Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 34 (2017GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Millner, A.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/21/2017

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• establishes the Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From Competency-Based Education; and
• authorizes the State Board of Education to reimburse a local education agency that offers a competency-based education for a student who graduates early from the local education agency.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION FUNDING
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ann Millner
House Sponsor: 
Bradley G. Last
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill authorizes the State Board of Education to reimburse an eligible local
education agency for a student who graduates early.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ establishes the Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From
Competency-Based Education; and
▸ authorizes the State Board of Education to reimburse a local education agency that
offers a competency-based education for a student who graduates early from the
local education agency.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
ENACTS:
53A-17a-173
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53A-17a-173
 is enacted to read:
 53A-17a-173.
Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From
Competency-Based Education.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
(b) "Cohort" means a group of students, defined by the year in which the group enters
grade 9.
(c) "Eligible LEA" means an LEA that has demonstrated to the board that the LEA or,
for a school district, a school within the LEA, provides and facilitates competency-based
education that:
(i) is based on the core principles described in Section 
53A-15-1803
; and
(ii) meets other criteria established by the board in rule.
(d) "Eligible student" means an individual who:
(i) attended an eligible LEA and graduated by completing graduation requirements, as
described in Section 
53A-13-108
, earlier than that individual's cohort completed graduation
requirements because of the individual's participation in the eligible LEA's competency-based
education;
(ii) no longer attends the eligible LEA; and
(iii) is not included in the LEA's average daily membership under this chapter.
(e) "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.
(f) "Partial pupil" means if an eligible student attends less than a full year of
membership, the number of days the student was in membership compared to a full
membership year.
(g) "Program" means the Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From
Competency-Based Education established in this section.
(2) (a) There is established the Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From
Competency-Based Education.
(b) Subject to future budget constraints, the Legislature may annually appropriate
money to the Reimbursement Program for Early Graduation From Competency-Based
Education.
(3) An LEA may apply to the board to receive a reimbursement, as described in
Subsection (5), for an eligible student.
(4) The board shall approve a reimbursement to an LEA after the LEA demonstrates:
(a) that the LEA is an eligible LEA; and
(b) that the individual for whom the eligible LEA requests reimbursement is an eligible
student.
(5) (a) For each eligible student, the board shall only reimburse an eligible LEA:
(i) if the eligible student attended the eligible LEA for less than a full school year
before the eligible student's cohort graduated, up to the value of one weighted pupil unit pro
rated based on the difference between:
(A) the number of days of partial pupil in average daily membership earned by the
eligible LEA while the eligible student was still in attendance; and
(B) a full pupil in average daily membership; and
(ii) the value of one weighted pupil unit for each full school year the eligible student
graduated ahead of the eligible student's cohort.
(b) The board shall:
(i) use data from the prior year average daily membership to determine the number of
eligible students; and
(ii) reimburse the eligible LEA in the current school year.
(6) The board shall in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act, adopt rules to administer the provisions of this section.
Section 2. 
Effective date.
This bill takes effect on July 1, 2017.