Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 127 First Substitute (2022GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Millner, A.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/23/2022

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• requires the State Board of Education (state board) to establish strategies and administer programs to improve early literacy outcomes in kindergarten through grade 3, including:
• providing statewide and regional support in literacy coaching and professional learning in early literacy;
• establishing a panel with expertise in the science of reading and the science of reading instruction;
• partnering with a private business or nonprofit organization to annually provide personal, home-use books to certain students;
• leveraging community engagement in literacy; and
• contracting with organizations with expertise in coordinating community resources;
• requires the use of diagnostic assessments to target interventions for students lacking competency in a reading skill;
• allows for exceptions for a literacy preparation assessment requirement;
• amends provisions regarding teacher preparation programs;
• requires the Utah Board of Higher Education to consult with the state superintendent of public instruction to ensure fulfillment of certain conditions before distributing additional funding to institutions of higher education to hire additional faculty with training and experience in the science of reading;
• provides grant funding for which local education agencies (LEAs) apply to the state board to provide professional learning in early literacy to educators serving in kindergarten through grade 3;
• amends provisions regarding partnerships that qualify under the Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program;

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

EARLY LITERACY OUTCOMES IMPROVEMENT
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Ann Millner
House Sponsor: 
Bradley G. Last
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends, enhances, and aligns strategies to improve early literacy outcomes in
kindergarten through grade 3.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ requires the State Board of Education (state board) to establish strategies and
administer programs to improve early literacy outcomes in kindergarten through
grade 3, including:
• providing statewide and regional support in literacy coaching and professional
learning in early literacy;
• establishing a panel with expertise in the science of reading and the science of
reading instruction;
• partnering with a private business or nonprofit organization to annually provide
personal, home-use books to certain students;
• leveraging community engagement in literacy; and
• contracting with organizations with expertise in coordinating community
resources;
▸ requires the use of diagnostic assessments to target interventions for students
lacking competency in a reading skill;
▸ allows for exceptions for a literacy preparation assessment requirement;
▸ amends provisions regarding teacher preparation programs;
▸ requires the Utah Board of Higher Education to consult with the state
superintendent of public instruction to ensure fulfillment of certain conditions
before distributing additional funding to institutions of higher education to hire
additional faculty with training and experience in the science of reading;
▸ provides grant funding for which local education agencies (LEAs) apply to the state
board to provide professional learning in early literacy to educators serving in
kindergarten through grade 3;
▸ amends provisions regarding partnerships that qualify under the Partnerships for
Student Success Grant Program;
▸ requires LEAs to adopt science of reading curriculum and intervention programs;
▸ requires the state board, the Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and
Dynamic Education collaborative effort, and the Center for the School of the Future
at Utah State University to develop a repository of materials to support LEAs in
evidence-based practices for science of reading instruction;
▸ requires the state board to provide elementary school principals, leaders, and
literacy coaches with required professional learning regarding change management;
and
▸ makes technical and conforming changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill provides revisor instructions.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53E-1-201
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2021, Chapters 64, 251, and 351
53E-4-307
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Fifth Special Session, Chapter 14
53E-6-301
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapters 174 and 408
53E-6-302
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 408
53F-5-214
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 174 and last amended by
Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 362
53F-5-215
, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 174
53F-5-402
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 186
53G-11-303
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 293
ENACTS:
53E-3-1001
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53E-3-1002
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53E-3-1003
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53E-3-1004
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53G-10-306
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
53G-11-305
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Utah Code Sections Affected by Revisor Instructions:
53E-3-1003
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
53E-1-201
 is amended to read:
53E-1-201.
Reports to and action required of the Education Interim Committee.
