[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},"mediaId",6348669,"mediaKeyId","2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe","parentId",2240943,"title","Superintendent reports Utah Fits All litigation, $5 million Intermountain grant and USBA advocacy tools","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",357000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe&start=357&end=357","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe/thumbnail_357000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6348669/Utah/Superintendent-reports-Utah-Fits-All-litigation-5-million-Intermountain-grant-and-USBA-advocacy-tools","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348669-cbb51ceabe3ccf7a0a2b3af0ccba0abd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517426&Signature=CeB8~5vRs~cRLpCmT2Ye3go~l0mSMUHVoQaICll6IZpYpdgJAFwqgIvnppeyOgr7E51QqmSSZJYB2ciTdMDBhjncGL-X7cm-9Xra2fzJ7YWO7rULhFmFJY4rspPRjFtCkLMcQsYfu7Ns6wnhfsy0Q91ePjcNWtfM9C5abAb8i1iuzF70YGVdG4-TVQxCYmxjBOCN6p5KcKkR4yhAUvzvp85OVpJTfsZB0oeisJkjfiFOX2xgdc9w3GSNBBtzvoZLcO6xGZ9XR0OkdmUUGI5upAFiE6l9zRrW-dsqg1CTZUoel7toYjulXvPEqVPE-FoUx1By1oa6cPgAbD2apxjvQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-06T19:44:08Z","article","Superintendent Butters updated the board on several items: litigation over the Utah Fits All scholarship program, a $5 million Intermountain Health grant the district was awarded, and upcoming advocacy and training resources from the Utah School Boards Association (USBA).

On litigation, Butters said the Utah Education Association has challenged the use of public funds for the Utah Fits All scholarship in Third District Court; a ruling is expected soon and the case could ultimately reach the state Supreme Court. Staff described the case as one to watch because similar litigation in other states has moved through appeals courts.

Butters also reported that the district and Dr. Belknap applied for an Intermountain Health grant to support medically based career pathways; the district was awarded $5,000,000 and has been meeting with partners including OTEC and Weber State University to plan potential programs. Staff said additional legislative grant windows may open this session and the district intends to pursue complementary state grant funding for an innovative project model.

On advocacy, board member Janice summarized USBA\u0000\u0000\u0000s \"Push Pause\" messaging and encouraged board members and the public to sign up for Remind for legislative updates and to attend USBA\u0000\u0000\u0000s Day on the Hill on Jan. 27. The superintendent and staff recommended the CSF bill tracker and the USBA advocacy toolkit as resources to follow pending legislation.

Butters also celebrated that Matt Patterson, principal at Mountain View Junior High, was named Middle School Principal of the Year; the board plans to recognize him at the next regular board meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Study Session January 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent updated the board on the Utah Fits All scholarship lawsuit in Third District Court, a recently awarded $5 million Intermountain Health grant for medically based career pathways and USBA advocacy resources including Remind and Day on the Hill.","taxTitle","Weber School District, Utah School Boards, Utah","taxId",66001,"location","Utah","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6348673,"Board approves community input plan for dual-language immersion study; no program changes planned for 2025—26#8211;26",184,2208000,2392000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe&start=2208&end=2392","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe/thumbnail_2208000.jpg","/articles/6348673/Utah/Board-approves-community-input-plan-for-dual-language-immersion-study-no-program-changes-planned-for-202526821126","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348673-7b0c7631baddb6226daead63b7261bad/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517426&Signature=nBnCcDlpG5V7RfMWAVi-Izqrh1T5rO2WT-yYiIeiTBSMiszcQuK0Ilyqoof08N-jyUnENdu4ZqC-Y0hr0PlmaDP4SWH4HkJykW~aMjmN3HWNHmHw1XHiwBVDEiq7Rpgi6CUgX2WiKn5UBSstylqfpMOsEXCu-Ea6L1Z9oix0o38U58IJeqzNxUCUeLMbfZxiUvcT-Yk3bitkSXJq-vR-AucOrOaigayrDofxoiNpSPya1bboQTcw5cW2n9o~2zynsgBsOGulGfdGVMWm~D-mT9PllZh7EbdrFs0Zp5zXDZywMXgB9vkEFPIxg9ncF2xSIYVgYjlEoKASzq~JWO9RRQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District administrators asked the board to approve a short parent and family survey as the first step in a multi-month study of Dual-Language Immersion (DLI) programming. Staff emphasized that the review is intended to explore refinements, not to make immediate changes: \"We have no plans to alter our DLI programming for the 25-26 school year at all,\" a district administrator said.

