Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Teacher Certification topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate approves funding access for American Board teacher certification; concerns voiced about program readiness
Summary
The Senate passed Senate Bill 77 to allow funding for American Board (ABCTE) teacher certification alongside National Board programs, 15–12. Supporters said it gives a fair chance for a new certification path; opponents warned the program appears to be on hold and cautioned about committing taxpayer dollars.
Senators approved SB 77 by a 15–12 vote to allow state support for the American Board Certified Teacher (ABCTE) distinguished teacher pathway as an alternate route to National Board certification. Sponsor Senator Madsen framed the bill as an opportunity to preserve concurrent funding for another certification route and urged colleagues to give the new approach a fair chance.
Senator Okerlund questioned mechanics in the bill about equal allocation of funds between the programs and how applicants would be assigned to a funding stream if one program were oversubscribed; the sponsor said remaining and newly appropriated monies would be held in reserve and made available equally. Senator Morgan said he had reviewed ABCTE's website and found language indicating the ABCTE program had been "put on hold due to budget constraints," expressing alarm about committing taxpayer dollars until the program's readiness and track record were clear. Senator Madsen responded that the language refers to a pause in state-by-state promotional efforts, not that the certification itself is unavailable, and urged passage as a modest step to let Utah lead on performance-based certification.
After debate and explanation-of-vote statements, the Senate passed SB 77 and ordered it transmitted to the House. Sponsor and opponents acknowledged the bill's experimental nature and said future appropriations and program performance would determine ongoing support.
