MINUTES OF THE

Note: A list of others present and a copy of materials distributed in the meeting are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

1. Call To Order - Rep. Lloyd Frandsen called the meeting to order at 2:18 p.m.

Mr. James Wilson, Associate Legislative Legal Counsel, reminded the committee that the joint meeting with the Utah Board of Regents and State Board of Education traditionally held in Cedar City will not be held this year.

MOTION: Rep. Hogue moved to approve the minutes of June 14, 2000. The motion passed unanimously.

2. Recommendations for Quality Teaching - Ms. Teddi Safman, Assistant Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, discussed a proposal for a comprehensive policy that would ensure teacher quality based on data-driven strategies. She summarized the professional life-cycle of a teacher, which included recruitment; loan programs; supply and demand data; preservice, including content knowledge and student development; learning and technical integration; licensure; and induction, emphasizing collaboration and mentoring of teachers. She explained that a comprehensive policy dealing with each element in a teacher's professional life cycle could result in less attrition within the profession and stronger professional development. She stated that research data supports the fact that proper attention to all elements in the teacher's professional life-cycle will result in greater student achievement.

Mr. Gary Carlston, Deputy Superintendent in the State Office of Education, further discussed the purposes of developing a comprehensive policy for teaching personnel and a course of action that might be taken to meet teachers needs and clarify professional expectations. He discussed the need for a policy statement which could increase the supply of teachers, and clearly recognize teaching as a profession. He felt that collecting support data is important to preparing a comprehensive policy for teacher quality, and that support from the educational community for teacher preparation programs that meet high NCATE standards is needed. He said that a comprehensive teacher policy could identify teacher induction as a priority, promote the development of educational leadership, and demonstrate a need for establishing a partnership with the State Board of Education, State Board of Regents, School Districts, and the legislature. Mr. Carlston said the State Board of Education desires to do its part within this organizational framework.

Ms. Safman reviewed teacher needs which have been identified through research. Those needs included providing adequate long-term resources, conducting a yearly teacher supply and demand study, and providing continuing support for the Education Technology Initiative ( ETI)

Mr. Carlston distributed a handout of his remarks and reviewed policy recommendations for ensuring teacher quality. He reported that many comprehensive policy elements, including recruitment, preservice, licensure, and professional development are now found in various sections throughout the Utah Code, and recommended the committee could adopt a proposal to integrate those sections into a comprehensive policy. He and Ms. Safman reduced their specific recommendations to:

1. Endorse long-term commitments to teacher quality and student achievement;

2. Reorganize the Utah Code to support and reflect a comprehensive professional development policy; and

3. Obtain commitments from the State Board of Education (SBE), the State Board of Regents (SBR), school districts, and the legislature to create a partnership that will:

• Strengthen student achievement;
• Continue the Joint Liaison Committee collaboration efforts toward this objective; and
• Establish accountability to one another in the parnership and with the public.

3. Committee Discussion and Recommendations - The committee asked clarifying questions regarding the comprehensive policy and the recommendations made by Ms. Safman and Mr. Carlston. Among the items discussed were the following:

• •Concern with the cost and time of preparing and implementing a comprehensive policy for teacher quality;
• •Gain an acknowledgment that there could be a philosophical and resource commitment to a comprehensive teacher-quality policy and not overwhelm the legislature with funding requests;
• •Reorganize and consolidate those sections of the Utah Code dealing with teachers and to include quality of teaching;
• •A need for the State Board of Education, the State Board of Regents and the legislature to create a partnership to resolve professional development issues in public education;
• •Consider ways to impact the quality of teaching;
• •The expanding student enrollment and the decreasing number of classroom teachers;
• •The increasing need for teacher recruitment and expanding teacher salaries;
• •Retraining quality teachers and honoring those who become career teachers in a worthy and honorable profession;
• •Greater focus on recruitment; and
• •Commitment that is required from each partner in the education enterprise.

Sen. Steele noted the importance of impacting the quality of a teacher in the classroom. He distributed a booklet prepared by the Education Commission of the States that contains a review of quality education. He also noted that the Milliken Foundation, which is a philanthropic organization, is focusing on teacher quality. He challenged the committee to decide, after considering all the information that has been presented, what will help Utah education to move toward its goals. He said one of the keys to student achievement is teacher quality.

Rep. Frandsen emphasized that change will take time and the effects of today's efforts may not be seen very soon in the future.

MOTION: Sen. Steele moved that the Education Interim Committee cite the importance of establishing a statewide policy for teacher quality within the Utah code or by resolution. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Wright absent for the vote.

MOTION: Sen. Steele moved that the legislative interim committee endorse the concept of a long-term commitment to teacher quality and student achievement as part of the state's strategic plan in public and higher education and encourage a partnership between the State Board of Education and State Board of Regents and school districts. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Wright and Sen. Stephenson absent for the vote.

Sen. Steele explained that the Utah Code contains numerous sections about teaching, but does not include a section on teacher quality. By including a section on teacher quality and student achievement within the code, the legislature's commitment to funding is not jeopardized. A section on teacher quality has been recommended in the past but has not been included in the code.

MOTION: Sen. Steele moved to encourage the Legislative Strategic Planning committee to submit a comprehensive plan to reorganize the Utah Code to address teacher quality and student achievement by the next to the last Education Interim Committee meeting held in November. It would include recruitment into the teaching profession, preservice programs, licensure, induction, professional development, and teacher evaluation. The motion passed unanimously with Rep. Wright and Sen. Stephenson absent for the vote.

4. Task Force Update - James Wilson, Associate General Counsel

Due to time constraints, the task force update was not discussed.

5. Other Committee Business - Committee Chairs

None

6. Adjournment

MOTION: Rep. Hogue moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 p.m.