The survey uses display logic so respondents who currently have students in DLI will see specific follow-ups, while other respondents will see a different question set. Staff said the study will take several months and include follow-up conversations with parent groups; results will be presented to the board for consideration before any program changes are proposed.

Board members asked for open-ended responses to be shared; staff agreed to provide open-ended answers and said they could code or categorize responses if requested. Administrators identified two cones (school groupings) that do not currently offer DLI, and said findings could point to targeted program expansion in those areas.

The board heard the survey preview and did not endorse any immediate operational changes; staff will finalize the survey and distribute it to families (anticipated the following week), then collect responses and bring findings back to the board.","District leaders presented a short parent survey and outlined a slow, multi-month study of Dual-Language Immersion (DLI) programming; board was told there are no plans to alter DLI programming for the 2025\u000026#8211;26 school year.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6348678,"Board review: updated employee harassment, termination and volunteer policies; new clinical field-experience policy on first reading",436,2499000,2935000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe&start=2499&end=2935","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe/thumbnail_2499000.jpg","/articles/6348678/Utah/Board-review-updated-employee-harassment-termination-and-volunteer-policies-new-clinical-field-experience-policy-on-first-reading","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348678-d738f59c5c593ddb3d9cc0e4dacaa394/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517426&Signature=o9DY940zgo5W~v4ACmdnKbY0wKTiILMyzULzcGYu0AYwmp-8oiWDzS6C5nELoqukUX3CVD7xvz8WEF7ElbRIpTRkNQi9DMrWQKUxkUlwvqNCOdTaK-OOcgsU-8~hzqG~Cj9n5bb5CmnSCu5GnPUf6vvFB0zlb2BNnyEY9xpJPFPPKTGMkehoxohy~Mn3mlUabP-snWWcu9y8MA4idzbWFVfrHfbrBgCC9CLQ1kQqhFPX7hpcLJJZS-CroKZkOpQVMVVzIGpd-yzw8zIPlKI3iuN3wlGZCt6g1ypsSiaWCBUKaMwXQwTTq8hGguSV9obEuFthP6fU0sPYQzzUWS2CiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District staff briefed the board on four personnel and operational policy items: revisions to employee harassment and discrimination policy (Policy 7,100), updates to employee corrective action/termination policy (Policy 7,900), a new volunteer policy (Policy 6,500), and an amended clinical field-experience policy (Policy 71 40).

Staff said the harassment and discrimination revisions were intended to align employee policy language with the district\u0000\u0000\u0000s student harassment policy and to reference applicable state and federal laws. Revisions to the corrective-action and termination policy add definitions for \"career employee\" and \"provisional employee,\" and expand the stated causes that could lead to corrective action up to termination. No board feedback was raised on those two items during the work study.

The new volunteer policy stems from administrators\u0000\u0000\u0000and HR\u0000\u0000\u0000reports that the district lacked a consistent process for recurring volunteers. The policy creates a simpler pathway for one-time or short-term volunteers (for instance, single-day field-trip helpers) and a more detailed process for recurring volunteers (defined in policy as more than three visits during the school year), including background checks, role-based training and restricted access to student data. Board members asked whether photography should be explicitly addressed; staff agreed to clarify whether \"photography\" is covered along with audio/video recording and to add language distinguishing volunteers who have direct student contact from those whose tasks are non-student-facing, such as filing or copying.

Policy 71 40, renamed and expanded to address \"clinical field experiences,\" formalizes the paperwork and procedural steps for university student teachers, counselors-in-training and other supervised placements that provide university credit or professional training. Board members requested clearer titling to avoid confusion with high-school internships for credit; staff said they would consider a title change to make the distinction explicit.

