Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Enrolled Copy                                                                            S.B. 127
                       EARLY LITERACY OUTCOMES IMPROVEMENT
                                        2022 GENERAL SESSION
                                            STATE OF UTAH
                                    Chief Sponsor: Ann Millner
                                  House Sponsor: Bradley G. Last
 6
 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:
              C   providing statewide and regional support in literacy coaching and professional
 learning in early literacy;
              C   establishing a panel with expertise in the science of reading and the science of
 reading instruction;
              C   partnering with a private business or nonprofit organization to annually provide
 personal, home-use books to certain students;
              C   leveraging community engagement in literacy; and
              C   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;
       S.B. 127                                                                           Enrolled Copy
        < 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
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        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
72
 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
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        S.B. 127                                                                       Enrolled Copy
 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;
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        Enrolled Copy                                                                             S.B. 127
        (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.
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        S.B. 127                                                                        Enrolled Copy
         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;
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        Enrolled Copy                                                                              S.B. 127
        (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).
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        S.B. 127                                                                        Enrolled Copy
        (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:
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        Enrolled Copy                                                                          S.B. 127
        (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