USOE - Utah State Board of Education

Board Meeting Summary

May 2, 2013 Meeting

Briefly

The Utah State Board of Education:

Approved two resolutions relating to the Utah Core Standards.
Received a letter from the Coalition of Minorities Advisory Committee (CMAC), providing four recommendations to the board to take the lead on addressing bullying issues.
Gave tentative approval to 15 rule changes and continuations.

Board approves two resolutions relating to the Utah Core Standards

The Utah State Board of Education approved two resolutions regarding the Utah Core Standards. Resolution No. 2013-02 states the board's official position on the Utah standards for mathematics and English language arts. The resolution calls on the Utah governor and members of the Utah State Legislature to collaborate with the board in supporting teachers, parents and students during the transition to the news Utah Core Standards. Resolution No. 2013-3 establishes the board's official position regarding the security and sharing of confidential student and teacher data in the state. It asks members of the Utah Legislature to pass and/or revise "such laws as are necessary to strongly secure and protect the sensitive personal data of students and teachers." Dissemination of the two resolutions will be left to the discretion of Superintendent Martell Menlove. The board determined that the list of recipients should include Gov. Herbert, members of the state legislature and major political parties in Utah.

For Additional Information

Sydnee[dot]dickson[at]schools[dot]utah[dot]gov(Sydnee Dickson), Teaching and Learning Director, at (801) 538-7739.

brenda[dot]hales[at]schools[dot]utah[dot]gov(Brenda Hales), Deputy Superintendent, at (801) 538-7515.

Board receives CMAC letter with recommendations on Bullying issue

The Utah State Board of Education reviewed a letter from the Coalition of Minorities Advisory Committee (CMAC) in which recommendations are made on how the board can take the lead in addressing bullying issues.

The recommendations include that the board request technical assistance from the Region VIII Equity Assistance Center (EAC) to present an overview of the best practices with salient outcomes that address prevention and intervention of bullying. Also, the letter invites the board and the Utah State Office of Education administration to be part of an "Equity Walk" cultural relevancy workshop hosted by CMAC.

brenda [dot]hales[at]schools[dot]utah[dot]gov(Brenda Hales), Deputy Superintendent, at (801) 538-7515.

Board Gives Tentative Approval to 15 Rule Changes and Continuations

The Utah State Board of Education gave preliminary approval to the following new rules or rule amendments. Final approval will likely come during the Board's June 7 meeting.

R277-407-3 School Fees–Classes and Activities During the Regular School Day. This rule was amended to reflect changes mandated by the most recent session of the Utah Legislature.
R277-422 State Supported Voted Local Levy, Board Local Levy and Reading Improvements Program (Amendment). This rule was amended to reflect legislation passed during the 2013 legislative session.
R277-445 Classifying Small Schools as Necessarily Existent (Amendment). This rule was amended to reflect changes mandated by the most recent session of the Utah Legislature.
R277-477 Distribution of Funds from the Interest and Dividend Account (School LAND Trust Funds) and Administration of the School LAND Trust Program (Repeal/Reenact and Continuation). This rule was repealed and reenacted to make it consistent with changes made in the 2013 General Session of the Utah Legislature.
R277-484 Data Standards (Amendment). This rule was amended to allow for a specific window of time to correct technical errors and check data quality before using the final data set for budgeting.
R277-525 Special Educator Stipends (Continuation). This rule was continued following routine five-year-review.
R277-403 Student Reading Proficiency (Amendment and Continuation). This rule was amended to make it consistent with changes by the most recent session of the Utah Legislature.
R277-406 K-3 Reading Improvement Program and the State Reading Goal (Amendment and Continuation). The rule is being amended to reflect changes made in the recent legislative session.
R277-489 Early Intervention Program (Amendment)This rule was amended to better define how funds will be distributed among LEAs.
R277-490 Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program (Amendment and Continuation). This rule was amended to reflect changes from the most recent legislative session.
R277-617 Smart School Technology Program (Amendment and Continuation).This rule is being amended to reflect changes mandated by the Utah Legislature.
R277-619 Student Leadership Skills Development (New). This is a new rule that creates a competitive fund to support a pilot program in elementary schools.
R277-713 Concurrent Enrollment of High School Students in College Courses (Amendments) This rule was amended to reflect modifications related to charging partial tuition for concurrent enrollment courses.
R277-602 Special Needs Scholarships–Funding and Procedures (Amendment and Continuation). This rule was amended to align with new statutory language in legislation passed in the recent legislative session.
R277-487 Public School Data Confidentiality and Disclosure (Amendment). The rule was amended to clarify conflicting language in statute. The rule will be sent to the Attorney General's office for an opinion on the board's attempt to reconcile conflicting statutes.

Utah's computer adaptive assessment system update.

The Utah State Board of Education received an update on Utah's computer adaptive assessment system. The majority of the update focused on Highway to Our Future, a report on the current and future technology needs of Utah schools. Associate Supt. Judy Park also updated the board on implementation activities of the Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence (SAGE) program.

judy [dot]park[at]schools[dot]utah[dot]gov(Judy Park), Associate Superintendent, at (801) 538-7550.

john [dot]jesse[at]schools[dot]utah[dot]gov(John Jesse), State Assessment Director, at (801) 538-7811.

Board Honors Margaret Bird for her service in the School LAND Trust Program

In recognition of Margaret Bird's many years of service, she was honored for her work with the Utah School LAND Trust Program. Bird is retiring as the Utah State Office of Education's director of the School Children's Trust section. She has spent the last 39 years ensuring that students of Utah benefited from the School LAND Trust program. Under her guidance and watchfulness, revenues have increased from $19 million to $143 million annually.
Bird has received numerous awards and honors, including the nickname of “bulldog” for her passionate guardianship of Utah’s school trust lands.

ESEA Waiver

The Utah State Board of Education discussed a request to alter its ESEA Waiver. The request, which came from the Utah Governor's Office, involved the board changing its decision to "adopt college-and career ready standards in at least reading/language arts and mathematics that are common to a significant number of States" (Option A on the waiver). Christine Kearl, director of education for the Governor's Office made the case for the request. The Board voted against changing the waiver.

The Board approved its consent calendar.