Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 69 First Substitute (2015GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Moss, C.

Final action

House/ filed 3/12/2015

Outcome

Failed / filed without passage

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires the State Board of Education to select one or more technology providers, through a request for proposals process, to provide software licenses for an interactive web-based English language arts instructional tool for students in grades 4 through 12;
• specifies criteria for the State Board of Education to consider in selecting a provider;
• provides for the distribution of the English language arts instructional tool licenses to school districts and charter schools; and
• requires the State Board of Education to annually report testing data regarding the English language arts instructional tool to the Education Interim Committee.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Carol Spackman Moss
Senate Sponsor: 
Howard A. Stephenson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill provides for English language arts instruction in public schools.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to select one or more technology providers,
through a request for proposals process, to provide software licenses for an
interactive web-based English language arts instructional tool for students in grades
4 through 12;
▸ specifies criteria for the State Board of Education to consider in selecting a
provider;
▸ provides for the distribution of the English language arts instructional tool licenses
to school districts and charter schools; and
▸ requires the State Board of Education to annually report testing data regarding the
English language arts instructional tool to the Education Interim Committee.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates:
▸ to the State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative
Programs, as an ongoing appropriation:
• from the Education Fund, $1,000,000.
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
53A-1-710
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-1-710
 is enacted to read:
 53A-1-710.
English language arts instructional tool.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
(b) "Lexile measure" means a unit of measurement that indicates the reading level of
readers and the difficulty of a text that can be used to match reading materials to the level and
comprehension rate of readers.
(c) "Licenses" means software licenses for a tool described in Subsection (2).
(2) On or before July 1, 2015, the board shall select one or more technology providers,
through a request for proposals process, to provide licenses for a tool for students in grades 4
through 12 that:
(a) enables student reading ability to be reported as a Lexile measure;
(b) uses Lexile measures to match reading materials and exercises to the
comprehension level of readers;
(c) includes activities designed to assess and improve:
(i) reading skills;
(ii) writing skills; and
(iii) vocabulary;
(d) is self-adapting to respond to the needs and progress of the learner, including
allowing for increasingly intense instruction and additional practice opportunities based on
individual student needs;
(e) provides opportunities for frequent and informal assessments and includes an
embedded progress monitoring tool and mechanisms for regular feedback to students and
teachers; and
(f) is aligned with state core curriculum standards related to English language arts.
(3) The board shall:
(a) solicit proposals from school districts and charter schools for the use of the
licenses; and
(b) make the licenses available to school districts and charter schools based on a
competitive basis.
(4) On or before November 1, 2016, and on or before November 1 each year thereafter,
the board shall report to the Education Interim Committee final testing data regarding the
licenses provided under this section, including student learning gains as a result of using the
tool.
Section 2. 
Appropriation.
Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, for
the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 2016, the following sums of money
are appropriated from resources not otherwise appropriated, or reduced from amounts
previously appropriated, out of the funds or accounts indicated. These sums of money are in
addition to any amounts previously appropriated for fiscal year 2016.
To State Board of Education - Utah State Office of Education - Initiative Programs
 From Education Fund
$1,000,000
Schedule of Programs:
English Language Arts Instructional Tool $1,000,000
The Legislature intends that appropriations provided in this section are to be used as
provided in Section 
53A-1-710
.
Section 3. 
Effective date.
(1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), if approved by two-thirds of all the members
elected to each house, this bill takes effect upon approval by the governor, or the day following
the constitutional time limit of Utah Constitution, Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's
signature, or in the case of a veto, the date of veto override.
 (2) Uncodified Section 2, Appropriation, takes effect on July 1, 2015.
Legislative Review Note
 as of 10-17-14 8:23 AM
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel