Utah Code § 53F-5-225 — Utah Code / Title 53F / Chapter 53F-5 / § 53F-5-225
§ 53F-5-225. Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program.
Status: in_force

7/1/2026 (1) As used in this section: (a) "Eligible school" means a district or charter elementary school that: (i) provides instruction to students in kindergarten or grade 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; and (ii) is located in a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class as described in Section 17-60-104. (b) "Gold medal recognition award" means recognition through a certificate the state board awards to an eligible school that meets the physical education criteria the state board establishes under this section. (c) "Program" means the Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program created in Subsection (2). (2) There is created a five-year pilot program, known as the Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program, to provide funding to an eligible school to promote healthy physical lifestyle choices by a student in an eligible school and improve the physical education, physical activity, and nutrition of a student by: (a) encouraging a student to engage in regular physical activity; (b) promoting healthy eating habits and food choices in an eligible school; and (c) creating school policies that support lifelong health and wellness for students. (3) The state board shall: (a) if the Department of Health and Human Services receives federal funding related to the program in an amount to cover the program, administer and oversee the program; and (b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, make rules to: (i) establish physical education criteria for a participating, eligible school, including criteria for earning a gold medal recognition award, that: (A) achieve the purpose of the program as described in Subsection (2); and (B) apply alternate criteria to a student with a physical limitation; (ii) select eligible schools to participate in the program, prioritizing schools that: (A) demonstrate the greatest need for health improvement; (B) submit an application in accordance with Subsection (4) that outlines measurable health goals and evidence-based strategies; and (C) establish partnerships with local entities to support student health and wellness; (iii) subject to legislative appropriations, award the program funds equally between each eligible school the state board selects under Subsection (3)(b): (A) that meets the physical education criteria the state board establishes; and (B) in accordance with the requirements of this section; (iv) create an application process for an eligible school to participate in the program; (v) establish limitations on eligible school use of funds an eligible school receives through the program that emphasize physical activity and healthy eating habits; (vi) begin program implementation for the 2027-28 school year; (vii) grant a participating eligible school autonomy to implement the program in accordance with local needs and resources; and (viii) establish a system to distribute program funds to the participating eligible school, including a percentage cap for an eligible school's administration of the program. (4) (a) An eligible school may submit an application to participate in the program. (b) In the eligible school's application, the eligible school shall: (i) describe how the eligible school will implement the program's objectives; and (ii) outline measurable goals aligned with the program's purpose. (c) An eligible school that the state board selects to participate in the program shall, at the conclusion of each school year, submit a report to the state board demonstrating whether the school has met the physical education criteria the state board establishes for the program. (5) An eligible school that participates in the program may only use program funds to achieve the purposes described in Subsection (2). (6) The state board may use up to 6.25% of the money appropriated for the purposes described in this section for administrative costs of the state board. (7) Upon request of the Education Interim Committee or the Health and Human Services Interim Committee, the state board shall report to the Education Interim Committee or the Health and Human Services Interim Committee on: (a) the implementation of the program; and (b) the program's progress and health outcomes.