Climbing the Hill: Recent Episodes

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In this episode, we cover the last week of the Utah Legislative session. We discuss the following with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools:

• Budget
  • Funding still looks like increase of 6% WPU.
  • LRF increase 7%.
• HB 475 Economic Stabilization Account Allocations: This bill will allocate the $250M one-time funds in the following manner:
• $50M buildings fund for small districts in rural Utah
• $30M building for Utah School for the Deaf and Blind
• $90M to all LEAs
  • Distributed 20% base funding (about $25K for charter schools) and 80% funding on student enrollment
  • Money is unrestricted but will require reporting on how it was spent.
• HB 193 All-Day Kindergarten: This bill has changed significantly and will now include an expansion of the Optional Extended Day Kindergarten (OEK) program. The intention will be to still require all LEAs to offer all-day kindergarten, but in 4 years or so through another bill.
• HB 396 Paid Professional Development
  • • $64M (more $$ than last week!) one-time funding for LEAs (based on teaching force) to allow for professional development outside required school days.
• Charter schools can still use up to 35% state restricted funds for the next two fiscal years. All student needs still need to be met, but schools will be able to have flexibility to do so.
• SB 141/HB 386: Regulatory Sandbox/Innovation in schools will likely pass and allow for waiver of rules/statute to help designated innovative schools. Also allows up to 35% state restricted funds to go toward innovation.
• HB 374, Sensitive materials in schools has been amended to prevent schools from using pornographic material, according to statute definition of pornography. Will require schools to have a policy about this.

Contact Royce at royce@utahcharters.org with any comments/concerns about bills.
See www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates for Watchlist of bills (under Advocacy tab).

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In this episode, we cover the most current events in the Utah Legislative session. We discuss the following with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools:

• HB 193 All-Day Kindergarten: This bill has changed significantly TODAY due to recognition that funding needs to be secured. The new bill will include an expansion of the Optional Extended Day Kindergarten (OEK) program. The intention will be to still require all LEAs to offer all-day kindergarten, but in 4 years or so through another bill.
• HB 475 Economic Stabilization Account Allocations: This bill will allocate the $250M one-time funds in the following manner:
• $50M buildings fund for small districts in rural Utah
• $30M building for Utah School for the Deaf and Blind
• $128M to all LEAs
  • Distributed 20% base funding (about $25K for charter schools) and 80% funding on student enrollment
  • Money is unrestricted but will require reporting on how it was spent.
• HB 396 Paid Professional Development
  • $25M one-time funding for LEAs (based on teaching force) to allow for professional development outside required school days.
• Budget
  • Funding still looks like increase of 5% WPU, very likely could be as high as 7%.
  • LRF increase 7%.
• Discussion about message bills, bill proposal, and what representation means. (We go deep!)

Contact Royce at royce@utahcharters.org with any comments/concerns about bills.
See www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates for Watchlist of bills (under Advocacy tab).

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This week in the Utah Legislative Session. Discussion with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools (UAPCS) includes the following:

• Revised revenue estimates:
  • WPU may be up 7%
  • Additional funding to be allocated for teachers supplies and materials
  • Additional funding to be allocated for additional teacher professional development days
  • $150M in one time funding from Economic Stabilization fund for all public education through a base + formula funding
• SB 127 Literacy Bil
  • She is very supportive of improving literacy outcomes and working with schools to improve their efforts through the LTRS program
  • Funding will be provided, especially to help lowest performing schools
• HB 193 All-day Kindergarten
  • Substitution adopted to allow an extra year of preparation
  • Will take affect 2025-2026 school year to give time to address staffing and building challenges
  • Every LEA to offer all-day kindergarten, but still can provide 1/2 day options to fit local demand.
• HB 331 Hope Scholarship
  • UAPCS neutral, don't anticipate this bill to pass

Contact Royce at royce@utahcharters.org with any comments/concerns about bills.
See www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates for Watchlist of bills (under Advocacy tab).

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This week in the Utah Legislative Session. Discussion with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools (UAPCS) includes the following:

• HB 193 All Day Kindergarten: requirement will be to offer all-day kindergarten option by 2024
  • Charters schools looking to implement before 2 year should contact SCSB (or authorizer) for OEK funding options
  • One time funding may be available for building adjustments
  • Charter schools may still offer half day options
• HB 211-School Fees
  • Curricular fees and exceptions/funding discussed
• HB 265 Charter School Renewals-most likely will not pass
• SB 191 Innovation School Initiative
  • New bill to help schools try innovative programs
• Funding
  • Appropriations prioritized $4M to cover 1 year lag of the LRF ~$50/student
  • Charter school base funding approved one-time, need to work on details to be ongoing
  • WPU increase 5%
  • LRF increase 7%
• SB 114 Sub. 2 Curriculum Transparency
  • Need to have 2 public meetings when curriculum is approved by board
  • Need to have policy on how to add supplemental materials

Contact Royce at royce@utahcharters.org with any comments/concerns about bills.
See www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates for Watchlist of bills (under Advocacy tab).

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This week in the Utah Legislative Session. Discussion with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director of the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools (UAPCS) includes the following:

• Public Education funding including significant increase in the WPU (weighted pupil unit).
• SB 114, 1st Sub., Senator Fillmore, curriculum transparency
• SB 127, 1st Sub., Senator Millner, early literacy outcomes improvement
• HB 331, Hope Scholarship program, tuition tax-credits
• SB 134, Senator Bramble, Special Education amendments
• HB 265, Senator Snow, requires charter schools to have 5 year renewals

Contact Royce at royce@utahcharters.org with any comments/concerns about bills.

Please note a recording error occurs at 6:30 minutes into the podcast, but does not continue for more than a few seconds.

UAPCS is a non-profit organization that provides advocacy, training, and technical support to promote excellence in education across Utah. 

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This week in the Utah Legislative Session. Discussion with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools includes the following:

• Curriculum transparency SB 114 and HB 234—schools will need to set up a policy to share curriculum with parents
• Early literacy outcomes improvement SB127--increasing early literacy achievement through USBE reading coaches for lowest quartile of schools

For bill tracking sheet and ways to be involved, visit our website at https://www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates. 

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First week of the Utah Legislative Session. Discussion with Royce Van Tassell, Executive Director, Utah Association of Public Charter Schools includes the following:

• Discussions begin in Education Appropriations Committee: Local control of funding—there are 64 separate funding streams. Restrictions placed with this funding may or may not serve the needs of the school.
• Charter-Specific Items to Watch:
  • LRF (Local Replacement Formula) 2 year lag---looking to close gap
  • Charter School Base Funding—additional funding for small LEAs for administrative support
• Effectiveness of academic programs and attached funding—we would appreciate input from educators about what is working in their schools
• Curriculum transparency SB 114 and HB 234—schools will need to set up a policy to share curriculum with parents
• Rules around transitioning to online schooling—discussion about setting thresholds for going into online learning via approval from state leaders

For bill tracking sheet and ways to be involved, visit our website at https://www.utahcharters.org/legislative-updates.