are completing a detailed review of the current adult education plan prior to making
recommendations for modifying the adult education funding formula. He said the formula is
complicated and data collection has been difficult. The state office and the advisory committee
are developing additional hard data to modify the current formula. The two groups plan to have
their recommendations completed and ready for the 1999 General Session. Sen. Steele said he is
acquainted with the current formula based on performance competencies, attendance and
outcomes and is aware of its complexities. He commended the state office and the advisory
committee's effort to reduce the complexities within the current distribution system to make it
efficient and effective as possible.
3. Centennial Charter Schools Task Force Report - Rep. Brian R. Allen, cochair of the Centennial Charter Schools Task Force, said although the task force worked hard during the
interim to moved towards a positive solution, it had not yet prepared its final recommendations
for the Legislature. He said 15 elements or components of charter schools have been adopted by
the task force and are included with the committee agenda packet. He referred to several items
on the list of task force recommendations and said the task force will meet in December to
review its recommendations for the 1998 General Session.
4. Strategic Planning for Public and Higher Education Task Force Report -
Sen. Lyle W. Hillyard and Rep. Kevin S. Garn, cochairs of the Strategic Planning for Public and Higher Education Task Force, reported to the committee that the task force is proposing several
changes to the current strategic planning law. The task force is recommending the mission
statement for public and higher education be revised. Sen. Hillyard said Utah is one of the few
states in the nation to enact a statutory strategic plan for public and higher education. He said
many positive changes have occurred in public education over the past seven years since the task
force was created and strategic planning has made a significant difference in those changes.
Class-size has been reduced, technology use has increased, and educational partnerships with
businesses have increased. A final legislative draft had not been prepared for committee review
and endorsement.
5. Middle Schools Legislation -Legislation to establish a task force to study middle school problems during the 1998 interim period was proposed in response to a review of middle school
concerns during the interim period. Another recommendation resulting from committee review
was preparation of legislation to reduce class size in the state's middle schools.
The states's education community, including the State Office of Education and the Office
of the Governor support this proposed legislation and feel it offers an opportunity for positive
changes in middle schools throughout the state.
MOTION: Rep. Hogue moved that the committee approve the legislation to create a Middle School Task Force as a committee bill. The motion passed unanimously with all present voting
in favor of the motion. Sen. Howell, Sen. Stephenson, and Rep. Larson were absent for the vote.
The committee next discussed class size reduction legislation for middle schools in
grades 7 and 8. The State Office of Education reported that class size reduction in both grades
would require funding of at least $13.6 million. The committee learned the governor is
supportive of class size reduction in middle schools and would propose funding in his budget
document.
MOTION: Sen. Hull moved that class size reduction legislation be delivered to the 1998 General Session with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed unanimously with all
present voting in favor. Senators Howell and Stephenson and Reps. Bigelow and Larson were
absent for the vote.
6. Professional Development - Sen. Steele said the Legislature needs to provide an impetus to improve teacher education programs within the state. The committee discussed a
proposed resolution focused on this issue. Mr. Brems said the Joint Liaison Committee is
supportive of the proposed resolution. Supt. Scott Bean, State Office of Education, felt
resolution is a positive way to address the problem.
MOTION: Rep. Siddoway moved that the committee recommend the Professional Development Resolution to the 1998 General Session. The motion passed unanimously with all present voting
in favor. Senators Howell and Stephenson, and Reps. Bigelow and Larson were absent for the
vote.
7. Truancy Prevention Legislation - Rep. Bourdeaux gave an overview of proposed legislation for truancy prevention. He said truancy prevention measures will be addressed in a
bill authorizing police officers to assist in strategies which will keep children in school.
Proposed provisions will allow truant officers to issue truancy citations and to be authorized to
work with the truant child's family before it receives a citation for the truant's behavior. Rep.
Bacca spoke to the bill and provided statistical information on truant children.
There were several unsettled issues with the proposed bill, including substantial concern
over the issuance of truancy citations. The legislation authorizes justice courts to have
jurisdiction over the citation. It was pointed out that the justice court system may not be in favor
of assuming this responsibility. There is also a problem in properly identifying children who are
out in the community but may not be truant because they participate in a home school program.
It was suggested that concurrent jurisdiction could be shared by municipal courts. A lengthy
discussion followed about the issues of court jurisdiction and citation responsibilities.
MOTION: Rep. Bourdeaux moved that the committee endorse the truancy legislation and recommend it be sent to the 1998 General Session.
The committee expressed further concern with identification of dual enrollment children
and problems with citation enforcement. Rep. Tyler recommended the proposed legislation be
sent to another committee.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Rep. Koehn moved the committee move to the next item on the agenda. The motion passed with Reps. Rowan, Tyler and Frandsen, and Sen. Hull voting against
the motion. Senators Hillyard, Howell, and Nielson, and Reps. Bigelow, Larson, and Olsen were
absent for the vote.
Sen. Hull recommended that a consensus truancy bill be prepared which could come before the Legislature early in the session.
8. Computer Reconditioning Program - Rep. Allen explained a program to encourage businesses to donate their outdated computers to the Utah Prison Industries to be reconditioned
for use in Utah public schools. Computers would be collected by the Department of Corrections
and taken to the Gunnison Correctional Facility for repair and reconditioning by prison inmates.
The updated computers would be sold to public schools for $100.00 each. The program would
initially require $500,000 for start-up costs.
Sen. Stephenson felt the program would be the ultimate in a business/education
partnership. Prisoners learn new skills and provide a product badly needed by public schools.
He noted that the California and Nevada Taxpayers Association have helped promote this
program in their respective states and it has been very successful. He requested language in the
bill that would require a district to buy two new computers before they could purchase a
reconditioned $100.00 computer.
MOTION: Rep. Allen moved the proposed bill be recommended to the 1998 General Session.
Mr. Gary Carlston said the governor is interested in the bill. The committee discussed
concerns with the program. Following discussion, Sen. Allen moved to amend the bill.
AMENDED MOTION: Rep. Tyler moved the bill be sent to a standing committee for further input rather than sent directly to the floor. The motion passed unanimously with all present
voting in favor.
9. Adjournment - MOTION: Rep Hogue moved to adjourn the meeting at 12:05 p.m.