Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

LEGISLATIVE GENERAL COUNSEL                                            S.B. 121
Approved for Filing: J.V. Hulten 6                          1st Sub. (Green)
          6 02-12-24 5:02 PM 6
                         Senator Lincoln Fillmore proposes the following substitute bill:
           LONG-TERM EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM
                                       2024 GENERAL SESSION
                                           STATE OF UTAH
                                 Chief Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore
                               House Sponsor: James A. Dunnigan
 6
 LONG TITLE
 General Description:
        This bill establishes the Long-term Educational Achievement Program.
 Highlighted Provisions:
        This bill:
        < defines terms;
        < establishes the Long-term Education Achievement Program pilot program for local
 education agencies (LEAs), nonprofit organizations, local municipalities, and
 communities to partner on improving student outcomes;
        < creates a process for an LEA and a nonprofit organization to propose partnering
 with a municipality to foster a community-oriented plan for student graduation and
 achievement;
        < requires a proposal to identify a high school feeder system for the program;
        < establishes requirements to receive funding under the program;                    1st Sub. S.B. 121
        < allows regulatory waivers to support implementation;
        < establishes requirements for a participating LEA, nonprofit organizations, and
 municipalities; and
        < requires reporting on progress and outcomes.
 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
     *SB0121S01*
       1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121                                               02-12-24 5:02 PM
        This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2025:
        < to State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School
 Programs - Long-term Educational Achievement Program as a one-time
 appropriation:
            C     from the Public Education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account,
 One-time, $30,000,000
 Other Special Clauses:
        This bill provides a special effective date.
 Utah Code Sections Affected:
 AMENDS:
        63I-1-253 (Eff 07/01/24) (Cont Sup 01/01/25), as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023,
 Chapters 30, 52, 133, 161, 310, 367, and 494
        63I-1-253 (Contingently Effective 01/01/25), as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023,
 Chapters 30, 52, 133, 161, 187, 310, 367, and 494
 ENACTS:
        53F-5-222, Utah Code Annotated 1953
42
 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
        Section 1. Section 53F-5-222 is enacted to read:
        53F-5-222. Long-term Educational Achievement Program.
        (1) As used in this section:
        (a) "Backbone organization" means a nonprofit entity that provides strategic
 coordination and support for cross-sector partnerships.
        (b) "High school feeder system" means a junior high and at least one elementary school
 that provides students to the same high school within the LEA.
        (c) "Local communities" means the local municipal leaders, businesses, and other
 organizations within a geographic area proximate to a school.
        (d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school district or charter school that
 offers educational services to grades K-12.
        (e) "Student achievement" means a student's academic performance measured by
 standardized tests and proficiency indicators.
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       02-12-24 5:02 PM                                                 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121
        (2) There is created a six-year pilot program known as the Long-term Educational
 Achievement Program to foster collaboration between an LEA, a backbone organization, a
 local municipality, and local communities in ensuring:
        (a) schools can focus on teaching reading, math, science, and history; and
        (b) all students have improved academic outcomes.
        (3) (a) An LEA and backbone organization shall partner with the local municipality to
 create a proposal for the Long-term Educational Achievement Program.
        (b) The participating LEA or backbone organization shall submit the proposal to the
 state board.
        (4) The proposal shall include:
        (a) a plan for implementation in at least one identified high school feeder system within
 the participating LEA that has a high school with a graduation rate of 85% or lower and one of
 the following:
        (i) each junior high and elementary school is a Title I school; or
        (ii) at least 50% of students at each junior high and elementary school qualify for free
 or reduced lunch;
        (b) a demonstration of at least five years of partnered work on educational and
 community outcomes between:
        (i) the LEA;
        (ii) a backbone organization;
        (iii) local municipal leaders;
        (iv) local non-profit organizations;
        (v) other local community organizations; and
        (vi) the local business community;
        (c) a strategic plan for the duration of the pilot program between the participating LEA,
 a backbone organization, and local municipal leaders to:
        (i) by the end of the pilot program, achieve a 95% four-year cohort high school
 graduation rate within the identified high school feeder system;
        (ii) by the end of the pilot program, achieve 70% reading and math proficiency in
 kindergarten through grade 8 throughout the identified high school feeder system;
        (iii) outline:
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        1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121                                                02-12-24 5:02 PM
        (A) a plan for the partners to share aggregate data on academic results in a public
 dashboard and facilitate progress among students within the high school feeder system;
        (B) a plan for engaging families to support students in the home;
        (C) a plan for community engagement;
        (D) a plan and process for collaborative leadership within the partnership including
 identified roles of parents and each partner;
        (E) expanded and enriched learning opportunities to provide each student with
 individualized support and access to local opportunities;
        (F) a plan to develop a system to use in-community resources that align with
 school-based supports;
        (G) the provision of rigorous and personalized classroom instruction to each student;
 and
        (H) strategic plan performance measures using data sharing systems and agreements
 between partners that adhere to federal and state privacy laws; and
        (iv) identify and use community resources to support parents and remove barriers to
 learning for students, including:
        (A) health and mental health services;
        (B) nutrition services;
        (C) early childhood education programs;
        (D) out-of-school time programs;
        (E) mentoring and other youth development programs;
        (F) parent education and development activities;
        (G) housing resources; and
        (H) crime prevention and rehabilitation services;
        (d) a budget identifying:
        (i) the total amount of funds requested;
        (ii) the percentage of the total funds to be allocated to the:
        (A) LEA;
        (B) backbone organization; and
        (C) local municipality or community organizations;
        (iii) any funding contributions provided by an entity described in Subsection
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        02-12-24 5:02 PM                                                    1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121
 (4)(d)(ii)(A) through (C); and
          (iv) the general use proposed for the funds including administrative costs;
          (e) any regulatory waivers needed for implementation including:
          (i) local governing board policy;
          (ii) state board rule; or
          (iii) local ordinances; and
          (f) evidence that the following agree to the proposal:
          (i) a majority of the local governing board members of the participating LEA;
          (ii) at each school within the high school feeder system:
          (A) all administrators;
          (B) a majority of teachers; and
          (C) a majority of the school community council members;
          (iii) the superintendent of the participating LEA;
          (iv) the mayor or manager and at least one city council member of the local
 municipality; and
          (v) other community members committed to the goals of the proposal.
          (5) The partnering LEA, backbone organization, and local municipality shall develop a
 public dashboard using aggregated data showing the academic progress of students in
 kindergarten through grade 8 in literacy and math.
          (6) The state board shall:
          (a) review a proposal for compliance with this section;
          (b) subject to legislative appropriations, provide funds up to the amount requested in a
 proposal to the LEA;
          (c) grant any waiver to a state board rule identified in the proposal, unless the waiver
 would:
          (i) cause the LEA or a school within the high school feeder system to be in violation of
 state or federal law;
          (ii) threaten the health, safety, or welfare of students in the participating LEA; or
          (iii) waive a rule related to:
          (A) employee criminal background checks; or
          (B) accounting principles; and
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        1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121                                                  02-12-24 5:02 PM
        (d) carry out Subsections (5)(a) though (c) on a first come first served basis until the
 state board distributes all appropriated funds.
        (7) The participating LEA shall:
        (a) distribute the allocated funds as outlined in the proposal;
        (b) coordinate with the backbone organization to facilitate community resources that
 are available to support students and families;
        (c) provide one dedicated full-time staff at the superintendency level to oversee the
 implementation of the proposal;
        (d) provide regular information, professional development, training, and mentoring for
 school administrators and teachers at each school in the high school feeder system;
        (e) maintain detailed accounting records of the funds and make the accounting records
 available for review at the request of:
        (i) the board of the backbone organization;
        (ii) the participating LEA's governing board;
        (iii) the legislative body of the municipality;
        (iv) the state board;
        (v) the state auditor; and
        (vi) the legislative auditor general;
        (f) coordinate with the backbone organization to provide an annual progress report to
 the LEA's governing board; and
        (g) commit to data sharing systems and agreements that enable shared accountability
 and shared work toward outcomes.
        (8) The backbone organization shall:
        (a) serve as the community liaison between the participating LEA, local municipal
 leaders, and local community resources;
        (b) identify:
        (i) non-academic impediments that prevent students from accessing and engaging in
 the learning process; and
        (ii) opportunities or resources for students within the local community that can
 improve student achievement;
        (c) align and coordinate community resources to remove non-academic impediments to
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       02-12-24 5:02 PM                                                 1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121
 students;
        (d) facilitate the coordination of the delivery of community resources, programs, and
 activities through the use of the school as a community-level hub; and
        (e) coordinate needs from local municipal leaders.
        (9) The participating local municipality shall:
        (a) provide supportive programming that helps meet the proposal goals;
        (b) align programing with participating schools;
        (c) work with the backbone organization to engage community partners to contribute to
 the goal; and
        (d) commit to data sharing systems and agreements that enable shared accountability
 and shared progress toward outcomes.
        (10) The participating LEA, backbone organization, and local municipalities may not
 use funds to supplant existing funds.
