§ 53A-17a-168. Appropriation for Title 1 Schools in Improvement Paraeducators Program.

(1) As used in this section:

(a) "Eligible school" means a Title 1 school that has not achieved adequate yearly progress, as defined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq. in the same subject area for two consecutive years.

(b) "Paraeducator" means a school employee who:

(i) delivers instruction under the direct supervision of a teacher; and

(ii) meets the requirements under Subsection (3).

(c) "Program" means the Title 1 Schools in Improvement Paraeducators Program created in this section.

(2) The program is created to provide funding for eligible schools to hire paraeducators to provide additional instructional aid in the classroom to assist students in achieving academic success and assist the school in exiting Title 1 school improvement status.

(3) A paraeducator who is funded under this section shall have:

(a) earned a secondary school diploma or a recognized equivalent;

(b)

(i) completed at least two years with a minimum of 48 semester hours at an accredited higher education institution;

(ii) obtained an associates or higher degree from an accredited higher education institution; or

(iii) satisfied a rigorous state or local assessment about the individual's knowledge of, and ability to assist in instructing students in reading, writing, and mathematics; and

(c) received large group-, small group-, and individual-level professional development that is intensive and focused and covers curriculum, instruction, assessment, classroom and behavior management, and teaming.

(4) The State Board of Education shall distribute money appropriated for the program to eligible schools, in accordance with rules adopted by the board.

(5) Funds appropriated under the program may not be used to supplant other money used for paraeducators at eligible schools.

(6) The State Board of Education shall submit an annual report to the Legislature's Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee that includes information on:

(a) the amount of money distributed to each eligible school under this section;

(b) how many paraeducators were hired at each eligible school with program money;

(c) additional funding eligible schools used to supplement program money in hiring paraeducators; and

(d) accountability measures, including test scores of students served by the program.

Enacted by Chapter 188, 2012 General Session