No. 31581 (New Rule): R277-526. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program

DAR File No.: 31581
Filed: 06/16/2008, 03:32
Received by: NL

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This new rule is in response to 2008 legislation in H.B. 66 that established the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program and appropriates $25,000 for scholarship awards to be administered by a Utah State Board of Education appointed scholarship committee. (DAR NOTE: H.B. 66 (2008) is found at Chapter 144, Laws of Utah 2008, and will be effective 07/01/2008.)

Summary of the rule or change:

The rule includes scholarship amounts and requirements; applicant scholarship recipient and school district/charter school responsibilities; and State Board of Education staff/committee responsibilities.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

Subsections 53A-1-401(3) and 53A-6-802(8)

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to state budget. The 2008 Legislature appropriated funds specifically for the scholarship program.

local governments:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to local government. The 2008 Legislature appropriated funds specifically for the scholarship program.

small businesses and persons other than businesses:

There are no anticipated costs or savings to small businesses AND persons other than businesses. The scholarship applies to paraeducators employed in the public education system and not to small businesses. Those eligible paraeducators seeking to become licensed will receive a scholarship to apply toward courses.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

There may be compliance costs for scholarship participants. Scholarship participants who fail to remain employed for the duration of the scholarship period or who do not satisfactorily complete funded courses may be responsible to reimburse the Utah State Board of Education for the amount of scholarship funding. Costs are too speculative to predict at this time.

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. Patti Harrington, State Superintendent of Public Instruction

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

Education
Administration
250 E 500 S
SALT LAKE CITY UT 84111-3272

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

Carol Lear at the above address, by phone at 801-538-7835, by FAX at 801-538-7768, 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:

07/31/2008

This rule may become effective on:

08/07/2008

Authorized by:

Carol Lear, Director, School Law and Legislation

RULE TEXT

R277. Education, Administration.

R277-526. Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.

R277-526-1. Definitions.

A. "Board" means the Utah State Board of Education.

B. "Paraeducator" for purposes of this rule means a school employee who:

(1) delivers instruction under the direct supervision of a teacher; and

(2) works in an area where there is a shortage of qualified teachers, such as special education, Title I, English as a Second Language, reading remediation, math, or science.

C. "Paraeducator Scholarship Selection Committee (Committee)" means the committee established by the Board to select scholarship recipients.

D. "Scholarship" for purposes of this rule means funds provided by the Board directly to a paraeducator to pay only for the actual and documented costs for tuition toward an associate's or a bachelor's degree.

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

 

R277-526-2. Authority and Purpose.

A. This rule is authorized by Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3 which vests general control and supervision of public education in the Board, Section 53A-1-401(3) which permits the Board to adopt rules in accordance with its responsibilities, and Section 53A-6-802(8) which requires the Board to make rules to administer the Paraeducator to Teacher Scholarship Program.

B. The purpose of this rule is to distribute funds to paraeducators seeking to become licensed educators and to establish application and accountability procedures to provide funding to prospective educators directly and fairly.

 

R277-526-3. Scholarship Amounts and Requirements.

A. A paraeducator stipend awarded under this rule shall be used solely and completely for expenses approved by Section 53A-6-802 and this rule between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.

B. A scholarship recipient shall remain continuously employed, consistent with the employment agreement and Section 53A-6-802(7).

C. A scholarship recipient shall provide documentation of progress toward graduation, as requested by the employer or the Board.

D. A scholarship recipient who does not remain employed for the duration of the scholarship period or who does not satisfactorily complete funded courses may be responsible to reimburse the Board for the amount of scholarship funding.

E. The Committee shall determine funding for applicants from applications received from school districts and charter schools after considering the number of applications received and the amount of funding available.

F. The Committee may develop and consider selection criteria including:

(1) support from the recommending school districts/charter schools; and

(2) geographical distribution of recipients.

 

R277-526-4. Applicant Scholarships Recipient and School District/Charter School Responsibilities.

A. Scholarship recipients shall be employed for a minimum of 10 hours per week by a public school district or charter school at the time of application for the Paraeducator Scholarship or during the 2008-09 school year.

B. Scholarship applicants shall submit completed applications found on the USOE website or available from the USOE in person or by mail to their employers no later than June 15, 2008.

C. Applicants shall provide information about tuition expenses only on the completed application based on the most recent information available from the Utah institution of higher education to which the applicant has either been admitted or made application.

D. School districts and charter schools shall rank completed applications of qualified paraeducators within the school district or charter school in priority order and submit all applications to the USOE on or before July 1, 2008.

E. Scholarship recipients and school districts/charter schools whose employees receive funding shall cooperate on any assessment required by the Board.

 

R277-526-5. State Board of Education Staff/Committee Responsibilities.

A. The Board shall establish a Paraeducator Scholarship Selection Committee and working procedures for the Committee consistent with 53A 6-802(4) by May 15, 2008.

B. The Committee shall consist of:

(1) one Board member designated by the Board;

(2) one representative of the Board of Regents designated by the Board of Regents;

(3) one representative of the largest parent/teacher association in the state;

(4) no more than two additional representatives designated by the Board consistent with Section 53A-6-802(4).

C. The Committee shall receive completed and ranked applications from school districts and charter schools consistent with R277-526-4.

D. The Committee shall identify recipients for funding based on criteria of Section 53A-6-802 (4)(d).

E. The Committee shall provide names of scholarship recipients to the Board for review and comment by August 1, annually.

F. The Committee or the Board may require a summary assessment of the increased number of paraeducators who become educators and other program results from participating scholarship recipients, school districts, and charter schools.

 

KEY: paraeducators, scholarships

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: 2008

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53A-1-401(3); 53A-6-802(8)