(1) In accordance with applicable provisions and Section 
68-3-14
, the following
recurring reports are due to the Education Interim Committee:
(a) the report described in Section 
9-22-109
 by the STEM Action Center Board,
including the information described in Section 
9-22-113
 on the status of the computer science
initiative and Section 
9-22-114
 on the Computing Partnerships Grants Program;
(b) the prioritized list of data research described in Section 
35A-14-302
 and the report
on research described in Section 
35A-14-304
 by the Utah Data Research Center;
(c) the report described in Section 
35A-15-303
 by the State Board of Education on
preschool programs;
(d) the report described in Section 
53B-1-402
 by the Utah Board of Higher Education
on career and technical education issues and addressing workforce needs;
(e) the annual report of the Utah Board of Higher Education described in Section
53B-1-402
;
(f) the reports described in Section 
53B-28-401
 by the Utah Board of Higher Education
regarding activities related to campus safety;
(g) the State Superintendent's Annual Report by the state board described in Section
53E-1-203
;
(h) the annual report described in Section 
53E-2-202
 by the state board on the strategic
plan to improve student outcomes;
(i) the report described in Section 
53E-8-204
 by the state board on the Utah Schools for
the Deaf and the Blind;
(j) the report described in Section 
53E-10-703
 by the Utah Leading through Effective,
Actionable, and Dynamic Education director on research and other activities;
(k) the report described in Section 
53F-4-203
 by the state board and the independent
evaluator on an evaluation of early interactive reading software;
(l) the report described in Section 
53F-4-407
 by the state board on UPSTART;
(m) the reports described in Sections 
53F-5-214
, 
53F-5-214.1
,
 and 
53F-5-215
 by the
state board related to grants for professional learning and grants for an elementary teacher
preparation assessment; and
(n) the report described in Section 
53F-5-405
 by the State Board of Education
regarding an evaluation of a partnership that receives a grant to improve educational outcomes
for students who are low income.
(2) In accordance with applicable provisions and Section 
68-3-14
, the following
occasional reports are due to the Education Interim Committee:
(a) the report described in Section 
35A-15-303
 by the School Readiness Board by
November 30, 2020, on benchmarks for certain preschool programs;
(b) the report described in Section 
53B-28-402
 by the Utah Board of Higher Education
on or before the Education Interim Committee's November 2021 meeting;
(c) the reports described in Section 
53E-3-520
 by the state board regarding cost centers
and implementing activity based costing;
(d) if required, the report described in Section 
53E-4-309
 by the state board explaining
the reasons for changing the grade level specification for the administration of specific
assessments;
(e) if required, the report described in Section 
53E-5-210
 by the state board of an
adjustment to the minimum level that demonstrates proficiency for each statewide assessment;
(f) in 2022 and in 2023, on or before November 30, the report described in Subsection
53E-10-309
(7) related to the PRIME pilot program;
(g) the report described in Section 
53E-10-702
 by Utah Leading through Effective,
Actionable, and Dynamic Education;
(h) if required, the report described in Section 
53F-2-513
 by the state board evaluating
the effects of salary bonuses on the recruitment and retention of effective teachers in high
poverty schools;
[
(i) upon request, the report described in Section 
53F-5-207
 by the state board on the
Intergenerational Poverty Intervention Grants Program;
]
[
(j)
] 
(i)
 the report described in Section 
53F-5-210
 by the state board on the Educational
Improvement Opportunities Outside of the Regular School Day Grant Program;
[
(k)
] 
(j)
 the report described in Section 
53G-7-503
 by the state board regarding fees
that LEAs charge during the 2020-2021 school year;
[
(l)
] 
(k)
 the reports described in Section 
53G-11-304
 by the state board regarding
proposed rules and results related to educator exit surveys;
[
(m)
] 
(l)
 the report described in Section 
62A-15-117
 by the Division of Substance
Abuse and Mental Health, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Health
regarding recommendations related to Medicaid reimbursement for school-based health
services; and
[
(n)
] 
(m)
 the reports described in Section 
63C-19-202
 by the Higher Education
Strategic Planning Commission.
Section 2. Section 
53E-3-1001
 is enacted to read:
 53E-3-1001.
Statewide goal -- Emphasis on early literacy.
To achieve a strenuous statewide goal of 70% in third grade-level proficiency on the
state-administered reading assessment by July 1, 2027, the state board shall:
(1) analyze, align, and target resources, including digital software and tools, in existing
state programs and the programs enacted in this bill, as appropriate, to support early literacy
within the state; and
(2) identify opportunities to incentivize and support LEAs and elementary schools to
analyze data, align plans, and target resources from existing local and LEA programs to support
early literacy within the state, resulting in a comprehensive statewide alignment of early
literacy plans.
