Utah Code § 53E-6-302 — Utah Code / Title 53E / Chapter 53E-6 / § 53E-6-302
§ 53E-6-302. Educator preparation programs.
Status: in_force

7/1/2026 (1) As used in this section: (a) "Center" means the Center for the School of the Future at Utah State University established in Section 53H-4-304. (b) "Educator preparation program" means: (i) a university teacher education program; or (ii) a program that prepares individuals using an alternative pathway to licensure, as the state board provides, that does not include content or time requirements that conflict with the content or time requirements described in rule made by the state board in accordance with Subsection (2). (c) "Required literacy preparation assessment" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53E-6-301. (d) "Science of reading" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53G-10-801. (e) "University teacher preparation program" means a program that an institution of higher education offers to prepare educators for licensure. (2) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules that establish standards for approval of an educator preparation program. (3) The state board shall ensure that standards adopted under Subsection (2): (a) meet or exceed generally recognized national standards for preparation of educators; and (b) include requirements for educator preparation programs to: (i) provide instruction in the science of reading; and (ii) prepare license applicants to pass the required literacy preparation assessment at no cost to the applicants for the preparation, including providing ongoing preparation for up to three total attempts of the required literacy preparation assessment. (4) The Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board shall each designate an employee of each board's staff to jointly: (a) work with education deans of state institutions of higher education to coordinate university teacher preparation programs that may include: (i) monitoring courses for university teacher preparation programs; and (ii) working with course instructors for university teacher preparation programs; (b) act as a liaison between: (i) the Utah Board of Higher Education; (ii) the state board; (iii) local school boards or charter school governing boards; and (iv) representatives of university teacher preparation programs; and (c) report the employee's findings and recommendations for the improvement of teacher preparation programs to: (i) the state board; and (ii) education deans of state institutions of higher education. (5) The state board, in consultation with the Utah Board of Higher Education, shall: (a) in good faith, consider the findings and recommendations described in Subsection (4)(c); and (b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, make rules, as the state board determines is necessary, to implement recommendations described in Subsection (4)(c). (6) The center shall develop a plan, in collaboration with the Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board, to improve, for elementary teacher graduates and elementary administrator preparation graduates from a state institution of higher education: (a) the knowledge of the science of reading; and (b) the ability to apply the science of reading instruction with a focus on how the instruction leads to third-grade proficiency in reading and writing. (7) The Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board shall jointly: (a) monitor accreditation of university programs regarding the science of reading preparation described in Subsection (3)(b); and (b) (i) develop strategies to provide support for preparation programs with low rates of passage on the required literacy preparation assessment; and (ii) provide increasing levels of support to a preparation program with low rates of passage on the required literacy preparation assessment for two consecutive years.7/1/2026 (1) As used in this section: (a) "Center" means the Center for the School of the Future at Utah State University established in Section 53H-4-304. (b) "Educator preparation program" means: (i) a university teacher education program; or (ii) a program that prepares individuals using an alternative pathway to licensure, as the state board provides, that does not include content or time requirements that conflict with the content or time requirements described in rule made by the state board in accordance with Subsection (2). (c) "Required literacy preparation assessment" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53E-6-301. (d) "Science of reading" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53G-10-801. (e) "University teacher preparation program" means a program that an institution of higher education offers to prepare educators for licensure. (2) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the state board shall make rules that establish standards for approval of an educator preparation program. (3) The state board shall ensure that standards adopted under Subsection (2): (a) meet or exceed generally recognized national standards for preparation of educators; and (b) include requirements for educator preparation programs to: (i) provide instruction in the science of reading; and (ii) prepare license applicants to pass the required literacy preparation assessment at no cost to the applicants for the preparation, including providing ongoing preparation for up to three total attempts of the required literacy preparation assessment. (4) The Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board shall each designate an employee of each board's staff to jointly: (a) work with education deans of state institutions of higher education to coordinate university teacher preparation programs that may include: (i) monitoring courses for university teacher preparation programs; and (ii) working with course instructors for university teacher preparation programs; (b) act as a liaison between: (i) the Utah Board of Higher Education; (ii) the state board; (iii) local school boards or charter school governing boards; and (iv) representatives of university teacher preparation programs; and (c) report the employee's findings and recommendations for the improvement of teacher preparation programs to: (i) the state board; and (ii) education deans of state institutions of higher education. (5) The state board, in consultation with the Utah Board of Higher Education, shall: (a) in good faith, consider the findings and recommendations described in Subsection (4)(c); and (b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, make rules, as the state board determines is necessary, to implement recommendations described in Subsection (4)(c). (6) The center shall develop a plan, in collaboration with the Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board, to improve, for elementary teacher graduates and elementary administrator preparation graduates from a state institution of higher education: (a) the knowledge of the science of reading; and (b) the ability to apply the science of reading instruction with a focus on how the instruction leads to third-grade proficiency in reading and writing. (7) The Utah Board of Higher Education and the state board shall jointly: (a) monitor accreditation of university programs regarding the science of reading preparation described in Subsection (3)(b); and (b) (i) develop strategies to provide support for preparation programs with low rates of passage on the required literacy preparation assessment; and (ii) provide increasing levels of support to a preparation program with low rates of passage on the required literacy preparation assessment for two consecutive years.