53A-17a-162 - Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program. - Utah Statutes

53A-17a-162. Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program.
(1) The Legislature finds that a strategic placement of arts in elementary education canimpact the critical thinking of students in other core subject areas, including mathematics,reading, and science.
(2) The Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program is created toenhance the social, emotional, academic, and arts learning of students in kindergarten throughgrade six by integrating arts teaching and learning into core subject areas.
(3) From money appropriated for the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary ArtsLearning Program, the State Board of Education shall, after consulting with the Utah ArtsCouncil and receiving their recommendations:
(a) establish a grant program to allow school districts and charter schools to hire 50highly qualified, full-time arts specialists to be based at 50 schools;
(b) provide up to $10,000 in one-time funds for each school arts specialist describedunder Subsection (3)(a) to purchase supplies and equipment;
(c) establish a grant program to allow 10 school districts to hire art coordinators,provided that a qualifying school district provides matching funds in an amount equal to the grantamount; and
(d) annually contract with an independent, qualified evaluator, selected through a requestfor proposals process, to evaluate the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts LearningProgram.
(4) Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts Learning Program money may not beused to supplant funds for existing programs funded by the state, but shall be used to augmentexisting programs.
(5) Schools that participate in the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Elementary Arts LearningProgram shall partner with institutions of higher education that award elementary educationdegrees to obtain quality pre-service and in-service training, research, and leadershipdevelopment for arts education.
(6) The State Board of Education shall, after consultation with the Utah Arts Council,make an annual report during the 2009, 2010, and 2011 interims to the Education InterimCommittee describing the program's impact on students in kindergarten through grade six.

Enacted by Chapter 397, 2008 General Session