Section 3. Section 
53E-3-1002
 is enacted to read:
 53E-3-1002.
Literacy coaching -- Professional learning.
(1) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall provide, train, and assign
literacy coaches to schools with low literacy achievement performance to provide early literacy
coaching to teachers in kindergarten through grade 3, in accordance with this section.
(2) The state board shall make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
Administrative Rulemaking Act, to:
(a) establish criteria to determine which schools qualify for early literacy coaching,
prioritizing coaching among:
(i) schools that participate in partnerships that receive grants under Title 53F, Chapter
5, Part 4, Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program; and
(ii) schools that fall within the bottom 25% of all schools in literacy achievement
performance, as the state board further defines;
(b) establish minimum qualifications for early literacy coach positions to ensure
adequate preparation with necessary expertise;
(c) define roles and responsibilities for a literacy coach, including:
(i) assisting educators in analyzing data to inform instructional adjustments;
(ii) engaging in instructional coaching cycles with educators to build capacity for
improved classroom instructional practices;
(iii) using principles of adult learning to effectively partner with educators to integrate
professional learning into classroom practice;
(iv) leveraging knowledge of the science of reading and evidence-based practices to
support educators in maximizing student learning;
(v) partnering with a school's leader to support school-wide literacy goals to provide a
team of support for educators to embed the state-wide goals into instructional plans and
practice;
(vi) delivering consistent and frequent job-embedded professional learning;
(vii) participating actively in professional learning experiences to deepen knowledge
and skills for coaching; and
(viii) designing and facilitating relevant and cohesive professional learning sessions to
strengthen the implementation of these evidence-based practices with educators; and
(d) establish parameters for the relationship between a literacy coach and school or
LEA, including ensuring that coaches do not engage in activities or duties unrelated to literacy
coaching, including:
(i) serving as an evaluator, substitute teacher, clerical aid, recess or lunch aid,
behavioral therapist, tester, guidance counselor, interventionist, program manager, or contest
leader; or
(ii) any other assignment that frequently disrupts the coach's ability to support
educators in improving instructional practice.
(3) The state board shall:
(a) ensure that one staff position supervises early literacy coaches statewide;
(b) select the pool of candidates for literacy coaching positions and coordinate with
LEAs regarding interviews, final selection, and placement; and
(c) annually review coaching placements and adjust placements as necessary, based on
the school's literacy achievement performance and the criteria established under Subsection (2).
(4) The state board shall provide professional learning support in early literacy by:
(a) facilitating professional learning opportunities to support literacy coaches statewide
that includes knowledge and skill development in adult learning practices, job-embedded
coaching, and family engagement;
(b) providing professional learning regional consultants to:
(i) support LEAs and regional education service agencies in designing, facilitating,
monitoring, and adjusting professional learning in early literacy that aligns with the
professional learning standards described in Section 
53G-11-303
; and
(ii) serve a cohort of LEAs within a geographic region of the state; and
(c) providing statewide professional learning to support the use of collective efficacy,
including the implementation of professional learning communities and school leadership
teams through 2027.
Section 4. Section 
53E-3-1003
 is enacted to read:
 53E-3-1003.
Science of reading.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Educator preparation program" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53E-6-302
.
(b) "Panel" means the science of reading panel that the state board establishes in
accordance with this section.
(c) "University teacher preparation program" means a program described in Section
53E-6-302
.
(2) The state board shall establish an expert science of reading panel consisting of up to
six experts who have:
(a) knowledge and a research background in the science of reading and the science of
reading instruction; and
(b) experience translating the science of reading into effective reading instructional
practices.
