53A-17a-124.5 - Appropriation for class size reduction. - Utah Statutes

53A-17a-124.5. Appropriation for class size reduction.
(1) Money appropriated to the State Board of Education for class size reduction shall beused to reduce the average class size in kindergarten through the eighth grade in the state's publicschools.
(2) Each district shall receive its allocation based upon prior year average dailymembership in kindergarten through grade eight plus growth as determined under Subsection53A-17a-106(3) as compared to the state total.
(3) (a) A district may use its allocation to reduce class size in any one or all of the gradesreferred to under this section, except as otherwise provided in Subsection (3)(b).
(b) (i) Each district shall use 50% of its allocation to reduce class size in any one or allof grades kindergarten through grade two, with an emphasis on improving student reading skills.
(ii) If a district's average class size is below 18 in grades kindergarten through two, itmay petition the state board for, and the state board may grant, a waiver to use its allocationunder Subsection (3)(b)(i) for class size reduction in the other grades.
(4) Schools may use nontraditional innovative and creative methods to reduce class sizeswith this appropriation and may use part of their allocation to focus on class size reduction forspecific groups, such as at risk students, or for specific blocks of time during the school day.
(5) (a) A school district may use up to 20% of its allocation under Subsection (1) forcapital facilities projects if such projects would help to reduce class size.
(b) If a school district's student population increases by 5% or 700 students from theprevious school year, the school district may use up to 50% of any allocation it receives underthis section for classroom construction.
(6) This appropriation is to supplement any other appropriation made for class sizereduction.
(7) The Legislature shall provide for an annual adjustment in the appropriationauthorized under this section in proportion to the increase in the number of students in the statein kindergarten through grade eight.

Amended by Chapter 3, 2010 General Session