SB0218S01 | Reading Assessment Expansion Amendments Description General Description: This bill expands a diagnostic assessment system for reading. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0218S01Year: 2019Status: Senate/ filedLast Action: Mar 14, 2019 Sponsor SenatorJerry W. StevensonRepublican - District 21 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $1,500,000This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to State Board of Education -- Initiative Programs -- Electronic Elementary Reading Tool, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $1,500,000.View Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 1997-1 | Literacy (retired)Impact on Children: This bill will help to identify struggling readers beyond the third grade. Results of a longitudinal study of nearly 4000 students find that those who do not read proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to leave school without a diploma than proficient readers. Commission: Education Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies encourage the Governor and the State Legislature to make literacy a priority for all Utah students.
SB0115S01 | High-need School Amendments Description General Description: This bill provides for grants to local education agencies to employ additional educators in high-need schools. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0115S01Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Mar 22, 2019 Sponsor SenatorKathleen RiebeDemocrat - District 8 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $500,000This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to the State Board of Education - Related to Basic School Programs - Grants for Educators for High-need Schools as an ongoing appropriation: from the Education Fund, $500,000.View Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in TeachingImpact on Children: This bill will bring provide grant funding to LEAs to help recruit teachers to teach in high-need areas. Commission: Education Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators, including appropriation of adequate funding to upgrade salary schedules
SB0177 | Scholarships for Special Needs Students Description General Description: This bill creates the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program and related income tax credits. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0177Year: 2019Status: Senate/ filedLast Action: Mar 14, 2019 Sponsor SenatorLincoln FillmoreRepublican - District 10 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2010-2 | Education Funding (retired)Impact on Children: This is a private school voucher. Utah PTA opposes the diversion of public education monies to private schools. Commission: Education Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA oppose vouchers, tax credits and deductions and other similar funding sources for public and private preschool, elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for students.
HCR014 | Concurrent Resolution Encouraging High Expectations for Students with Disabilities Description General Description: This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor encourages high expectations for students with disabilities. Bill Details Bill Number: HCR014Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Mar 21, 2019 Sponsor RepresentativeRobert M. SpendloveRepublican - District 49 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0View Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2017-1 | High Expectations for Students with Disabilities (retired)Impact on Children: High expectations for all students help develop an understanding that students with disabilities are first and foremost general education students. Time in general education settings often leaders to fewer absences, less disruptive behavior, and better outcomes after high school, and having students with disabilities in the general education setting also leads to new learning opportunities for students without disabilities. Commission: EducationResolutions Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage all stakeholders in the educational system - teachers (both general and special education), students, parents, administrators, and members of the community - to have and maintain high expectations for all students including students with disabilities, including high expectations by the students themselves;
SB0149S01 | Teacher and Student Success Act Description General Description: This bill creates the Teacher and Student Success Program. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0149S01Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Apr 02, 2019 Sponsor SenatorAnn MillnerRepublican - District 18 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending With the failure of the Gas Tax Question on the November 2018 Ballot, Utah PTA is concerned that the revenue designated for the Teacher and Student Success Account will impact the funding available for the Weighted Pupil Unit. Utah PTAs legislative priority states, "Utah PTA supports public education allocations which fully fund student enrollment growth and increase the WPU by at least 5.5%." Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2010-2 | Education Funding (retired)EDU 2011-2 | PTA Support for School Community CouncilsImpact on Children: This bill will provide for greater local control by sending revenue directly to the schools to implement the Teacher and Student Success Plan. The principal will work with the community councils, educators, and parents in the school to create and implement the plan. The LAND Trust plan will be one of the components of the Teacher and Student Success Plan. Commission: EducationTrust Lands Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority; and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, textbooks and supplies; Resolved, that Utah PTA work with the Utah State Board of Education to develop high level training for local SCCs and school boards; this training may include, but is not limited to, assuring that the trust funds be spent on the greatest academic need, data evaluation, establishing measurable goals, the meaning of participation in the development of School Improvement Plans, School LAND Trust Plans, safe walking routes, Professional Development plans, Reading plans and other required plans; the roles of chairman and principal; how to conduct a meeting; Open Meetings Act compliance, and the use of subcommittees;"
SB0236 | State Board of Education Candidacy Amendments Description General Description: This bill amends provisions of the Election Code relating to becoming a candidate for the office of State Board of Education member. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0236Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Apr 02, 2019 Sponsor SenatorAnn MillnerRepublican - District 18 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2004-1 | State Board of Education (retired)EDU 2015-3 | State Board of EducationImpact on Children: Utah PTA believes the State Board of Education is designed to be a body representative of a geographic area and thus responsive, foremost, to voters and are concerned that partisan election of school board members may put the focus on political parties an not upon qualified candidates. Commission: EducationCommunity Engagement Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA support legislation which enacts direct, nonpartisan election of State School Board members and opposes partisan election of the same body.