(3) The panel shall:
(a) meet no less than once every quarter;
(b) provide expertise to and serve in a consultancy capacity to the state board on
implementation of:
(i) the early literacy emphases described in Section 
53E-3-1001
; and
(ii) educator preparation programs;
 (c) in consultation with the state board:
(i) provide advanced professional learning opportunities in the science of reading and
the science of reading instruction for public schools and educator preparation programs as
needed to expand statewide capacity;
(ii) partner with ULEAD, as that term is defined in Section 
53E-10-701
, to develop and
implement an online repository of digital science of reading and science of reading instruction
resources that is accessible to public school teachers, school leaders, parents, and educator
preparation programs and associated faculty;
(iii) develop professional learning modules to support teachers and school leaders; and
(iv) coordinate with educator preparation programs, university teacher preparation
program faculty, deans of education, and literacy leadership fellows to advance the science of
reading and the science of reading instruction; and
(d) take part in the hiring of the additional faculty members described in Subsection
53E-6-302
(6) with two panel members participating in the hiring process.
(4) The state board may collaborate with panel members to conduct periodic reviews
of:
(a) student outcome data;
(b) science of reading and science of reading instruction implementation fidelity in
public schools and educator preparation programs through onsite visits; and
(c) advise LEAs regarding the science of reading and the science of reading instruction
curriculum and intervention programs.
(5) A panel member:
(a) may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service on the panel;
and
(b) may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel expenses that the panel member
incurs as a panel member at the rates that the Division of Finance establishes under:
(i) Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
; and
(ii) rules that the Division of Finance makes under Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
.
(6) The state board shall provide staff support to the panel.
Section 5. Section 
53E-3-1004
 is enacted to read:
 53E-3-1004.
Community engagement for early literacy.
(1) The state board shall:
(a) partner with a private business or nonprofit organization to annually provide
personal, home-use, age-appropriate printed books or digital books with accompanying
electronic reading devices to students:
(i) who attend:
(A) a school that participates in partnerships that receive grants under Title 53F,
Chapter 5, Part 4, Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program; or
(B) a Title I school, as that term is defined in Section 
53F-2-523
; and
(ii) at a minimum, in kindergarten through grade 3; and
(b) provide students a choice of language where possible.
(2) The state board shall develop and promote a website that provides resources for
teachers and other educational support personnel to support targeted activities and strategies for
parents to support at-home reading.
(3) The state board shall contract with one or more organizations that have expertise in
coordinating community resources to:
(a) provide training and coaching to community, school, and parent engagement
coordinators; and
(b) for a school that is not participating in a partnership that receives a grant under Title
53F, Chapter 5, Part 4, Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program:
(i) assess the presence of existing community school infrastructure; and
(ii) provide necessary supports for parent, community, and business engagement,
including services and coordination support.
Section 6. 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"
]
:
(a) "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.
(b) "Diagnostic assessment" means an assessment that measures key literacy skills,
including phonemic awareness, sound-symbol recognition, alphabet knowledge, decoding and
encoding skills, and comprehension, to determine a student's specific strengths and weaknesses
in a skill area.
(c) "Evidence-based" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
53G-11-303
.
(d) "Evidence-informed" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53G-11-303
.
(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 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) administer diagnostic assessments to the student;
[
(a)
] 
(b) using data from the diagnostic assessment,
 provide 
specific,
 focused
, and
individualized intervention 
or tutoring
 to develop the reading skill;
[
(b)
] 
(c)
 administer formative assessments 
and progress monitoring at recommended
levels for the benchmark assessment
 to measure the success of the focused intervention;
[
(c)
] 
(d)
 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)
] 
(e)
 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[
.
]
; and
(f) provide instructional materials that are evidence-informed for core instruction and
evidence-based for intervention and supplemental instruction.
(5) (a) In accordance with Section 
53F-4-201
 and except as provided in Subsection
(5)(b), the state board shall contract with one or more educational technology providers for a
benchmark assessment system for reading for students in kindergarten through grade 6.
(b) If revenue is insufficient for the benchmark assessment system for the grades
described in Subsection (5)(a), the state board shall first prioritize funding a benchmark
assessment for students in kindergarten through grade 3.
Section 7. Section 
53E-6-301
 is amended to read:
53E-6-301.
 Qualifications of applicants for licenses -- Changes in qualifications.
