[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":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,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6209745,"mediaKeyId","3733132-f085b400ba036adf3deffed010551765","parentId",3733132,"title","Committee pauses emergency‑safety rule after questions on definitions and data reporting; staff to meet sponsor","audioSeconds",545,"startMs",7411000,"endMs",7956000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3733132-f085b400ba036adf3deffed010551765&start=7411&end=7956","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3733132-f085b400ba036adf3deffed010551765/thumbnail_7411000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6209745/Utah/Committee-pauses-emergencysafety-rule-after-questions-on-definitions-and-data-reporting-staff-to-meet-sponsor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209745-f23a752cf7af006ecdb849db0648b5f5/orig.mp4?Expires=1777128212&Signature=nGHg0MUybL3PM62XognyQ-8f5w6kIE07bBLHdUGIffkFBU5KrTwXvs8sZsxD9Xi4imgP27wNELUGmXze5cJIL4DQkYSNXQYBe1vMfqxSSGOsF6uKPn3NHVV8F9xmaosgQL6hxcJEplHjQxZf0JbKu62M033RkrBNw1E5tWIEextLbt6ZIkmiqj0DgaLqqDAZSwcaVW5xTDnDTdv0mU~K2pI4wf1Hui8D12EC2PEUO~1TcrBCfJvAAzV36H5szYwA1n9ZRave8gOZctzX5g4VvERF~ad1--rD~GtoCtI5BqbYSYqAhhgnZuMWz-5mvFZ6-fwH9V-O2jA~jTShiovZFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Financial Operations","date","2025-06-10T07:14:21.943Z","article","The Law and Licensing Committee on June 6 postponed action on proposed amendments to R277‑608, the rule that governs emergency safety interventions (ESI) and the prohibition of corporal punishment, after members pressed staff for clearer definitions and a practicable reporting pathway.

Deputy Superintendent Amber Nooyi told the committee the draft reflects changes required by Senate Bill 170 (2025), including new definitions and a statutory list of data elements LEAs must report: incident date and duration; purpose of the ESI; alternative and de‑escalation strategies attempted; identifying information about the student; and training records for staff involved. Nooyi said the agency intends to add the data fields to the state student information system (UtahTRAC/SIMS), but those fields likely will not be ready until the 2026‑27 school year.

Committee members and staff debated the rule’s language. Member Carrie Carey pushed to change repeated phrasing to stronger language, moving the committee to approve an amendment to require that “an emergency safety intervention shall not be used for disciplinary purposes.” Nooyi’s staff accepted the amendment and clarified the bill’s statutory text distinguishes seclusion and physical restraint used solely as an ESI (for immediate danger) from uses that are disciplinary or punitive.

Members and staff then turned to the data reporting mandate. Agency staff presented three short‑term options: (1) wait until the state data system is updated; (2) collect aggregate, end‑of‑year LEA reports (one annual submission); or (3) deploy an interim incident‑level form (Qualtrics or similar) so LEAs can report each ESI occurrence as it happens. Nooyi said district counsel and superintendents surveyed preferred option 3 because it minimized end‑of‑year recall errors.

Because the legislation already requires annual reporting and the rule contains new definitions and an investigative‑protocol requirement, the committee directed staff to meet with the sponsor of SB 170 to: (a) discuss possibilities for delaying the implementation date of the state reporting requirement; (b) review the statutory requirement to write rules outlining investigation protocols; and (c) explore alternate language for “intervention” to reduce confusion in practice. The committee asked staff to return with proposed clarifications for the July committee meeting.

