1     
SCHOOL EVENTS AMENDMENTS

2     
2024 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Karen Kwan

5     
House Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill directs the State Board of Education to make rules clarifying that school
10     principals and local education agency administration have authority to remove a
11     spectator or participant from a school-sponsored activity for certain disruptive behavior
12     under certain circumstances.
13     Highlighted Provisions:
14          This bill:
15          ▸     directs the State Board of Education to make rules clarifying to school principals
16     and local education agency (LEA) administration that a principal or LEA
17     administrator may remove a spectator from a school-sponsored activity if the
18     spectator exhibits certain disruptive behavior for certain circumstances; and
19          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.
20     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21          None
22     Other Special Clauses:
23          None
24     Utah Code Sections Affected:
25     AMENDS:
26          53E-3-502, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 365
27     

28     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
29          Section 1. Section 53E-3-502 is amended to read:
30          53E-3-502. State Board of Education assistance to districts and schools.
31          (1) In order to assist school districts and individual schools in acquiring and
32     maintaining the characteristics set forth in Section 53E-2-302, the State Board of Education
33     shall:
34          [(1)] (a) provide the framework for an education system, including core competency
35     standards and [their assessment] assessments, in which school districts and public schools
36     permit students to advance by demonstrating competency in subject matter and mastery of
37     skills;
38          [(2)] (b) conduct a statewide public awareness program on competency-based
39     educational systems;
40          [(3)] (c) compile and publish, for the state as a whole, a set of educational performance
41     indicators describing trends in student performance;
42          [(4)] (d) promote a public education climate of high expectations and academic
43     excellence;
44          [(5)] (e) disseminate successful site-based decision-making models to districts and
45     schools and provide teacher professional development opportunities and evaluation programs
46     for site-based plans consistent with Subsections 53E-2-302(7) and 53E-6-103(2)(a) and (b);
47          [(6)] (f) provide a mechanism for widespread dissemination of information about
48     strategic planning for public education, including involvement of business and industry in the
49     education process, in order to ensure the understanding and support of all the individuals and
50     groups concerned with the mission of public education as outlined in Section 53E-2-301;
51          [(7)] (g) provide for a research and development clearing house at the state level to
52     receive and share with school districts and public schools information on effective and
53     innovative practices and programs in education;
54          [(8)] (h) help school districts develop and implement guidelines, strategies, and
55     professional development programs for administrators and teachers consistent with Subsections
56     53E-2-302(7) and 53E-6-103(2)(a) and (b) focused on improving interaction with parents and
57     promoting greater parental involvement in the public schools; [and]
58          [(9)] (i) in concert with the Utah Board of Higher Education and the state's colleges of
59     education review and revise teacher licensing requirements to be consistent with teacher
60     preparation for participation in personalized education programs within the public schools[.];
61     and
62          (j) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
63     Rulemaking Act, to clarify that a principal, a principal's designee, or authorized school
64     administration employee may remove an individual who is a spectator or participant at a
65     school-sponsored activity, as that term is defined in Section 53E-3-516, from the
66     school-sponsored activity, if the participant or spectator:
67          (i) engages in disruptive behavior, including the use of:
68          (A) foul, profane, vulgar, or abusive language; or
69          (B) threats, violence, or other harmful actions; and
70          (ii) fails to comply with a request to discontinue the disruptive behavior.
71          (2) The state board shall ensure that the rules described in Subsection (1)(j) include
72     authority for a principal, principal's designee, or authorized school administration employee to
73     speak to or remove an individual engaging in any behavior described in Subsection (1)(j)(i),
74     regardless of whether the individual resides in, represents, or attends the same school at which
75     the principal, principal's designee, or authorized school administration employee is employed.
76          (3) Each school participating in a school-sponsored event shall, by mutual agreement,
77     determine the process for deciding which principal, principal's designee, or authorized school
78     administration employee will supervise during the school-sponsored event if it becomes
79     necessary to speak to or remove an individual engaging in any behavior described in
80     Subsection (1)(j)(i).
81          Section 2. Effective date.
82          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.