(1) As used in this section [
"literacy
]
:
(a) "Literacy
 preparation assessment" means an examination that [
addresses
] 
evaluates
an individual's knowledge of
 the science of reading, related to literacy instruction for an
individual who teaches preschool, elementary school, or special education.
(b) "Required literacy preparation assessment" means a literacy preparation assessment
that the state board uses to determine the qualifications of license applicants.
(2) The state board shall establish by rule made in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter
3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the scholarship, training, and experience required of
license applicants.
(3) (a) The state board shall announce any increase in the requirements when made.
(b) An increase in requirements shall become effective not less than one year from the
date of the announcement.
(4) The state board may determine by examination or otherwise the qualifications of
license applicants.
(5) If the state board uses [
an examination
] 
a required literacy preparation assessment
under Subsection (4) [
that is a literacy preparation assessment
]:
(a) 
(i)
 the state board shall make rules to allow an LEA to hire a license applicant who
does not successfully pass the 
required
 literacy preparation assessment for a limited duration
pending successful passage; and
[
(b)
] 
(ii)
 the license applicant is not eligible for a professional educator license
described in Section 
53E-6-201
 until the license applicant successfully passes the 
required
literacy preparation assessment[
.
]
; and
(b) the state board may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
Administrative Rulemaking Act, to:
(i) establish exemptions for the required literacy preparation assessment; and
(ii) develop a pathway to demonstrate early literacy competency as an exception to the
requirement to pass the required literacy preparation assessment.
Section 8. Section 
53E-6-302
 is amended to read:
53E-6-302.
Educator preparation programs.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Educator preparation program" means:
(i) a university teacher education program; or
(ii) a program that prepares individuals using an alternative pathway to licensure, as the
state board provides.
(b) "Required literacy preparation assessment" means the same as that term is defined
in Section 
53E-6-301
.
(c) "University teacher preparation program" means a program that an institution of
higher education offers to prepare educators for licensure.
[
(1)
] 
(2)
 In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking
Act, the state board shall make rules that establish standards for approval of [
a
] 
an educator
preparation program.
[
(2)
] 
(3)
 The state board shall ensure that standards adopted under Subsection [
(1)
] 
(2):
(a)
 meet or exceed generally recognized national standards for preparation of
educators[
.
]
; and
(b) include requirements for educator preparation programs to:
(i) provide instruction in the science of reading; and
(ii) prepare license applicants to pass the required literacy preparation assessment at no
cost to the applicants for the preparation, including providing ongoing preparation for up to
three total attempts of the required literacy preparation assessment.
[
(3)
] 
(4)
 The state board shall designate an employee of the state board's staff to:
(a) work with education deans of state institutions of higher education to coordinate
[
on-site monitoring of
] 
university
 teacher preparation programs that may include:
(i) monitoring courses for 
university
 teacher preparation programs; 
and
(ii) working with course instructors for 
university
 teacher preparation programs; [
and
]
[
(iii) interviewing students admitted to 
university
 teacher preparation programs;
]
(b) act as a liaison between:
(i) the state board;
(ii) local school boards or charter school governing boards; and
(iii) representatives of 
university
 teacher preparation programs; and
(c) report the employee's findings and recommendations for the improvement of
teacher preparation programs to:
(i) the state board; and
(ii) education deans of state institutions of higher education.
[
(4)
] 
(5)
 The state board shall:
(a) in good faith, consider the findings and recommendations described in Subsection
[
(3)
] 
(4)
(c); and
(b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
make rules, as the state board determines is necessary, to implement recommendations
described in Subsection [
(3)
] 
(4)
(c).
(6) Subject to legislative appropriations, the Utah Board of Higher Education shall:
(a) provide matching funds to each of the state's institutions of higher education with a
university teacher preparation program:
(i) to hire an additional faculty member who has training in the science of reading and
the science of reading instruction; and
(ii) in an amount equal to 75% of the cost of making the hire described in Subsection
(6)(a) if the institution provides 25% of the cost; and
(b) consult the state superintendent regarding:
(i) criteria for the hire described in Subsection (6)(a) that would qualify for a
distribution of funding; and
(ii) an individual institution's fulfillment of the criteria described in Subsection
(6)(b)(i) before distributing funding.
