2015 Utah Code
Title 53A - State System of Public Education
Chapter 17a - Minimum School Program Act
Part 1 - Minimum School Program
Section 113 - Weighted pupil units for career and technical education programs -- Funding of approved programs -- Performance measures -- Qualifying criteria.

53A-17a-113. Weighted pupil units for career and technical education programs -- Funding of approved programs -- Performance measures -- Qualifying criteria.

• (1)
  • (a) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for approved career and technical education programs and the comprehensive guidance program:
    • (i) shall be allocated to eligible recipients as provided in Subsections (2), (3), (4), and (5); and
    • (ii) may not be used to fund programs below the ninth grade level.
  • (b) Subsection (1)(a)(ii) does not apply to the following programs:
    • (i) comprehensive guidance;
    • (ii) Technology-Life-Careers; and
    • (iii) work-based learning programs.

• (2)
  • (a) Weighted pupil units are computed for pupils in approved programs.
  • (b)
    • (i) The board shall fund approved programs based upon hours of membership of 9th through 12th grade students.
    • (ii) Subsection (2)(b)(i) does not apply to the following programs:
      • (A) comprehensive guidance;
      • (B) Technology-Life-Careers; and
      • (C) work-based learning programs.
  • (c) The board shall use an amount not to exceed 20% of the total appropriation under this section to fund approved programs based on performance measures such as placement and competency attainment defined in standards set by the board.
  • (d) Leadership organization funds shall constitute an amount not to exceed 1% of the total appropriation under this section, and shall be distributed to each local educational agency sponsoring career and technical education student leadership organizations based on the agency's share of the state's total membership in those organizations.
  • (e) The board shall make the necessary calculations for distribution of the appropriation to school districts and may revise and recommend changes necessary for achieving equity and ease of administration.

• (3)
  • (a) Twenty weighted pupil units shall be computed for career and technical education administrative costs for each district, except 25 weighted pupil units may be computed for each district that consolidates career and technical education administrative services with one or more other districts.
  • (b) Between 10 and 25 weighted pupil units shall be computed for each high school conducting approved career and technical education programs in a district according to standards established by the board.
  • (c) Forty weighted pupil units shall be computed for each district that operates an approved career and technical education center.
  • (d) Between five and seven weighted pupil units shall be computed for each summer career and technical education agriculture program according to standards established by the board.
  • (e) The board shall, by rule, establish qualifying criteria for districts to receive weighted pupil units under this Subsection (3).

• (4)
  • (a) Money remaining after the allocations made under Subsections (2) and (3) shall be allocated using average daily membership in approved programs for the previous year.
  • (b) A district that has experienced student growth in grades 9 through 12 for the previous year shall have the growth factor applied to the previous year's weighted pupil units when calculating the allocation of money under this Subsection (4).

• (5) Of the money allocated to comprehensive guidance programs pursuant to board rules, $1,000,000 in grants shall be awarded to school districts or charter schools that:
  • (a) provide an equal amount of matching funds; and
  • (b) do not supplant other funds used for comprehensive guidance programs.

• (6)
  • (a) The board shall establish rules for the upgrading of high school career and technical education programs.
  • (b) The rules shall reflect career and technical training and actual marketable job skills in society.
  • (c) The rules shall include procedures to assist school districts to convert existing programs which are not preparing students for the job market into programs that will accomplish that purpose.

• (7) Programs that do not meet board standards may not be funded under this section.

Amended by Chapter 3, 2010 General Session