No. 30099 (Amendment): R690-100. Public Education Job Enhancement Program Participant Eligibility and Requirements

DAR File No.: 30099
Filed: 06/14/2007, 03:28
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The 2007 Legislature in H.B. 240 expanded the education positions that qualify for cash awards and scholarships under the Public Education Job Enhancement Program. This rule is amended to provide for the 2007 legislative changes. (DAR NOTE: H.B. 240 (2007) is found at Chapter 115, Laws of Utah 2007, and is effective as of 07/01/2007.)

Summary of the rule or change:

The amendments add new positions to the "Critical areas of educator need" definition and a new requirement for Advancement Awards.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Subsection 53A-1a-602(5)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to the state budget. Legislative funding is appropriated for the program and will by appropriated annually, subject to future budget constraints.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to local government. The amendments to this rule add additional positions for participation in the program and funding is provided.

other persons:

There may be savings to individual teachers as a result of these amendments. Occupational therapists are eligible and may receive cash awards or scholarships and teachers in grades four through six with mathematics endorsements are eligible and may receive scholarships. Savings for individuals are too speculative and case-specific to estimate.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There are no compliance costs for affected persons. The amendments to the rule provide for additional positions for program participation.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

I have reviewed this rule and I see no fiscal impact on businesses. John Sutherland, Committee Chair

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Public Education Job Enhancement Program
Job Enhancement Committee
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84414

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Clara Walters at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7616, by FAX at 801-538-7973, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

07/31/2007

This rule may become effective on:

08/07/2007

Authorized by:

John Sutherland, Chair, Job Enhancement Committee

RULE TEXT

R690. Public Education Job Enhancement Program, Job Enhancement Committee.

R690-100. Public Education Job Enhancement Program Participant Eligibility and Requirements.

R690-100-1. Definitions.

A. "Advancement Award/scholarship recipient" means a scholarship to an educator qualified under Sections 53A-1a-601 (1) and (2) (a) and (b). The scholarship may be used for:

(1) training in subject areas designated in Section 53A-1a-601(1); and

(2) tuition costs only as designated in Section 53A-1a-601(2)(b) for a master's degree, teaching endorsement, or approved graduate program including National Board Certification.

B. "Contract" means a binding agreement signed and agreed to by the recipient, the PEJEP Committee and USOE under 53A-1a-602(3)(c); applications are available through the USOE and online through the USOE website at www.schools.utah.gov.

C. "Critical areas of educator need" means secondary school teachers with expertise in mathematics, physics, chemistry, physical science, learning technology, or information technology [and ]PreK-12 special education teachers, educators seeking math endorsements in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade with a Level 1 or Level 2 license with an elementary or secondary area of concentration, and occupational therapists.

D. "Information technology" for purposes of this rule means courses in information support and services, interactive media, network systems and programming, and software development as listed under information technology education in career and technical education (CTE) on the USOE website.

E. "Learning technology" for the purpose of this rule means a degree/endorsement earned to implement use of technology in classrooms by secondary school teachers in the critical areas of educator need identified under R690-100-1C.

F. "Letter of authorization" under Section 53A-la-601(3) means a designation given to an individual pursuing an alternative license, who has not completed the requirements for a Level 1, 2, or 3 license or who has not completed necessary endorsement requirements for the course(s) he teaches, who is employed by a school district, who has an educator license under R277-502.

G. "National Board Certification" means the successful completion of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) process, a three-year process, that may include national content-area assessment, an extensive portfolio, and assessment of video-taped classroom teaching experience.

H. "Opportunity Award/signing bonus/cash award recipient" means a cash award paid in two installments to qualified educators under 53A-1a-601(2) (c) and (3)(a) and (b).

I. "Public Education Job Enhancement Program Committee (Committee)" means the committee designated under Section 53A-la-602.

J. "Public Education Job Enhancement Program (PEJEP)" means a program authorized under Section 53A-la-601.

K. "Special education teacher" means an educator who teaches at least three classes (or fifty percent of the school day) of primarily PreK-12 special education students or whose contract assignment is designated by the district as SPECIAL EDUCATION. Special education teacher may also mean speech and language pathologists and psychologists and special education educators teaching grade 12+ in a high school.

L. "Technology training" for the purpose of this rule means professional development training to public school superintendents, administrators, and principals in the effective use of technology in public schools.

M. "USOE" means the Utah State Office of Education.

 

R690-100-2. Authority and Purpose for Opportunity and Advancement Awards.

A. The rule is authorized under Section 53A-la-602(5) which requires the Committee to make a rule establishing policies and procedures for:

(1) designating the recipients and offering scholarships and cash awards from PEJEP funding;

(2) timelines for the submission and approval of applications;

(3) the distribution of the awards and scholarships; and

(4) monitoring educator progress and compliance with the law and this rule.

B. The purpose of this rule is to provide policies and procedures for participation in the Public Education Job Enhancement Program.

 

R690-100-6. Miscellaneous Provisions or Requirements for the Opportunity and Advancement Awards.

A. In any given school year, a teacher shall not receive both an Opportunity Award and an Advancement Award and shall not receive two Opportunity awards concurrently.

B. Recipients of the Opportunity Award and Advancement Award may not apply for a second award until the consecutive four year teaching commitment has been fulfilled.

C. Opportunity and Advancement award educators may take less than a full-time course load in the areas identified in 53A-1a-601(1), if student demand is not sufficient for a full-time assignment in those subject areas.

D. If the Opportunity or Advancement Award recipient should die before the conditions or repayment of the award is satisfied, the entire commitment or balance shall be waived.

E. The educator shall be teaching in the critical areas of educator need identified under R690-100-1C,D,and E, to apply for a PEJEP scholarship toward any learning technology degree, endorsement, or advanced degree.

F. Advancement Award Recipients taking 9 credit hours during summer months (forgoing employment during that time) may receive a $6,000 summer stipend; summer stipends shall be prorated for educators in regulated programs and those recipients may receive $2,000 per 3 credit hour, up to $6,000.

G. Endorsement caps shall be commensurate with increased tuition costs for the specific endorsement; and

H. Endorsement program recipients may receive only one summer stipend of $6,000 per 9 credit hours.

I. Teachers who have their assignment changed which takes them out of their classroom teaching in the PEJEP content areas, must submit a petition to the Committee for potential waiver of penalties associated with the change.

J. The consecutive four year teaching commitment may be met by educators who are promoted, assigned, or advised to change their teaching assignment and work within the district or state in a similar role for which the Opportunity Award or Advancement Award was made, following Committee approval.

K. Applicants are not eligible for Advancement Awards if the individuals are in their last semester of their degree or endorsement programs or if they have completed their degree, endorsement, or advanced degree program.

 

KEY: scholarships, awards, educators

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [December 23, 2006]2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 53A-1a-602(5)