator's professional needs.
50 (3) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
51 state board may make rules regarding the administration of the hotline.
52 (4) The state board shall:
53 (a) track aggregated deidentified data regarding hotline use and types of hotline calls;
54 (b) compare the data described in Subsection (4)(a) with data collected in the educator
55 exit survey described in Section 53G-11-304; and
56 (c) present the data comparison described in Subsection (4)(b) annually in a state board
57 meeting.
58 Section 2. Section 53F-5-222 is enacted to read:
59 53F-5-222. Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Pilot
60 Program.
61 (1) As used in this section:
62 (a) "Master teacher" means a classroom teacher who has been approved by the teacher's
63 administrator for an eligible initiative described in Subsection (6).
64 (b) "Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Pilot Program" or
65 "program" means the program created in Subsection (2).
66 (c) "Regional education service agency" or "RESA" means the same as the term is
67 defined in Section 53G-4-410.
68 (d) "Teacher leader work" means nonadministrative leadership tasks including leading,
69 mentoring, and evaluating teachers, while avoiding formal administrative roles, other than
70 those relating directly to teacher leadership or development, for the teacher engaging in the
71 tasks.
72 (2) There is created a two-year pilot program known as the Mentoring and Supporting
73 Teacher Excellence and Refinement Pilot Program to provide funding to an LEA to improve
74 retention of strong educators who remain in the classroom and have access to growth
75 opportunities in the form of innovative teacher leadership tracks outside of contractual
76 educator steps and lanes to:
77 (a) foster development of leadership skills in participating teachers; and
78 (b) provide the opportunity for a master teacher to impact and provide guidance for
79 fellow teachers seeking to refine instructional skills.
80 (3) The state board shall:
81 (a) solicit proposals from LEAs and RESAs to receive a grant under this section; and
82 (b) award grants to LEAs or RESAs on a competitive basis based on the LEA's or
83 RESA's application described in Subsection (4)(a).
84 (4) To receive a grant under this section, an LEA or RESA shall:
85 (a) submit an application to the state board that:
86 (i) describes the program tier for which the LEA or RESA is applying;
87 (ii) describes the eligible initiatives for which the LEA or RESA will use the grant
88 amount;
89 (iii) provides evidence of the required matching funds described in Subsection (4)(b);
90 and
91 (iv) outlines the metrics the LEA or RESA will use to measure success of the program;
92 and
93 (b) provide matching funds for a grant from a program tier as follows:
94 (i) a 10% match by the LEA or RESA for a tier 1 level grant amount;
95 (ii) a 15% match by the LEA or RESA for a tier 2 level grant amount; and
96 (iii) a 20% match by the LEA or RESA for a tier 3 level grant amount.
97 (5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
98 state board shall make rules:
99 (a) subject to legislative appropriations, outlining the grant amount for each program
100 tier described in Subsection (4)(b);
101 (b) describing the application requirements including:
102 (i) the required format for submission; and
103 (ii) relevant deadlines;
104 (c) establishing a scoring rubric; and
105 (d) describing any required reporting and performance measures.
106 (6) An LEA or RESA that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant award
107 for an eligible initiative including:
108 (a) allowing a teacher to be released from all or part of an existing teacher contract to
109 engage in teacher leader work for a period determined by the LEA including indefinitely;
110 (b) providing extended contracts outside of steps and lanes, resulting in increased pay
111 for increased work or for new roles involving teacher leader work on a schedule outside of
112 steps and lanes as determined by the LEA or RESA and the teacher; and
113 (c) building or expanding LEA or RESA leadership tracks including incentives for
114 differentiated teacher leader work pay scales for classroom teachers.
115 (7) The state board may use up to 6.25% of the money appropriated for the purposes
116 described in this section to pay for administrative costs the state board, an LEA, or a RESA
117 incurs in implementing the program.
118 (8) Upon request of the Education Interim Committee, an LEA that receives a grant
119 and the state board shall report to the Education Interim Committee on the program's progress
120 and outcomes.
121 Section 3. Section 53G-11-208 is enacted to read:
122 53G-11-208. Paid leave -- Postpartum recovery leave -- Leave sharing.
123 (1) As used in this section:
124 (a) (i) "Paid leave hours" means leave hours an LEA provides to an LEA employee
125 who accrues paid leave benefits in accordance with the LEA's leave policies.
126 (ii) "Paid leave hours" includes annual, vacation, sick, paid time off, or any other type
127 of leave an employee may take while still receiving compensation.
128 (iii) "Paid leave hours" is not limited postpartum recovery leave.
129 (b) "Postpartum recovery leave" means leave hours a state employer provides to a
130 postpartum recovery leave eligible employee to recover from childbirth.
131 (c) "Postpartum recovery leave eligible employee" means an employee of an LEA who:
132 (i) accrues paid leave benefits in accordance with the LEA's leave policies; and
133 (ii) gives birth to a child.
134 (2) Beginning July 1, 2027, each LEA shall:
135 (a) provide postpartum recovery leave in an amount that is at least equivalent to the
136 postpartum recovery leave available to state employees under Section 63A-17-511: and
137 (b) allow a postpartum recovery leave eligible employee who is part-time or who
138 works in excess of a 40-hour work week or the equivalent of a 40-hour work week to use the
139 amount of postpartum recovery leave available under this section on a pro rata basis.
140 (3) An LEA shall provide for the use and administration of postpartum recovery leave
141 under this section in a manner that is not more restrictive than the postpartum recovery leave
142 available to state employees under Section 63A-17-511.
143 (4) An LEA may not charge postpartum recovery leave against paid leave hours to
144 which a qualified employee is entitled as described in Subsection 63A-17-511(6).
145 (5) An LEA may provide leave that exceeds the benefits of the state leave policies
146 described in this section.
147 Section 4. FY 2025 Appropriation.
148 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
149 2024, and ending June 30, 2025. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
150 fiscal year 2025.
151 Subsection 4(a). Operating and Capital Budgets.
152 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
153 Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts indicated for
154 the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
155
ITEM 1
To State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations| 156 | From Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time | $4,800,000 | |||
| 157 | Schedule of Programs: | ||||
| 158 | Mentoring and Supporting Teacher Excellence and Refinement Pilot Program | $4,800,000 | |||
159 Section 5. Effective date.
160 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.