        (11) The participating LEA may accept private grants, loans, gifts, endowments,
 devises, or bequests that are made to support the proposal.
        (12) Upon request of the Education Interim Committee, the participating LEA in
 collaboration with the backbone organization and local municipal leaders shall report to the
 Education Interim Committee on the pilot program's progress and outcomes.
        Section 2. Section 63I-1-253 (Eff 07/01/24) (Cont Sup 01/01/25) is amended to read:
        63I-1-253 (Eff 07/01/24) (Cont Sup 01/01/25). Repeal dates: Titles 53 through
 53G.
        (1) Section 53-2a-105, which creates the Emergency Management Administration
 Council, is repealed July 1, 2027.
        (2) Sections 53-2a-1103 and 53-2a-1104, which create the Search and Rescue Advisory
 Board, are repealed July 1, 2027.
        (3) Section 53-2d-703 is repealed July 1, 2027.
        (4) Section 53-5-703, which creates the Concealed Firearm Review Board, is repealed
 July 1, 2024.
        (5) Section 53B-6-105.5, which creates the Technology Initiative Advisory Board, is
 repealed July 1, 2024.
        (6) Section 53B-7-709, regarding five-year performance goals for the Utah System of
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       1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121                                                  02-12-24 5:02 PM
 Higher Education is repealed July 1, 2027.
        (7) Title 53B, Chapter 8a, Part 3, Education Savings Incentive Program, is repealed
 July 1, 2028.
        (8) Title 53B, Chapter 17, Part 11, USTAR Researchers, is repealed July 1, 2028.
        (9) Section 53B-17-1203, which creates the SafeUT and School Safety Commission, is
 repealed January 1, 2025.
        (10) Title 53B, Chapter 18, Part 16, USTAR Researchers, is repealed July 1, 2028.
        (11) Title 53B, Chapter 18, Part 18, Electrification of Transportation Infrastructure
 Research Center, is repealed on July 1, 2028.
        (12) Subsection 53C-3-203(4)(b)(vii), which provides for the distribution of money
 from the Land Exchange Distribution Account to the Geological Survey for test wells and other
 hydrologic studies in the West Desert, is repealed July 1, 2030.
        (13) Subsections 53E-3-503(5) and (6), which create coordinating councils for youth in
 custody, are repealed July 1, 2027.
        (14) In relation to a standards review committee, on January 1, 2028:
        (a) in Subsection 53E-4-202(8), the language "by a standards review committee and the
 recommendations of a standards review committee established under Section 53E-4-203" is
 repealed; and
        (b) Section 53E-4-203 is repealed.
        (15) Section 53E-4-402, which creates the State Instructional Materials Commission, is
 repealed July 1, 2027.
        (16) Title 53E, Chapter 6, Part 5, Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission, is
 repealed July 1, 2033.
        (17) Section 53F-2-420, which creates the Intensive Services Special Education Pilot
 Program, is repealed July 1, 2024.
        (18) Section 53F-5-213 is repealed July 1, 2023.
        (19) Section 53F-5-214, in relation to a grant for professional learning, is repealed July
 1, 2025.
        (20) Section 53F-5-215, in relation to an elementary teacher preparation grant, is
 repealed July 1, 2025.
        (21) Section 53F-5-219, which creates the Local Innovations Civics Education Pilot
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       02-12-24 5:02 PM                                                  1st Sub. (Green) S.B. 121
 Program, is repealed on July 1, 2025.
         (22) Section 53F-5-222 is repealed July 1, 2030.
         [(22)] (23) Subsection 53F-9-203(7), which creates the Charter School Revolving
 Account Committee, is repealed July 1, 2024.
         [(23)] (24) Subsections 53G-4-608(2)(b) and (4)(b), related to the Utah Seismic Safety
 Commission, are repealed January 1, 2025.
         [(24)] (25) Section 53G-9-212, Drinking water quality in schools, is repealed July 1,
 2027.
         [(25)] (26) Title 53G, Chapter 10, Part 6, Education Innovation Program, is repealed
 July 1, 2027.
         Section 3. Section 63I-1-253 (Contingently Effective 01/01/25) is amended to read:
         63I-1-253 (Contingently Effective 01/01/25). Repeal dates: Titles 53 through 53G.
         (1) Section 53-2a-105, which creates the Emergency Management Administration
 Council, is repealed July 1, 2027.
         (2) Sections 53-2a-1103 and 53-2a-1104, which create the Search and Rescue Advisory
 Board, are repealed July 1, 2027.
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