(7) An institution that hires an additional faculty member shall coordinate with the
science of reading panel described in Section 
53E-3-1003
 to include two members of the panel
in the institution's hiring process.
(8) The state board shall:
(a) monitor accreditation of university programs regarding the science of reading
preparation described in Subsection (3)(b) at the institutions described in Subsection (6)(a); and
(b) (i) develop strategies to provide support for preparation programs with low rates of
passage on the required literacy preparation assessment; and
(ii) provide increasing levels of support to a preparation program with low rates of
passage on the required literacy preparation assessment for two consecutive years.
Section 9. Section 
53F-5-214
 is amended to read:
53F-5-214.
Grant for professional learning.
(1) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall award grants to LEAs to
provide teachers in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 3 with
:
(a)
 professional learning opportunities in early literacy and mathematics[
.
]
; and
(b) the required early literacy professional learning opportunity described in Subsection
(6).
(2) The state board shall award a grant described in [
this section
] 
Subsection (1)(a)
 to
an LEA that submits to the state board a completed application, as provided by the state board,
that includes a description of the evidence-based, based on assessment data, professional
learning opportunities the LEA will provide that are:
(a) aligned with the professional learning standards described in Section 
53G-11-303
;
and
(b) targeted to attaining the local and state early learning goals described in Section
53G-7-218
.
(3) An LEA that receives a grant described in this section shall use the grant for the
purposes described in Subsection (2).
(4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
state board shall make rules to establish:
(a) required elements of the professional learning opportunities described in Subsection
(2); [
and
]
(b) a formula to determine an LEA's grant amount under this section[
.
]
, including
identifying the amount an LEA receives for:
(i) professional learning opportunities under Subsection (2); and
(ii) the required early literacy professional learning opportunity described in Subsection
(6); and
(c) specifications regarding the LEA's provision of the required early literacy
professional learning opportunity described in Subsection (6).
(5) The state board shall annually report to the Education Interim Committee on or
before the November interim committee meeting regarding the administration and outcomes of
the grant described in this section.
(6) (a) As used in this Subsection (6), "early literacy professional learning opportunity"
means the early literacy opportunity that the majority of recipients of grant funding under this
section used before the effective date of this bill to provide professional learning opportunities
in early literacy.
(b) (i) Except as described in Subsection (6)(b)(ii), the following shall complete the
early literacy professional learning opportunity before July 1, 2025, each:
(A) general and special education teacher in kindergarten through grade 3;
(B) district administrator over literacy;
(C) elementary school principal;
(D) school psychologist serving in an elementary school; and
(E) elementary school literacy coach who serves kindergarten through grade 3.
(ii) The following are exempt from the professional learning opportunity completion
requirement in Subsection (6)(b)(i):
(A) an educator who has already completed the early literacy professional learning
program;
(B) dual language immersion educators who teach in the target language;
(C) special education teachers who serve students with significant cognitive
disabilities;
(D) teachers within one year of retirement; and
(E) other similar educator roles as the state board identifies in board rule, made in
accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act.
(c) (i) Before the 2022-2023 school year, each LEA that serves elementary students
shall apply for grant funding under this subsection (6) to provide the early literacy professional
learning opportunity to each individual described in Subsection (6)(b)(i) within the LEA.
(ii) An LEA that receives a grant for use under this Subsection (6) shall:
(A) use the grant to provide the early literacy professional learning opportunity at the
maximum of the restricted rate for each educator described in Subsection (6)(b)(i) within the
LEA; and
(B) provide the early literacy professional learning opportunity as part of the educator's
contracted time or daily rate.
(d) In awarding grant funding under this section for the required early literacy
professional learning opportunity, the state board shall award funding to an LEA to provide the
opportunity to each individual described in Subsection (6)(c)(i), prioritizing applicants that
have not yet participated in the early literacy professional learning opportunity.
Section 10. Section 
53F-5-215
 is amended to read:
53F-5-215.
Elementary teacher preparation assessment grant.
(1) As used in this section:
(a) "Educator preparation program" means the same as that term is defined in Section
53E-6-302
.
