1. Commissions

Education

HB0363 | Summer Education Grants

Description
General Description: 

This bill establishes a grant program for summer school days and other educational summer programs.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill:
13          ▸     establishes a grant program for summer school days and other educational summer
14     programs; and
15          ▸     requires the State Board of Education to:
16               •     award grants to qualifying local education agencies to meet measurable goals;
17     and
18               •     make rules regarding the administration and measurement of the grant program.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0363
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Steve Eliason
Republican - District 43
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$10,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2023: to the State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Programs, as an ongoing appropriation: from the Uniform School Fund, $5,000,000; and to the State Board of Education - Minimum School Program - Related to Basic School Programs, as a one-time appropriation: from the Uniform School Fund, One-time, $5,000,000.
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Impact on Children: 

Utah PTA welcomes the opportunities for students to catch up during the summer and increase their proficiency, especially if tied to measurable goals as outlined in HB363

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations urge Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to
fund programs based on evidence-based practices, such as extended learning
opportunities, including, but not limited to, afterschool and summer programs, online
learning, career-based experiences, internships, job shadowing, community-based
projects, and off-site postsecondary learning

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements: 

POST CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ADDITIONAL FUNDING 2023 Position Statement

HB0308S01 | School Grading Modifications

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends provisions related to school overall ratings under the school accountability system.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill removes the school grading (A to F) but keeps the qualification associated with the school grading (exemplary, commendable, typical, developing & critical needs)

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0308S01
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 14, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Douglas R. Welton
Republican - District 65
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2014-1 | Public School Accountability
Impact on Children: 

To the extent that the school grading affects the school enrollment, school staffing, and school resources.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA advocates against the implementation of any accountability system that reduces the evaluation of a school to a single grade or score, that ranks schools beyond statistical confidence, and that grades on a bell curve

HB0295 | Educator License Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses the licensing of educators by the State Board of Education.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill is designed to give a certified educator license to individual who has successfully completed a certified educator training program, allowing that individual to provide educational services in a public school after demonstrating that the individual meets licensure requirements established in state board rule.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0295
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Norman K Thurston
Republican - District 62
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose

Explanation: There are 33K teachers in the state. 30K hold a professional license; about 1,500 hold an associate license; Less than 1,500 hold a LEA specific license; and less than 500 hold no license at all.
The LEA license path would allow what Rep. Thurston highlights already
The performance of students is lower with lesser licensed teachers, leading to a student achievement problem.

Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching
Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA support high standards for teacher preparation, licensing, hiring, recertification, professional development

HB0083 | Tax Credit for Educator Expenses

Description
General Description: 

This bill enacts a nonrefundable income tax credit for certain educator expenses.

Highlighted Provisions: 

enacts a nonrefundable individual income tax credit that an eligible educator may claim for certain out-of-pocket classroom expenses. Up to $500/educator (for about 60K educators) - 28 Million Fiscal Note

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0083
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Kera Birkeland
Republican - District 4
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support w/ Comment

Teachers using personal funds to pay for office supplies and others is common knowledge. These expenses should be covered by the public education budget, rather than by teachers.
We support this bill, but express concerns over the lack of fiscal guardrails

Commission: 
Education

SB0055S01 | Public School Instructional Material Requirements

Description
General Description: 

This bill addresses requirements related to the approval of materials for classroom use and certain policies.

Highlighted Provisions: 

15 ▸ requires a process for a local school board or charter school governing board to
16 follow if the board chooses to adopt or approve instructional materials for
17 classroom use across the school district or charter school;
18 ▸ requires local school boards and charter school governing boards to adopt policies
19 to provide guidance to educators on the use of certain learning materials that have
20 not been adopted or approved under the open process;
21 ▸ requires that contracts for online or digital learning materials include a requirement
22 for notice if the provider changes the content of the materials

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
SB0055S01
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2023
Sponsor
Senator
Lincoln Fillmore
Republican - District 17
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2011-1 | Excellence in Teaching
Impact on Children: 

Having transparency (via an open process) in instructional materials across the LEA with the parents is desirable. So is having a policy giving flexible guidance to educators on the selection of supplemental materials.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA advocate for policies that strengthen respect and support for public education and the teaching profession;
 

HB0175S03 | School Fees Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill amends and enacts provisions related to elementary and secondary school fees.

