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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill establishes a grant program to support co-teaching models for special
10 education students.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ creates the Special Education Co-teacher Pilot Program (co-teaching program);
14 ▸ outlines the requirements for a local education agency to receive a grant under the
15 co-teaching program;
16 ▸ provides rulemaking authority to the state board to administer the co-teaching
17 program; and
18 ▸ specifies allowable uses of grant funding.
19 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
20 This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025:
21 ▸ to State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations - Special
22 Education Co-teaching Program as a one-time appropriation:
23 • from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account,
24 One-time, $5,000,000
25 Other Special Clauses:
26 This bill provides a special effective date.
27 Utah Code Sections Affected:
28 ENACTS:
29 53F-5-222, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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31 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
32 Section 1. Section 53F-5-222 is enacted to read:
33 53F-5-222. Special Education Co-teaching Pilot Program.
34 (1) As used in this section:
35 (a) "Co-teaching" means a collaborative approach to instruction in which two teachers,
36 typically a general education teacher and a special education teacher, work together to plan and
37 then implement instruction for a class that includes students with disabilities.
38 (b) "Special Education Co-teaching Pilot Program" or "program" means the program
39 created in Subsection (2).
40 (2) There is created a five-year pilot program known as the Special Education
41 Co-teaching Pilot Program to provide grants to an LEA to provide funding for an LEA to pilot
42 co-teaching models with special education and general education teachers in order to improve
43 academic outcomes for:
44 (a) students with disabilities who have extensive support needs including intellectual
45 delays; and
46 (b) other students with disabilities.
47 (3) The state board shall:
48 (a) solicit a proposal from an LEA to receive a grant under this section; and
49 (b) award grants to LEAs on a competitive basis based on the LEA's application
50 described in Subsection (4)(a).
51 (4) To receive a grant under this section, an LEA shall submit a proposal to the state
52 board that describes:
53 (a) how the LEA will create innovative co-teaching models for students with extensive
54 support needs;
55 (b) the LEA's implementation plan for a co-teaching model;
56 (c) the grade levels and subjects where co-teaching will occur;
57 (d) the number of co-taught classrooms and students to be served;
58 (e) a training plan for co-teaching teachers;
59 (f) metrics to measure successes and best practices; and
60 (g) a detailed budget for the grant award.
61 (5) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
62 state board shall make rules:
63 (a) establishing a distribution formula for a grant award;
64 (b) describing the application requirements including:
65 (i) the required format for submission; and
66 (ii) relevant deadlines;
67 (c) establishing a scoring rubric;
68 (d) establishing performance metrics including:
69 (i) implementation benchmarks; and
70 (ii) required outcomes; and
71 (e) creating required reporting.
72 (6) An LEA that receives a grant award under this section shall use the grant award to
73 implement the LEA's proposal including:
74 (a) creating innovative co-teaching models for students with extensive support needs;
75 (b) creating strategic uses of paraprofessionals assigned to content areas or courses;
76 (c) hiring itinerant special education teachers to provide inclusion coaching and
77 support to general education teachers;
78 (d) implementing administrator and general education teacher training on co-teaching
79 practices and models;
80 (e) creating pedagogical training and in-classroom support for improving student
81 outcomes;
82 (f) establishing regular planning time for general and special education teachers to
83 jointly plan instruction and accommodations;
84 (g) purchasing instructional materials and collaboration technologies to facilitate
85 communication between general and special education staff;
86 (h) developing of school-wide inclusion plans with accountability measures; and
87 (i) collecting data on implementation of IEP accommodations across school
88 environments.
89 (7) The state board shall provide technical assistance to an LEA that receives a grant
90 award.
91 (8) Upon request of the Education Interim Committee, an LEA that receives a grant
92 and the state board shall report to the Education Interim Committee on the program's progress
93 and outcomes.
94 Section 2. FY 2025 Appropriation.
95 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
96 2024, and ending June 30, 2025. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
97 fiscal year 2025.
98 Subsection 2(a). Operating and Capital Budgets.
99 Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
100 Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts indicated for
101 the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
102
ITEM 1
To State Board of Education - State Board and Administrative Operations| 103 | From Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account, One-time | $5,000,000 | |||
| 104 | Schedule of Programs: | ||||
| 105 | Special Education Co-teaching Program | $5,000,000 | |||
106 Section 3. Effective date.
107 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2024.