Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 73 (2020GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Stevenson, J.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/30/2020

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• expands the grades in which a school administers a benchmark assessment for reading to include grades 4 through 6; and
• makes technical and conforming changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

READING ASSESSMENT EXPANSION AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson
House Sponsor: 
V. Lowry Snow
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill expands the grades in which a school administers a benchmark assessment for
reading.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ expands the grades in which a school administers a benchmark assessment for
reading to include grades 4 through 6; and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2021:
▸ to State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs -- Electronic Elementary Reading
Tool, as an ongoing appropriation:
• from the Education Fund, $1,500,000.
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53E-4-307
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
53F-4-201
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53E-4-307
 is amended to read:
53E-4-307.
Benchmark assessments in reading -- Report to parent.
(1) As used in this section, "competency" means a demonstrable acquisition of a
specified knowledge, skill, or ability that has been organized into a hierarchical arrangement
leading to higher levels of knowledge, skill, or ability.
(2) The state board shall approve a benchmark assessment for use statewide by school
districts and charter schools to assess the reading competency of students in grades 1[
, 2, and 3
]
through 6
 as provided by this section.
(3) A school district or charter school shall:
(a) administer benchmark assessments to students in grades 1, 2, and 3 at the
beginning, middle, and end of the school year using the benchmark assessment approved by the
state board; and
(b) after administering a benchmark assessment, report the results to a student's parent.
(4) If a benchmark assessment or supplemental reading assessment indicates a student
lacks competency in a reading skill, or is lagging behind other students in the student's grade in
acquiring a reading skill, the school district or charter school shall:
(a) provide focused individualized intervention to develop the reading skill;
(b) administer formative assessments to measure the success of the focused
intervention;
(c) inform the student's parent of activities that the parent may engage in with the
student to assist the student in improving reading proficiency; and
(d) provide information to the parent regarding appropriate interventions available to
the student outside of the regular school day that may include tutoring, before and after school
programs, or summer school.
(5) In accordance with Section 
53F-4-201
, the state board shall contract with one or
more educational technology providers for a [
diagnostic
] 
benchmark
 assessment system for
reading for students in kindergarten through grade [
] 
.
Section 2. Section 
53F-4-201
 is amended to read:
53F-4-201.
State board required to contract for a benchmark assessment system
for reading.
(1) (a) As described in Section 
53E-4-307
, the state board shall approve a benchmark
assessment for use statewide by school districts and charter schools.
(b) The state board shall contract with one or more educational technology providers,
selected through a request for proposals process, for a [
diagnostic
] 
benchmark
 assessment
system for reading for students in kindergarten through grade [
] 
 that meets the requirements
of this section.
(2) Subject to legislative appropriations, a [
diagnostic
] 
benchmark
 assessment system
for reading shall be made available to school districts and charter schools that apply to use a
[
diagnostic
] 
benchmark
 assessment for reading beginning in the 2011-12 school year.
(3) A [
diagnostic
] 
benchmark
 assessment system for reading for students in
kindergarten through grade [
] 
 shall:
(a) be in a digital format;
(b) include benchmark assessments of reading proficiency to be administered at the
beginning, in the middle, and at the end of kindergarten[
, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3
] 
and
grades 1 through 6
;
(c) include formative assessments to be administered every two to four weeks for
students who are at high risk of not attaining proficiency in reading;
(d) align with the language arts core standards for Utah public schools adopted by the
state board; and
(e) include a data analysis component hosted by the provider that:
(i) has the capacity to generate electronic information immediately and produce
individualized student progress reports, class summaries, and class groupings for instruction;
(ii) may have the capability of identifying lesson plans that may be used to develop
reading skills;
(iii) enables teachers, administrators, and designated supervisors to access reports
through a secured password system;
(iv) produces electronic printable reports for parents and administrators; and
(v) has the capability for principals to monitor usage by teachers.
Section 3. 
Appropriation.
The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
2020, and ending June 30, 2021. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
fiscal year 2021. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
ITEM 1
To the State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs
From Education Fund
$1,500,000
Schedule of Programs
Electronic Elementary Reading Tool
$1,500,000