Highlighted Provisions: 

1          This bill:
12          ▸     amends definitions;
13          ▸     prescribes the fees a local education agency (LEA) may charge a secondary school
14     student for a curricular or a co-curricular activity for a certain duration;
15          ▸     authorizes an LEA to charge a secondary school student a fee for an extracurricular
16     activity for a certain duration;
17          ▸     prohibits an LEA from charging a general fee;
18          ▸     amends provisions related to fees for textbooks;
19          ▸     prohibits charging a student in grade 6 a fee for a remediation program; and
20          ▸     makes technical and conforming changes.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0175S03
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Mark A. Strong
Republican - District 47
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$35,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2024: to State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic School Programs, as a one-time appropriation: from Uniform School Fund, One-time, $35,000,000.
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

This bill allocates $35 million to LEAs to finance the missing fees, however that funding is insufficient and if the funding is not appropriated will lead to an unfunded mandate.

Impact on Children: 

The Utah constitution stipulates that “public elementary and secondary schools shall be free”. Eliminating school fees for families would relieve a significant burden for many families, however, if funding is inadequate or not provided, than students do not have a quality learning experience and LEAs must make up the difference taking funding from other important areas. 

According to the census bureau annual public school Spending Per Pupil review, Utah consistently ranks in the bottom three in expenditures per student.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations 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 and its constituent associations encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, programs, supplies, and evidenced-based practices that have an impact on student achievement;

Utah PTA Legislative Policy: 

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation:

4. Prioritizing the needs of all children and youth, while adhering to fiscal responsibility in government.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

1. EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system by: supporting a 6.5% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers; supporting increased access to full-day kindergarten by funding K-12 students at a full WPU; and supporting policies to increase proficiency levels in public schools, improving attendance, and increase academic excellence for all Utah students.

SB0083 | Public Education Funding Equalization

Description
General Description: 

This bill requires the inclusion of an appropriation to the Local Levy Growth Account in public education budget legislation under certain circumstances.

Highlighted Provisions: 

This bill requires the inclusion of an appropriation to the Local Levy Growth Account in public education budget legislation if the legislature appropriates more than the inflation increase for the WPU.

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
SB0083
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 17, 2023
Sponsor
Senator
Lincoln Fillmore
Republican - District 17
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Support
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

The ability for all districts to have adequate and equitable funding regardless of location in Utah and the type of districts (rural and urban) benefits Utah students.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations continue to urge the legislature to make public education revenue allocations and funding effort a high priority

HB0240 | Income Tax Amendments

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies income tax provisions.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Reduces income tax rates from from 4.85% to 4.65%

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0240
Year: 
2023
Status: 
House/ filed
Last Action: 
Mar 03, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Nelson T. Abbott
Republican - District 57
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose
Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

This bill has an exorbitant costs to Utah students: 1 time: 86.3 Million; Ongoing 380 Million = Total 466 Mill. Being 50th in the nation, Utah children deserve significant increases in public eduction funding, not reduction.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose funding mechanisms such as vouchers, tax credits, deduction

HB0215S03 | Funding for Teacher Salaries and Optional Education Opportunities

Description
General Description: 

This bill establishes the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program and provides funding for the program and a doubling of an educator salary adjustment.

