Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 75 (2015GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Bramble, C.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/2/2015

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• modifies a grant program for integrated elementary arts education;
• increases a local education agency's flexibility in the number and types of art specialist positions the agency may hire through the program;
• increases the matching funds that a local education agency must provide to 20% of the grant amount;
• allows an integrated arts program at an endowed university in the college where the endowed chair resides to:
• provide high quality professional development in elementary integrated arts education in accordance with professional learning standards;
• conduct research on elementary integrated arts education; and
• provide the public with elementary integrated arts education resources;
• removes the requirement for an independent evaluation; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

ELEMENTARY ARTS LEARNING PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Curtis S. Bramble
House Sponsor: 
Val L. Peterson
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ modifies a grant program for integrated elementary arts education;
▸ increases a local education agency's flexibility in the number and types of art
specialist positions the agency may hire through the program;
▸ increases the matching funds that a local education agency must provide to 20% of
the grant amount;
▸ allows an integrated arts program at an endowed university in the college where the
endowed chair resides to:
• provide high quality professional development in elementary integrated arts
education in accordance with professional learning standards;
• conduct research on elementary integrated arts education; and
• provide the public with elementary integrated arts education resources;
▸ removes the requirement for an independent evaluation; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53A-17a-162
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapter 330
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-17a-162
 is amended to read:
53A-17a-162.
 Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Endowed chair" means a person who holds an endowed position or administrator
of an endowed program for the purpose of arts and integrated arts instruction at an endowed
university.
(b) "Endowed university" means an institution of higher education in the state that:
(i) awards elementary education degrees in arts instruction;
(ii) has received a major philanthropic donation for the purpose of arts and integrated
arts instruction; and
(iii) has created an endowed position as a result of a donation described in Subsection
(1)(b)(ii).
(c) "Integrated arts advocate" means a person who:
(i) advocates for arts and integrated arts instruction in the state; and
(ii) coordinates with an endowed chair pursuant to the agreement creating the endowed
chair.
(d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means:
(i) a school district;
(ii) a charter school; or
(iii) the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.
[
(1)
] 
(2)
 The Legislature finds that a strategic placement of arts in elementary
education can impact the critical thinking of students in other core subject areas, including
mathematics, reading, and science.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program is created
to enhance the social, emotional, academic, and arts learning of students in kindergarten
through grade six by integrating arts teaching and learning into core subject areas 
and
providing professional development for positions that support elementary arts and integrated
arts education
.
[
(3)
] 
(4)
 From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
Learning Program, 
and subject to Subsection (5),
 the State Board of Education shall, after
consulting with [
the Utah Arts Council
] 
endowed chairs and the integrated arts advocate
 and
receiving their recommendations
, administer a grant program to enable LEAs to
:
(a) [
subject to Subsection (6), establish a grant program to allow school districts and
charter schools to
] hire [
] highly qualified[
, full-time
] arts specialists [
to be based at 50
schools
]
, art coordinators, and other positions that support arts education and arts integration
;
(b) provide up to $10,000 in one-time funds for each 
new
 school arts specialist
described under Subsection [
(3)
] 
(4)
(a) to purchase supplies and equipment; 
and
[
(c) establish a grant program to allow 10 school districts to hire art coordinators,
provided that a qualifying school district provides matching funds in an amount equal to the
grant amount; and
]
[
(d) annually contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a
request for proposals process, to evaluate the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
Learning Program.
]
[
(4) Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program money may not be
used to supplant funds for existing programs funded by the state, but shall be used to augment
existing programs.
]
[
(5) Schools that participate in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning
Program shall partner with institutions of higher education that award elementary education
degrees to obtain quality pre-service and in-service training, research, and leadership
development for arts education.
]
[
(6) (a) Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, a school district or charter school may
receive a grant under Subsection (3)(a) if the school district or charter school provides
matching funds for 10% of the grant amount.
]
[
(b) A qualifying school district or charter school under Subsection (6)(a) shall increase
its match amount by an additional 10% each subsequent year, until the school district or charter
school provides matching funds in an amount equal to the grant amount.
]
[
(7) Beginning with the 2011-12 school year, the State Board of Education shall make
funds available for additional schools to participate in the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Elementary
Arts Learning Program, corresponding to the amount of the matching funds required from
schools under Subsection (6).
]
(c) engage in other activities that improve the quantity and quality of integrated arts
education.
(5) (a) An LEA that receives a grant under Subsection (4) shall provide matching funds
of no less than 20% of the grant amount, including no less than 20% of the grant amount for
actual salary and benefit costs per full-time equivalent position funded under Subsection (4)(a).
(b) An LEA may not:
(i) include administrative, facility, or capital costs to provide the matching funds
required under Subsection (5)(a); or
(ii) use funds from the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program to
supplant funds for existing programs.
(6) An LEA that receives a grant under this section shall partner with an endowed chair
to provide professional development in integrated elementary arts education.
(7) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
Learning Program, the State Board of Education shall administer a grant program to fund
activities within arts and the integrated arts programs at an endowed university in the college
where the endowed chair resides to:
(a) provide high quality professional development in elementary integrated arts
education in accordance with the professional learning standards in Section 
53A-3-701
 to
LEAs that receive a grant under Subsection (4);
(b) design and conduct research on:
(i) elementary integrated arts education and instruction;
(ii) implementation and evaluation of the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts
Learning Program; and
(iii) effectiveness of the professional development under Subsection (7)(a); and
(c) provide the public with integrated elementary arts education resources.
(8) The State Board of Education shall[
,
]
:
(a) make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act, to administer the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning
Program; and
(b)
 after consultation with [
the Utah Arts Council, make
] 
endowed chairs and the
integrated arts advocate, submit
 an annual 
written
 report [
during the 2009, 2010, and 2011
interims
] to the Education Interim Committee describing the program's impact on students in
kindergarten through grade six.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
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.