The finance committee approved first reading of R277‑927, amending the Teacher and Student Success Act (TSSA) program rule to clarify allowable expenditures and update technical references. The committee voted unanimously to forward the draft to the full board for second and final reading.

Director Ben Rasmussen summarized several changes: the addition of an oversight category (staff characterized the recommendation as category 2 because no single staff position is assigned to monitor the program), clarification that student technology devices are an appropriate use of TSSA funds, restoration of previously passed language to explicitly include preschool programs in early‑childhood references, and a simplification that directs users to the state superintendent’s annual report for the calculation of the state average teacher salary.

School finance staff explained that the superintendent’s report derives its average teacher salary calculation from LEA‑reported salary data in the state Cactus system. “Average teacher salary is... from LEA reported Cactus data,” said Sam Urie, school finance director, describing the existing data source the rule will reference.

Committee members asked whether the superintendent’s report methodology is stable and whether clarifying text should be added; staff said the existing combination of code references and the superintendent’s report provides sufficient clarity but noted they will continue to explain the method to LEAs. The committee approved the draft and forwarded it to the board for final reading with the expectation staff will continue outreach to LEAs about how average teacher salary is computed.

The motion approved R277‑927 on first reading; staff said they will show the simplified calculation reference in practice and respond to any LEA concerns prior to final board action.