Ending: The committee postponed R277‑608 to the July meeting for further drafting after staff meetings with the bill sponsor and additional internal review; members requested clearer, unified terminology and a practical interim reporting approach.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","20250606 Law and Licensing Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Law and Licensing Committee on June 6 postponed action on proposed amendments to R277‑608, the rule governing emergency safety interventions, citing unclear terminology and practical challenges collecting the new incident‑level data the 2025 Legislature required.","taxTitle","Financial Operations , Utah Board of Education, Offices, Departments, and Divisions, Organizations, Utah Executive Branch, Utah","taxId",67095,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6209751,"Utah education committee hears UPAK caseload has grown to record levels; staff urge more investigators",262,5142000,5404000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3733132-f085b400ba036adf3deffed010551765&start=5142&end=5404","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3733132-f085b400ba036adf3deffed010551765/thumbnail_5142000.jpg","/articles/6209751/Utah/Utah-education-committee-hears-UPAK-caseload-has-grown-to-record-levels-staff-urge-more-investigators","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6209751-10ae87ad34387aa706eee374abb94936/orig.mp4?Expires=1777128212&Signature=DVCx6tAu~SjF1PRap1xRJGRZIPP93lJm3OL8-tTEbawhkVZnO9PJBnkvOo3QC5faB765-1V~SD7fhWC01mi-OQ6jaViwu2JuUmqCeiqYMNZCA3u1CjQzz-6fYZBTmzUkyBNkWdF13bUGQGG2zSeOYOyerUX7QKdKbVPOiulSo7hq-jTQBB9itGBUJ33o4NzCR0ceeDh4rqTXKiwLenHhSp-nxb9RXc4jiprO-mOL8KkBzIs0lgDfFhIosklHJ3ytysUsCvER9HEcWxj1y002gwBURxnreLppDloKR1MaZ7sgMNbu~GFUsZ~cefYNLHuv0uQlKnNX4TyvRIovcYJ0uA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Utah State Board of Education Law and Licensing Committee was told June 6 that investigations of educator misconduct are increasing and that a backlog is pushing median case resolution times into the double digits.

UPAK attorney Ashley Carter told the committee the commission opened a record 173 new UPAK cases in 2024 and had already received 93 referrals by mid-2025. Carter said the office now expects more than 200 new cases this year and that, with current staffing, a case opened next week may not be investigated for nine months.

“The biggest challenge that we face in UPAK is an ever‑increasing caseload coupled with a large backlog of cases,” Carter said. “Each of these cases involves someone’s career and also the safety of students. Each case needs proper time and attention.”

Director of Law and Professional Practices Ben Rasmussen and UPAK attorneys said three attorney‑investigators currently aim to complete roughly 12 investigations a month; UPAK had about 116 open investigations at the time of the meeting, including 103 awaiting investigation. Rasmussen said turnover in investigator positions and rising referral volumes create the backlog.

Committee members pressed staff on consequences of the delays. Rasmussen said prolonged timelines can harm respondents and complainants: educators may be out of the hiring pool during lengthy suspensions, and witnesses’ memories fade. Ashley Carter said about 85% of UPAK recommendations are accepted through a consent to discipline; the remaining 15% result in hearings, which are resource‑intensive.

Committee members asked for more disaggregated data and for analyses that could inform training and prevention, including whether repeat offenses cluster by license pathway, district type or school size. Members suggested the agency explore whether training and license pathways correlate with certain complaint types and whether more robust front‑end screening or targeted training could reduce recurring issues.

Rasmussen and staff recommended adding at least one permanent UPAK attorney position to stabilize staffing; they said additional funding would be needed to shorten investigation timelines. The committee did not take a formal vote; members asked staff to prepare further data and proposals to present in future meetings.

Ending: Committee members thanked UPAK staff for the data and asked for follow‑up charts showing (1) cases by LEA and school level, (2) outcomes by representation status, and (3) time‑to‑investigation under different staffing scenarios.","Law and Licensing Committee members were told the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission’s caseload has climbed to record highs and a backlog means many teacher investigations may not begin for months. Staff said more attorney-investigators and funding are the primary levers to shorten timelines.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee pauses emergency‑safety rule after questions on definitions and data reporting; staff to meet sponsor

Utah education committee hears UPAK caseload has grown to record levels; staff urge more investigators