SB0217 | Gang Prevention Funding Amendments Description General Description: This bill modifies provisions regarding the Enhancement for At-Risk Students Program. Bill Details Bill Number: SB0217Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Mar 22, 2019 Sponsor SenatorKaren MayneDemocrat - District 5 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: COM 2019-1 | GangsSAF 2019-1 | GangsImpact on Children: Gang involvement negatively affects a child's social, academic and physical well-being; Children benefit when early inventions in home and school life are employed to stop gang affiliation. Commission: Community EngagementEducation Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved,That local, council, region, and state PTA become actively involved in the education, prevention and intervention of gang related activity
HB0393S04 | Suicide Prevention Amendments Description General Description: This bill relates to suicide prevention and mental health treatment. Bill Details Bill Number: HB0393S04Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Mar 28, 2019 Sponsor RepresentativeSteve EliasonRepublican - District 45 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $1,615,000This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2020: to General Fund Restricted -- Survivors of Suicide Loss Account, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $40,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund -- Survivors of Suicide Loss Account, $40,000. to General Fund Restricted -- Psychiatric Consultation Program Account, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $275,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund -- Psychiatric Consultation Program Account, $275,000. to Department of Human Services -- Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, as an ongoing appropriation: from General Fund, $285,000. to Governor's Office -- Suicide Prevention -- Suicide Prevention, as a one-time appropriation: from General Fund, One-time, $700,000.View Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: HEA 2019-2 | Youth Suicide PreventionImpact on Children: More help and funding for suicide prevention Commission: HealthEducation Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That the Utah Legislature be encouraged to provide adequate funding to provide suicide prevention programs in every district and school in the State of Utah.
HB0374 | Modifications to Education Funding Description General Description: This bill amends provisions regarding public education funding. Bill Details Bill Number: HB0374Year: 2019Status: House/ filedLast Action: Mar 14, 2019 Sponsor RepresentativeNorman K. ThurstonRepublican - District 64 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2010-2 | Education Funding (retired)Impact on Children: A change in tax structure during the 2018 Legislative Session tied a property tax increase to the Weighted Pupil Unit. This Bill creates a limit of 3% on the property tax increase even if the WPU is increased at a greater percentage. The property tax increase was a way of providing new revenue for education and this bill would limit the new money available for schools. Commission: Education Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority; and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, textbooks and supplies; National PTA Public Policy Agenda ADEQUATELY FUND EDUCATION PROGRAMS THROUGH A REGULAR APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS
HB0463 | Early Literacy Amendments Description General Description: This bill amends provisions related to early interactive reading software for literacy instruction. Bill Details Bill Number: HB0463Year: 2019Status: Governor SignedLast Action: Mar 22, 2019 Sponsor RepresentativeVal L. PetersonRepublican - District 59 Fiscal Note Fiscal Note Amount: $0NoneView Fiscal Note Utah PTA Response Utah PTA Position Pending Utah PTA Resolution: EDU 2010-3 | Providing Appropriate Educational Opportunities for Gifted/Accelerated Learners Statewide (retired)Impact on Children: This bill will allow students who are reading beyond grade level in the 2nd and 3rd grades to use early interactive reading software to continue to advance. Commission: Education Utah PTA Public Policy Program National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage the State Board of Education and the state legislature to support funding that assists the schools in developing programs which promote the appropriate educational, social, and emotional development of gifted/accelerated learners and that such legislative support recognize that funds must be adequate to provide program development and program implementation.
