Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 227 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Pulsipher, S.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/19/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• repeals requirements on local education boards related to class size reduction, including:
• a requirement that a local education board submit a plan to the State Board of Education to qualify for class size reduction money; and
• a requirement that a local education board report on the use of class size reduction money in the prior school year;
• repeals reporting requirements related to the K-3 Reading Improvement Program and federal Title I money;
• repeals an annual required report from the State Board of Education to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee related to class size; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

MINIMUM SCHOOL PROGRAM REPORTING
MODIFICATIONS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Susan Pulsipher
Senate Sponsor: 
Lincoln Fillmore
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill repeals reporting and planning requirements related to certain programs within
the Minimum School Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ repeals requirements on local education boards related to class size reduction,
including:
• a requirement that a local education board submit a plan to the State Board of
Education to qualify for class size reduction money; and
• a requirement that a local education board report on the use of class size
reduction money in the prior school year;
▸ repeals reporting requirements related to the K-3 Reading Improvement Program
and federal Title I money;
▸ repeals an annual required report from the State Board of Education to the Public
Education Appropriations Subcommittee related to class size; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53F-2-312
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 2
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53F-2-312
 is amended to read:
53F-2-312.
Appropriation for class size reduction.
(1) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for class size reduction shall
be used to reduce the average class size in kindergarten through [
the eighth
] grade 
 in the
state's public schools.
(2) [
Each
] 
A
 school district or charter school shall receive an allocation [
based upon
]
for class size reduction based on
 the school district or charter school's prior year average daily
membership 
plus growth
 in kindergarten through grade 8 [
plus growth
] as determined under
Subsection 
53F-2-302
(3) [
as
] compared to the total prior year average daily membership 
plus
growth
 in kindergarten through grade 8 [
plus growth of school districts and charter schools that
qualify for an allocation pursuant to Subsection (8)
] 
statewide
.
(3) (a) A local education board may use an allocation to reduce class size in any one or
all of the grades referred to under this section, except as otherwise provided in Subsection
(3)(b).
(b) (i) [
Each
] 
A
 local education board shall use 50% of an allocation to reduce class
size in any one or all of grades kindergarten through grade 2, with an emphasis on improving
student reading skills.
(ii) If a school district's or charter school's average class size is below 18 
students
 in
[
grades
] kindergarten through grade 2, a local education board may petition the State Board of
Education for, and the State Board of Education may grant, a waiver [
to use an allocation
under
] 
of the requirement described in
 Subsection (3)(b)(i) [
for class size reduction in the other
grades
].
(4) [
Schools
] 
A school
 may use nontraditional innovative and creative methods to
reduce class sizes with this appropriation and may use part of an allocation to focus on class
size reduction for specific groups, such as at risk students, or for specific blocks of time during
the school day.
(5) (a) A local education board may use up to 20% of an allocation under [
Subsection
(1)
] 
this section
 for capital facilities projects if such projects would help to reduce class size.
(b) If a school district's or charter school's student population increases by 
at least
 5%
or 
at least
students from the previous school year, the local education board may use up to
50% of [
any
] 
an
 allocation received by the [
respective
] school district or charter school under
this section for classroom construction.
(6) This appropriation is to supplement any other appropriation made for class size
reduction.
(7) The Legislature shall provide for an annual adjustment in the appropriation
authorized under this section in proportion to the increase in the number of students in the state
in kindergarten through grade [
eight
] 
.
[
(8) (a) For a school district or charter school to qualify for class size reduction money,
a local education board shall submit:
]
[
(i) a plan for the use of the allocation of class size reduction money to the State Board
of Education; and
]
[
(ii) beginning with the 2014-15 school year, a report on the local education board's use
of class size reduction money in the prior school year.
]
[
(b) The plan and report required pursuant to Subsection (8)(a) shall include the
following information:
]
[
(i) (A) the number of teachers employed using class size reduction money;
]
[
(B) the amount of class size reduction money expended for teachers; and
]
[
(C) if supplemental school district or charter school funds are expended to pay for
teachers employed using class size reduction money, the amount of the supplemental money;
]
[
(ii) (A) the number of paraprofessionals employed using class size reduction money;
]
[
(B) the amount of class size reduction money expended for paraprofessionals; and
]
[
(C) if supplemental school district or charter school funds are expended to pay for
paraprofessionals employed using class size reduction money, the amount of the supplemental
money; and
]
[
(iii) the amount of class size reduction money expended for capital facilities.
]
[
(c) In addition to submitting a plan and report on the use of class size reduction
money, a local education board shall annually submit a report to the State Board of Education
that includes the following information:
]
[
(i) the number of teachers employed using K-3 Reading Improvement Program money
received pursuant to Sections 
53F-2-503
 and 
53F-8-406
;
]
[
(ii) the amount of K-3 Reading Improvement Program money expended for teachers;
]
[
(iii) the number of teachers employed in kindergarten through grade 8 using Title I
money;
]
[
(iv) the amount of Title I money expended for teachers in kindergarten through grade
8; and
]
[
(v) a comparison of actual average class size by grade in grades kindergarten through
in the school district or charter school with what the average class size would be without the
expenditure of class size reduction, K-3 Reading Improvement Program, and Title I money.
]
[
(d) The information required to be reported in Subsections (8)(b)(i)(A) through (C),
(8)(b)(ii)(A) through (C), and (8)(c) shall be categorized by a teacher's or paraprofessional's
teaching assignment, such as the grade level, course, or subject taught.
]
[
(e) The State Board of Education may make rules specifying procedures and standards
for the submission of:
]
[
(i) a plan and a report on the use of class size reduction money as required by this
section; and
]
[
(ii) a report required under Subsection (8)(c).
]
[
(f) Based on the data contained in the class size reduction plans and reports submitted
by local education boards, and data on average class size, the State Board of Education shall
annually report to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the impact of class
size reduction, K-3 Reading Improvement Program, and Title I money on class size.
]