Highlighted Provisions: 

15          ▸     establishes the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program (program);
16          ▸     requires a program manager and the State Board of Education (state board) to
17     submit reports on the program to the Public Education Interim Committee;
18          ▸     includes the program in a list of programs for which the Legislature applies an
19     inflationary factor in determining the cost of ongoing appropriations annually;
20          ▸     amends the Teacher Salary Supplement Program to provide increased salary
21     supplements for teachers within local education agencies that offer services to
22     eligible students under the program;

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0215S03
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Jan 28, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Candice B. Pierucci
Republican - District 49
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$85,000,000
This bill appropriates in fiscal year 2024: to State Board of Education -- Contracted Initiatives and Grants -- Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, as an appropriation: from Income Tax Fund, ongoing $42,500,000; and from Income Tax Fund, one-time ($41,500,000), leaving $1,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2024.
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Oppose w/ Comment

Although Utah PTA supports the teacher salary increase and we appreciate that efforts were made to improve accountability within the bill, we cannot support this bill. The first priority of the legislature should be to establish and maintain the public education system and to provide for our students within the system. Unfortunately this bill appears to benefit students who leave the system and leaves our most at-risk students behind. We strongly disapprove of how this bill has been rushed through with little stakeholder input and would request that the process be slowed down and guardrails be implemented to truly provide quality educational opportunities for all students.

Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

Passage of this bill has the potential of dramatically reducing the amount of money available to support students within the public education system in Utah.

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose funding mechanisms such as vouchers, tax credits, deductions;and, be it further

Resolved, That UtahPTA and its constituent associations will always oppose funding methods that divert funds away from public education system if the accountability methods are not equal to or greater than those of public education system; and, be it further

Resolved,That Utah PTA and its constituent associations and its constituent associations oppose the dilution of the constitutional mandate to fully fund public education and oppose income tax cuts and credits that directly reduce the amount allocated to public education funding

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

1. EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system by: supporting a 6.5% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers; supporting increased access to full-day kindergarten by funding K-12 students at a full WPU; and supporting policies to increase proficiency levels in public schools, improving attendance, and increase academic excellence for all Utah students.

HB0054S04 | Tax Revisions

Description
General Description: 

This bill modifies state tax provisions.

Highlighted Provisions: 

Reduce the income tax rate of individuals and corporations from 4.85% to 4.80%

Bill Details
Bill Number: 
HB0054S04
Year: 
2023
Status: 
Governor Signed
Last Action: 
Mar 22, 2023
Sponsor
Representative
Steve Eliason
Republican - District 43
Fiscal Note
Fiscal Note Amount: 
$0
None
View Fiscal Note
Utah PTA Response
Utah PTA Position
Pending

Reducing the income tax rates to individuals and corporations is both myopic and unconscionable when the State of Utah considers its obligation to its children, vulnerable segments of the population and other programs in need of funds that will provide for a good future for Utahns. A tax cut is akin to indulging in discretionary expenses to the detriment of investing in Utah's future.

Utah PTA Resolution: 
EDU 2023-1 | Education Funding
Impact on Children: 

This bill will reduce the amount of funding flow to Public Education and reduce the ability to provide high quality public education which benefits all citizens of Utah. 

Commission: 
Education
Utah PTA Public Policy Program
National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions: 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations 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 and its constituent associations encourage the legislature to adequately fund critical educational needs, including but not limited to, class size reduction, teacher salaries, technology, programs, supplies, and evidenced-based practices that have an impact on student achievement; and, be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations support the maintenance of a stable and adequate funding mechanism to support public education based on the following principles: enrollment growth; inflation; support of a K-12 education Economic Stabilization Restricted Account; funding the USBE Strategic Plan; and, be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations oppose funding mechanisms such as vouchers, tax credits, deductions; and, be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations will always oppose funding methods that divert funds away from public education system if the accountability methods are not equal to or greater than those of public education system; and, be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations and its constituent associations oppose the dilution of the constitutional mandate to fully fund public education and oppose income tax cuts and credits that directly reduce the amount allocated to public education funding.

Utah PTA Legislative Priorities: 

EDUCATION FUNDING. Support an adequately funded public school system by: supporting a 6.5% WPU increase over and above growth and inflation to be used for purposes such as recruiting, supporting, and retaining teachers