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53F-5-601
53F-5-602
53F-5-604
53F-5-605
53F-5-601
53F-5-602
53F-5-604
53F-5-605
3
American Indian and Alaska Native Education Amendments
2026 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Christine F. Watkins
Senate Sponsor: Ronald M. Winterton
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill addresses education planning and American Indian and Alaska Native students.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
modifies definitions;
expands authorized expenditures under a grant program that provides grants targeted to
the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students;
addresses the adoption of the American Indian and Alaska Native education state plan;
requires rulemaking and reporting; and
makes technical and conforming amendments.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53F-5-601
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapters 186, 246
53F-5-602
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 269
53F-5-604
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 269
ENACTS:
53F-5-605
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section
53F-5-601
is amended to read:
53F-5-601
. Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1)
"American Indian and
Alaskan
Alaska
Native concentrated school" means a school
where at least 29% of the school's students are American Indian or
Alaskan
Alaska
Native.
(2)
"Native American Legislative Liaison Committee" means the committee created in
Section
36-22-1
.
(3)
"State plan" means the
American Indian and Alaska Native education
state plan adopted
under
Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 53
, Section 7
Section
53F-5-605
.
(4)
"Teacher" means an individual employed by a school district or charter school who is
required to hold an educator license issued by the state board and who has an assignment
to teach in a classroom.
Section 2. Section
53F-5-602
is amended to read:
53F-5-602
. Program created.
(1)
(a)
In addition to the state plan
adopted under
Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 53
,
Section 7
, beginning with fiscal year 2020-2021, there is created a program
administered by the state board to provide grants targeted to address the needs of
American Indian and
Alaskan
Alaska
Native students.
(b)
The program shall consist of a grant program to school districts and charter schools
to be used to fund
materials, books, supplies, local and national conferences,
stipends, recruitment, retention, and professional development of teachers who teach
in American Indian and
Alaskan
Alaska
Native concentrated schools.
(c)
In determining grant recipients for at least two-thirds of the money appropriated to
the program, the state board shall give priority to American Indian and
Alaskan
Alaska
Native concentrated schools located in a county of the fourth, fifth, or sixth
class with significant populations of American Indians and
Alaskan
Alaska
Natives.
(2)
Up to 3% of the money appropriated to the grant program under this part may be used
by the state board for costs in implementing the program.
Section 3. Section
53F-5-604
is amended to read:
53F-5-604
. Liaison -- Reporting -- Meeting.
(1)
Subject to budget constraints, the superintendent of public instruction appointed under
Section
53E-3-301
shall appoint an individual as the American Indian-
Alaskan
Alaska
Native Public Education Liaison.
(2)
The liaison shall:
(a)
work under the direction of the superintendent in the development
and
implementation
of the state plan
and the implementation of the state plan through
local plans created and implemented by LEAs, except that the local plans shall reflect
the vision and mission provided in Section
53E-2-301
; and
(b)
annually report to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee
created
under Section
36-22-1
regarding:
(i)
what entities receive a grant under this part;
(ii)
the effectiveness of the expenditures of grant money;
and
(iii)
implementation of the state plan; and
(iii)
(iv)
recommendations, if any, for additional legislative action.
(3)
The Native American Legislative Liaison Committee shall annually schedule at least
one meeting at which education is discussed with selected stakeholders.
Section 4. Section
53F-5-605
is enacted to read:
53F-5-605
. American Indian and Alaska Native education state plan.
(1)
By no later than January 1, 2027, the state board shall adopt, by rule made in
accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, an
American Indian and Alaska Native education state plan to address the educational gap
of the American Indian and Alaska Native students in the state.
(2)
The state plan shall:
(a)
identify the most critical academic needs of Utah's American Indian and Alaska
Native students;
(b)
recommend a course of action to meet the identified needs;
(c)
be based on, and include, a summary of the best available evidence and most recent
data;
(d)
focus on specific actions;
(e)
identify programs and resources that exist as of January 1, 2026, including the grant
program created under this part;
(f)
prioritize more efficient and better use of the programs and resources described in
Subsection
(2)(e)
to meet the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students;
(g)
include ongoing reporting to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee;
(h)
include a plan to hire, retain, and promote highly qualified teachers as quickly as
feasible; and
(i)
include a process for sharing data with tribal education leaders.
(3)
Before adoption of the state plan, the state board shall present the proposed state plan to
the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee.
(4)
In developing the state plan, the state board shall engage in meaningful consultation
with stakeholders and tribal leaders within the state in a manner consistent with the
Every Student Succeeds Act, Pub. L. No. 114-95, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.
Section 5.
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on
May 6, 2026
.
2-16-26 10:47 AM