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House approves optional extended-year pay for special-education teachers
Summary
House Bill 67 passed the Utah House on Jan. 30, allowing special-education teachers and speech pathologists to work up to 10 optional summer days for paperwork and receive a flat stipend (sponsor referenced $2,000). The bill passed 62-0 after supporters highlighted critical teacher shortages.
The Utah House passed House Bill 67 on Jan. 30 to permit special-education teachers and speech pathologists to optionally work up to 10 additional days outside the regular school year to complete paperwork, assessments and other non-teaching duties, and to receive a flat stipend for that work.
Sponsor Representative Menlove said the extra days would allow teachers to complete burdensome administrative tasks outside classroom time, and noted special-education vacancies have been a persistent problem; he told members some districts reported more than 100 open positions at school start last year. The sponsor said the stipend would be optional and that the measure aims to retain teachers by reducing in-year paperwork burdens.
Supporters across the floor described the approach as a targeted alternative to broad raises and emphasized collaboration with special-education directors who backed the plan. Representative Holdaway declared a conflict of interest on the bill and Representative Hutchings noted a familial connection; both comments were recorded on the floor and did not prevent their statements of support.
The House voted to pass HB67 (62 yes, 0 no); the bill will be forwarded to the Senate for further consideration.
