Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 35 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Johnson, John D.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/27/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• requires the state board to establish funding priorities;
• creates an annual assessment process for school needs;
• provides for a report to the Education Interim Committee; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

6
53F-4-518
1
Statewide Online Education Program Modifications
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: John D. Johnson
House Sponsor: Tiara Auxier
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends the small school portion of the Statewide Online Education Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
requires the state board to establish funding priorities;
creates an annual assessment process for school needs;
provides for a report to the Education Interim Committee; and
makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
This bill contains a special effective date.
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53F-4-518
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapter 24
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
53F-4-518
 is amended to read:
53F-4-518
. Small school student access to courses.
Subject to legislative appropriations and Subsection 
53F-4-514
(2), and notwithstanding 
Subsections 
53F-4-509
(2) and (3), the state board shall:
(1)
use funds from an appropriation for the Statewide Online Education Program to pay for 
an online course fee described in Section 
53F-4-505
 for a student who is enrolled in a 
public high school that enrolls fewer than 1,000 students;
 and
(2)
after the funds described in Subsection (1) have been expended, make a deduction as 
described in Subsection 
53F-4-507
(3)
.
;
(3)
establish a prioritized funding distribution system that evaluates and ranks schools 
based on:
(a)
the school's demonstrated inability to provide courses, including Advanced 
Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Concurrent Enrollment due to:
(i)
 insufficient student enrollment to justify full course sections;
(ii)
geographic isolation from qualified instructors;
(iii)
limited staff capacity to teach courses; or
(iv)
financial constraints in hiring qualified instructors; and
(b)
the school's current access to college and career readiness programming;
(4)
develop an annual assessment process to:
(a)
identify schools with the highest demonstrated need based on the criteria in 
Subsection (3); and
(b)
adjust funding priorities based on program outcomes;
(5)
establish reporting requirements for recipient schools to:
(a)
document the use of allocated funds;
(b)
track student participation in online courses;
(c)
measure student achievement in funded courses; and
(d)
demonstrate ongoing need for continued funding; and
(6)
at the request of the Education Interim Committee, submit a report that includes:
(a)
a list of schools receiving prioritized funding;
(b)
the basis for funding prioritization;
(c)
student participation and achievement data; and
(d)
recommendations for program improvement.
Section 2. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
July 1, 2025
.
3-6-25 2:14 PM