Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 127 First Substitute (2018GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Stephenson, H.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/19/2018

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• eliminates public school usage requirements for early interactive reading software;
• authorizes the State Board of Education to acquire certain analytical software to facilitate administering the reading software program; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

READING SOFTWARE PROGRAM AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Howard A. Stephenson
House Sponsor: 
Bradley G. Last
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions regarding certain public education reading software.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ eliminates public school usage requirements for early interactive reading software;
▸ authorizes the State Board of Education to acquire certain analytical software to
facilitate administering the reading software program; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53F-4-203
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2018, Chapter 2
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53F-4-203
 is amended to read:
53F-4-203.
Early intervention interactive reading software -- Independent
evaluator.
[
(1) In addition to an enhanced kindergarten program described in Section 
53F-2-507
,
the early intervention program includes a component to address early reading through the use
of early interactive reading software.
]
[
(2)
] 
(1)
 (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, the State Board of Education shall
select and contract with one or more technology providers, through a request for proposals
process, to provide early interactive reading software for literacy instruction and assessments
for students in kindergarten through grade 3.
(b) By August 1 of each year, the State Board of Education shall distribute licenses for
early interactive reading software described in Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
(a) to the school districts and
charter schools of local education boards that apply for the licenses.
(c) Except as provided in [
Subsection (3)(c)
] 
board rule
, a school district or charter
school that received a license described in Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
(b) during the prior year shall be
given first priority to receive an equivalent license during the current year.
(d) Licenses distributed to school districts and charter schools in addition to the
licenses described in Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
(c) shall be distributed through a competitive process.
[
(3) (a) As used in this Subsection (3), "dosage" means amount of instructional time.
]
[
(b)
] 
(2)
 A public school that receives a license described in Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
(b)
shall use the license:
[
(i)
] 
(a)
 for a student in kindergarten or grade 1:
[
(A)
] 
(i)
 for intervention for the student if the student is reading below grade level; or
[
(B)
] 
(ii)
 for advancement beyond grade level for the student if the student is reading at
or above grade level; 
and
[
(ii)
] 
(b)
 for a student in grade 2 or 3, for intervention for the student if the student is
reading below grade level[
; and
]
.
[
(iii) in accordance with the technology provider's dosage recommendations.
]
[
(c) A public school that does not use the early interactive reading software in
accordance with the technology provider's dosage recommendations for two consecutive years
may not continue to receive a license.
]
[
(4)
] 
(3)
 (a) On or before August 1 of each year, the State Board of Education shall
select and contract with an independent evaluator, through a request for proposals process, to
act as an independent contractor to evaluate early interactive reading software provided under
this section.
(b) The State Board of Education shall ensure that a contract with an independent
evaluator requires the independent evaluator to:
(i) evaluate a student's learning gains as a result of using early interactive reading
software provided under Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
;
(ii) for the evaluation under Subsection [
(4)
] 
(3)
(b)(i), use an assessment that is not
developed by a provider of early interactive reading software; and
(iii) determine the extent to which a public school uses the early interactive reading
software [
in accordance with a technology provider's dosage recommendations under
Subsection (3)
].
(c) The State Board of Education and the independent evaluator selected under
Subsection [
(4)
] 
(3)
(a) shall report annually on the results of the evaluation to the Education
Interim Committee and the governor.
[
(d)
] 
(4)
 The State Board of Education may use up to 4% of the appropriation provided
under Subsection [
(2)
] 
(1)
(a) to
:
(a) acquire an analytical software program that:
(i) monitors, for an individual school, early intervention interactive reading software
use and the associated impact on student performance; and
(ii) analyzes the information gathered under Subsection (4)(a)(i) to prescribe individual
school usage time to maximize the beneficial impact on student performance; or
(b)
 contract with an independent evaluator selected under Subsection [
(4)
] 
(3)
(a).