2015 Utah Code
Title 53A - State System of Public Education
Chapter 1 - Administration of Public Education at the State Level
Part 12 - School Turnaround and Leadership Development Act
Section 1206 - State Board of Education to identify independent school turnaround experts -- Review and approval of school turnaround plans -- Appeals process.

Effective 5/12/2015
53A-1-1206. State Board of Education to identify independent school turnaround experts -- Review and approval of school turnaround plans -- Appeals process.

• (1) On or before August 30, the board shall identify two or more approved independent school turnaround experts, through a request for proposals process, that a low performing school may select from to partner with to:
  • (a) collect and analyze data on the low performing school's student achievement, personnel, culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, governance, leadership, finances, and policies;
  • (b) recommend changes to the low performing school's culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, governance, finances, policies, or other areas based on data collected under Subsection (1)(a);
  • (c) develop and implement, in partnership with the school turnaround committee, a school turnaround plan that meets the criteria described in Subsection 53A-1-1204(3);
  • (d) monitor the effectiveness of a school turnaround plan through reliable means of evaluation, including on-site visits, observations, surveys, analysis of student achievement data, and interviews;
  • (e) provide ongoing implementation support and project management for a school turnaround plan;
  • (f) provide high-quality professional development personalized for school staff that is designed to build the:
    • (i) leadership capacity of the school principal; and
    • (ii) instructional capacity of school staff; and
  • (g) leverage support from community partners to coordinate an efficient delivery of supports to students both inside and outside the classroom.

• (2) In identifying independent school turnaround experts under Subsection (1), the board shall identify experts that:
  • (a) have a credible track record of improving student academic achievement in public schools with various demographic characteristics, as measured by statewide assessments;
  • (b) have experience designing, implementing, and evaluating data-driven instructional systems in public schools;
  • (c) have experience coaching public school administrators and teachers on designing data-driven school improvement plans;
  • (d) have experience working with the various education entities that govern public schools;
  • (e) have experience delivering high-quality professional development in instructional effectiveness to public school administrators and teachers;
  • (f) are willing to be compensated for professional services based on performance as described in Subsection (3); and
  • (g) are willing to partner with any low performing school in the state, regardless of location.

• (3)
  • (a) When awarding a contract to an independent school turnaround expert selected by a local school board under Subsection 53A-1-1204(2) or by a charter school governing board under Subsection 53A-1-1205(4)(b), the board shall ensure that a contract between the board and the independent school turnaround expert specifies that the board will:
    • (i) pay an independent school turnaround expert no more than 50% of the expert's professional fees at the beginning of the independent school turnaround expert's work for the low performing school; and
    • (ii) pay the remainder of the independent school turnaround expert's professional fees upon the independent school turnaround expert successfully helping a low performing school improve the low performing school's grade within three school years after a school is designated a low performing school.
  • (b) In negotiating a contract with an independent school turnaround expert, the board shall offer:
    • (i) differentiated amounts of funding based on student enrollment; and
    • (ii) a higher amount of funding for schools that are in the lowest performing 1% of schools statewide according to the percentage of possible points earned under the school grading system.

• (4) The board shall:
  • (a) review a school turnaround plan submitted for approval under Subsection 53A-1-1204(5)(b) or under Subsection 53A-1-1205(7)(b) within 30 days of submission;
  • (b) approve a school turnaround plan that:
    • (i) is timely;
    • (ii) is well-developed; and
    • (iii) meets the criteria described in Subsection 53A-1-1204(3); and
  • (c) subject to legislative appropriations, provide funding to a low performing school for interventions identified in an approved school turnaround plan if the local school board or charter school governing board provides matching funds or an in-kind contribution of goods or services in an amount equal to the funding the low performing school would receive from the board.

• (5)
  • (a) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the board shall make rules to establish an appeals process for:
    • (i) a low performing district school that is not granted approval from the district school's local school board under Subsection 53A-1-1204(5)(b);
    • (ii) a low performing charter school that is not granted approval from the charter school's charter school governing board under Subsection 53A-1-1205(7)(b); and
    • (iii) a local school board or charter school governing board that is not granted approval from the board under Subsection (4)(b).
  • (b) The board shall ensure that rules made under Subsection (5)(a) require an appeals process described in:
    • (i) Subsections (5)(a)(i) and (ii) to be resolved on or before April 1 of the initial remedial year; and
    • (ii) Subsection (5)(a)(iii) to be resolved on or before May 15 of the initial remedial year.

• (6) The board shall balance the need to prioritize funding appropriated by the Legislature to contract with highly qualified independent school turnaround experts with the need to set aside funding for:
  • (a) interventions to facilitate the implementation of a school turnaround plan under Subsection (4)(c); and
  • (b) the School Recognition and Reward Program created under Section 53A-1-1208.

Enacted by Chapter 449, 2015 General Session