[
(a)
] 
(b)
 "License" means a license that:
(i) is described in Section 
53E-6-102
; and
(ii) qualifies an individual to teach elementary school.
[
(b) "Literacy
]
(c) "Required literacy
 preparation assessment" means the same as that term is defined
in Section 
53E-6-301
.
(2) Beginning September 1, 2021, subject to legislative appropriations, the state board
shall award grants to [
institutions of higher education
] 
educator preparation programs
 for the
cost of the initial attempt of the 
required literacy
 preparation assessment for license applicants
graduating from the institution 
or completing the preparation program
 during the year relevant
to the grant.
(3) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
state board may make rules to establish the license, type of license, or license concentration
eligible for the grant described in this section.
(4) [
An institution of higher education
] 
An educator preparation program
 may apply
for a grant described in this section by submitting to the state board an application, as provided
by the state board, including an estimate of the number and names of prospective license
applicants expected to graduate 
or complete the program
 in the year relevant to the grant
application.
(5) Notwithstanding Subsections (2) and (4), beginning July 1, 2020, and ending
August 31, 2021, the state board may award grants under this section to institutions of higher
education to pilot test a literacy preparation assessment.
(6) The state board shall annually report to the Education Interim Committee on or
before the November interim committee meeting regarding the administration and outcomes of
the grant described in this section.
Section 11. Section 
53F-5-402
 is amended to read:
53F-5-402.
Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program established.
(1) There is created the Partnerships for Student Success Grant Program to improve
educational outcomes for low income students through the formation of cross sector
partnerships that use data to align and improve efforts focused on student success.
(2) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall award grants to eligible
partnerships that enter into a memorandum of understanding between the members of the
eligible partnership to plan or implement a partnership that:
(a) establishes shared goals, outcomes, and measurement practices based on unique
community needs and interests that:
[
(i) are aligned with the recommendations of the five- and ten-year plan to address
intergenerational poverty described in Section 
35A-9-303
; and
]
[
(ii) address,
] 
(i)
 for students attending [
a
] 
an elementary
 school within an eligible
school feeder pattern
, focus on
:
(A) kindergarten readiness;
(B) [
grade 3 mathematics and
] reading proficiency[
;
]
, consistent with the science of
reading, as defined by the science of reading panel described in Section 
53E-3-1003
; and
(C) grade 3 mathematics; and
(ii) for students attending a secondary school within an eligible school feeder pattern,
focus on:
[
(C)
] 
(A)
 grade 8 mathematics and reading proficiency;
[
(D)
] 
(B)
 high school graduation;
[
(E)
] 
(C)
 postsecondary education attainment;
[
(F)
] 
(D)
 physical and mental health; and
[
(G)
] 
(E)
 development of career skills and readiness;
(b) coordinates and aligns services to:
(i) students attending schools within an eligible school feeder pattern; and
(ii) the families and communities of the students within an eligible school feeder
pattern;
(c) implements a system for:
(i) sharing data to monitor and evaluate shared goals and outcomes, in accordance with
state and federal law; and
(ii) accountability for shared goals and outcomes; and
(d) commits to providing matching funds as described in Section 
53F-5-403
.
(3) In making grant award determinations, the state board shall prioritize funding for an
eligible partnership that:
(a) focus on early literacy and mathematics;
[
(a)
] 
(b)
 includes a low performing school as determined by the state board; or
[
(b)
] 
(c)
 addresses parent and community engagement.
(4) In awarding grants under this part, the state board:
(a) shall distribute funds to the lead applicant designated by the eligible partnership as
described in Section 
53F-5-401
; and
(b) may not award more than $500,000 per fiscal year to an eligible partnership.
Section 12. Section 
53G-10-306
 is enacted to read:
 53G-10-306.
Science of reading curriculum.
Each LEA shall adopt science of reading curriculum and intervention programs as
advised by the science of reading panel described in Section 
53E-3-1003
.
Section 13. Section 
53G-11-303
 is amended to read:
53G-11-303.
Professional learning standards.
