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Senate advances amendments to school-turnaround program, emphasizes local ownership
Summary
The Senate approved amendments to the state’s school-turnaround program to focus on chronically low-performing schools, require local stakeholder plans and allow performance-based exit criteria while funding recruitment and retention initiatives; sponsors said a substitute would clarify remaining concerns.
The Senate advanced first-substitute legislation to revise Utah’s school-turnaround program, narrowing its scope to chronically low-performing schools and adding local control measures intended to increase school ownership of turnaround plans.
Sponsor Senator Milner told colleagues the amendment targets the lowest 3 percent of schools after two consecutive years of poor performance rather than transient one-year declines. "We want to address the schools that continue to be low performing over multiple years," she said, describing a two-step process that begins with an internal stakeholder team and proceeds to an RFP to bring in turnaround providers.
The changes would permit flexibility in the use of program funds — including recruitment and retention incentives for high-quality teachers — and refine exit rules so a school can leave turnaround status after demonstrating statistically significant progress. Senators questioned the program’s cost and effectiveness: one senator asked whether $7,000,000 set aside for the program and the early-stage status of the first cohort (17 schools) made it too soon to evaluate outcomes. Milner acknowledged the program is still early and said the substitute expected the next day would clarify the role of outside turnaround experts.
Supporters argued the amendments will involve local leaders and teachers in plan development and make turnaround supports more effective. Detractors urged caution and more data before substantial statutory change. The first substitute was moved forward for third reading and recorded as receiving 20 yes, 5 no, 4 absent.
