Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 117 (2018GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Stephenson, H.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/15/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• converts the pilot program for dual language immersion into an ongoing program;
• requires the State Board of Education to make rules to administer the Dual Language Immersion Program;
• provides for the State Board of Education to award a grant to a local education agency for dual language immersion;
• describes requirements for a local education agency that receives a grant for dual language immersion;
• requires the State Board of Education to provide support to a participating local education agency;
• requires the State Board of Education to conduct a program evaluation and report to the Legislature on the results;
• repeals a program to provide instruction in certain languages; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson
House Sponsor: 
Eric K. Hutchings
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions related to dual language immersion.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ converts the pilot program for dual language immersion into an ongoing program;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to make rules to administer the Dual
Language Immersion Program;
▸ provides for the State Board of Education to award a grant to a local education
agency for dual language immersion;
▸ describes requirements for a local education agency that receives a grant for dual
language immersion;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to provide support to a participating local
education agency;
▸ requires the State Board of Education to conduct a program evaluation and report to
the Legislature on the results;
▸ repeals a program to provide instruction in certain languages; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
REPEALS AND REENACTS:
53F-2-502
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 2
REPEALS:
53F-2-516
, 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-2-502
 is repealed and reenacted to read:
 53F-2-502.
Dual language immersion.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
(b) "Dual language immersion" means an instructional setting in which a student
receives a portion of instruction in English and a portion of instruction exclusively in a partner
language.
(c) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school district or a charter school.
(d) "Participating LEA" means an LEA selected by the board to receive a grant
described in this section.
(e) "Partner language" means a language other than English in which instruction is
provided in dual language immersion.
(2) The board shall:
(a) establish a dual language immersion program;
(b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
make rules that establish:
(i) a grant program for an LEA to receive funding for dual language immersion;
(ii) the required qualifications for an LEA to be a participating LEA;
(iii) subject to this section, requirements of a participating LEA;
(iv) a proficiency assessment for each partner language; and
(v) a progression of how a school in a participating LEA adds grade levels in which the
school offers dual language immersion;
(c) subject to legislative appropriations:
(i) select participating LEAs; and
(ii) award to a participating LEA a grant to support dual language immersion in the
LEA; and
(d) report to a legislative committee on the results of a proficiency assessment
described in Subsection (2)(b)(iv) upon request.
(3) A participating LEA shall:
(a) establish in a school a full-day dual language immersion instructional model that
provides at least 50% of instruction exclusively in a partner language;
(b) in accordance with the board rules described in Subsection (2)(b), add grades in
which dual language immersion is provided in a school; and
(c) annually administer to each student in grades 3 through 8 who participates in dual
language immersion an assessment described in Subsection (2)(b)(iv).
(4) The board shall:
(a) provide support to a participating LEA, including by:
(i) offering professional learning for dual language immersion educators;
(ii) developing curriculum related to dual language immersion; or
(iii) providing instructional support for a partner language;
(b) conduct a program evaluation of the dual language immersion program established
under Subsection (2)(a); and
(c) on or before November 1, 2019, report to the Education Interim Committee and the
Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee on the results of the program evaluation
described in Subsection (4)(b).
(5) The board may, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 6a, Utah Procurement Code,
contract with a third party to conduct the program evaluation described in Subsection (4)(b).
Section 2. 
Repealer.
This bill repeals:
Section 
53F-2-516
,
Critical Languages Program -- Pilot.