(1) As used in this section[
, "professional
]
:
(a) "Evidence-based" means that a strategy demonstrates a statistically significant
effect, of at least a 0.40 effect size, on improving student outcomes based on:
(i) strong evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented experimental
study, as the state board further defines; or
(ii) moderate evidence from at least one well-designed and well-implemented
quasi-experimental study, as the state board further defines.
(b) "Evidence-informed" means that a strategy:
(i) is developed using high-quality research outside of a controlled setting in the given
field, as the state board further defines; and
(ii) includes strategies and activities with a strong scientific basis for use, as the state
board further defines.
(c) "Professional
 learning" means a comprehensive, sustained, and evidence-based
approach to improving teachers' and principals' effectiveness in raising student achievement.
(2) A school district or charter school shall implement high quality professional
learning that meets the following standards:
(a) professional learning occurs within learning communities committed to continuous
improvement, individual and collective responsibility, and goal alignment;
(b) professional learning requires skillful leaders who develop capacity, advocate, and
create support systems, for professional learning;
(c) professional learning requires prioritizing, monitoring, and coordinating resources
for educator learning;
(d) professional learning uses a variety of sources and types of student, educator, and
system data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional learning;
(e) professional learning integrates theories, research, and models of human learning to
achieve its intended outcomes;
(f) professional learning applies research on change and sustains support for
implementation of professional learning for long-term change;
(g) professional learning aligns its outcomes with:
(i) performance standards for teachers and school administrators as described in rules
of the state board; and
(ii) performance standards for students as described in the core standards for Utah
public schools adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 
53E-4-202
; [
and
]
(h) professional learning:
(i) incorporates the use of technology in the design, implementation, and evaluation of
high quality professional learning practices; and
(ii) includes targeted professional learning on the use of technology devices to enhance
the teaching and learning environment and the integration of technology in content delivery[
.
]
;
and
(i) professional learning uses evidence-informed core materials and evidence-based
instructional practices and intervention materials.
(3) School districts and charter schools shall use money appropriated by the Legislature
for professional learning or federal grant money awarded for professional learning to
implement professional learning that meets the standards specified in Subsection (2).
(4) The state board, ULEAD, as that term is defined in Section 
53E-10-701
, and the
Center for the School of the Future, established in Section 
53B-18-801
, shall jointly, in
collaboration with an independent university-based research center, develop and maintain a
repository of evidence-based practice and evidence-informed intervention materials to support
school districts and charter schools in meeting the standards described in Subsection (2).
[
(4)
] 
(5)
 (a) In the fall of 2014, the state board, through the state superintendent, and in
collaboration with an independent consultant acquired through a competitive bid process, shall
conduct a statewide survey of school districts and charter schools to:
(i) determine the current state of professional learning for educators as aligned with the
standards specified in Subsection (2);
(ii) determine the effectiveness of current professional learning practices; and
(iii) identify resources to implement professional learning as described in Subsection
(2).
(b) The state board shall select a consultant from bidders who have demonstrated
successful experience in conducting a statewide analysis of professional learning.
(c) (i) Annually in the fall, beginning in 2015 through 2020, the state board, through
the state superintendent, in conjunction with school districts and charter schools, shall gather
and use data to determine the impact of professional learning efforts and resources.
(ii) Data used to determine the impact of professional learning efforts and resources
under Subsection [
(4)
] 
(5)
(c)(i) shall include:
(A) student achievement data;
(B) educator evaluation data; and
(C) survey data.
Section 14. Section 
53G-11-305
 is enacted to read:
 53G-11-305.
 Professional learning in change management.
(1) The state board shall provide the individuals described in Subsection (2) with
professional learning regarding change management.
(2) Each elementary principal and a principal supervisor, member of LEA leadership,
and LEA literacy specialist shall complete the professional learning described in Subsection (1)
before July 1, 2027.
(3) The state board may make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish a process for the delivery and completion of the
professional learning described in this section.
Section 15. 
Revisor instructions.
The Legislature intends that the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, in
preparing the Utah Code database for publication, replace the reference in Section 
53E-3-1003
,
from "this bill" to the bill's designated chapter number in the Laws of Utah.