All four policies were discussed as first-reading items; staff will return with revised language that incorporates the board\u0000\u0000\u0000s clarifying requests before a final reading.","District staff reviewed proposed updates to employee harassment/discrimination and corrective-action policies, introduced a new volunteer policy to standardize background checks and access, and presented a new clinical field-experience policy clarifying internships and student-teaching placements.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":55,"_73":55},6348681,"Weber School District staff outline SB173 teacher merit pilot, stress equity concerns and April 1 opt-out deadline",1608,542000,2150000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe&start=542&end=2150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2240943-870667bf19622925a27b9c8361df10fe/thumbnail_542000.jpg","/articles/6348681/Utah/Weber-School-District-staff-outline-SB173-teacher-merit-pilot-stress-equity-concerns-and-April-1-opt-out-deadline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6348681-1fef8f56152926d0534b27d18e8df028/orig.mp4?Expires=1770517426&Signature=hEku6maiSFJSS8itjtfCSFHuztO1N3G9s4rKaqgLub8Hlw7BKAQ93wsTq3QhSQrgnKabv5KBCrQQXsR8HhadVIWW6oA2p7mv3eHQKsGffFWiSR-GWuDGB6fjT8pz6Xtp~8YgP1UeuDC1g7YTQn1Grxzo-eZLhR5VLqDpnO~92Qd7GPXAJGBQknpPXpz~wb2WZ8clzAo0z~wVXVxgivFdktH9xPRWtLUxwHnoEjDdsQMRPSeUUT~430xlk~BB3w-1Jp9-SUuz-t1v4RZuxRtN-41kqVvc6TrHhk3BTvcnfWVQcbLtgacxnf~qA3SybjqxJp4MOc3CK4tLgCdiKXrWXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Butters told the Weber School District board that the district has already opted in to the five-year pilot created by Senate Bill 173 but retains the option to opt back out, with the plan submission deadline set for April 1.

The board heard a detailed presentation from HR staff about how the Teacher Merit Award (TMA) pilot would identify and pay top-performing teachers, why the program is complex to implement, and why district leaders fear it could create inequities or undermine collaborative professional learning communities.

The program is administered by the Center for the School of the Future (CSF) at Utah State University. The pilot requires districts to produce a local weighting formula that adds up to 100 percent across required categories: student achievement growth (55% to 75% of the weight range is allowed), professional evaluations and parent surveys; districts may add an optional \"other\" category of 0% to 20%. The CSF will run district results through a state-level formula that averages LEA weighted scores before assigning teachers to three award tiers.

HR staff said the TMA is a multi-stage system: year 1 is plan approval and program build, year 2 is data collection, and years 3\u0000\u0000\u00005 are payouts. The top 5% of teachers statewide would receive $10,000 a year for three years (a total of $30,000); that amount doubles for teachers who qualify under the program\u0000\u0000\u0000for example, by working in qualifying \"high-poverty\" schools\u0000\u0000\u0000so a qualifying teacher in a high-poverty school could receive up to $60,000 over the three payout years.

HR staff warned of practical and equity challenges. The pilot requires a five-point observation scale, but the district has recently moved from a four-point to a three-point scale; CSF also recommends three observations by two different administrators, a logistical challenge for elementary schools that often have a single administrator. Roster verification to apportion credit where multiple teachers contribute to a student's progress (for example special education co-teaching and dual-language instruction) will rely on teacher-provided information in many cases, staff said, creating administrative burdens and potential inconsistencies.

Staff also flagged that some subjects and many elective or non-tested classes would be ineligible under current rules because the student-growth metric depends on state-tested subjects. HR estimated roughly 40% of a district's teachers could be ineligible under the current design, and stressed that teachers who qualify under the district\u0000\u0000\u0000and later the state\u0000\u0000\u0000are not guaranteed to remain in the same award tier once the state formula is applied.

Superintendent Butters summarized teachers' concerns and union feedback: \"The majority of the teachers surveyed are not in favor of adoption,\" he said, noting that the Weber Education Association had run a survey with more than 800 responses and included open-ended comments in its packet for the board.

Board members were told the district will distribute a short internal teacher survey the following week, leave it open for about one week, and present a recommendation at the next board meeting so the board can decide by the April 1 deadline. \"What we've decided to do as a district is apply, opt in,\" Butters said during the briefing, noting that the district may still opt out.

District staff recommended further conversations with neighboring districts that have already opted in, and to use teacher feedback and additional analysis to shape any recommended local weighting and administrative procedures. No formal board motion or vote on final participation was recorded in the work study session.

Looking ahead, HR asked the board to prioritize clarity on observation scales and roster verification practices before the district finalizes a plan to submit to CSF.","District officials briefed the board on Senate Bill 173\u0000\u0000\u0000the Teacher Merit Award pilot\u0000\u0000\u0000covering eligibility rules, data collection, payout schedules and equity concerns; district previously opted in but may opt out by April 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent reports Utah Fits All litigation, $5 million Intermountain grant and USBA advocacy tools

Board approves community input plan for dual-language immersion study; no program changes planned for 2025—26#8211;26

Board review: updated employee harassment, termination and volunteer policies; new clinical field-experience policy on first reading

Weber School District staff outline SB173 teacher merit pilot, stress equity concerns and April 1 opt-out deadline