The Law & Licensing Committee voted unanimously to approve amendments to R277‑419 (pupil accounting) on first reading and forward the amended rule to the full board for final action.

Staff explained the amendment reinstates limited time for kindergarten assessment at the start of the year. The prior rule language allowing up to 12 days for kindergarten assessment had been repealed; after feedback from kindergarten teachers and LEA leaders, staff proposed allowing up to five days at the beginning of the school year for kindergarten assessment with board approval and notice to parents. LEA boards must also document that assessment time is adequate to justify forfeited instruction time.

Committee members noted concerns about seat time generally and discussed whether broader changes to seat‑time rules (for example, shifting the total required days) should be considered in a separate, stakeholder‑driven process. Staff also added an insertion clarifying that public school instruction delivered in a home (including instruction for students enrolled in home‑based scholarship programs per Utah Code 53F‑6‑401) is not considered homeschool instruction for the purposes of the rule. A motion to approve the amended R277‑419 passed unanimously.

USBE staff will include the kindergarten assessment language, related board‑approval and parent‑notice requirements, and the homeschool clarification in the final draft for the full board review.