UT Code § 53F-4-203 (2021)
2021 Utah Code|Title 53F - Public Education System -- Funding|Chapter 4 - State Funding -- Contracted Initiatives|Part 2 - Contracts|Section 203 - Early interactive reading software -- Independent evaluator.

 Effective 5/12/2020  53F-4-203. Early interactive reading software -- Independent evaluator.    (1)   (a) Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall select and contract with one or more technology providers, through a request for proposals process, to provide early interactive reading software for literacy instruction and assessments for students in kindergarten through grade 3.     (b) By August 1 of each year, the state board shall distribute licenses for early interactive reading software described in Subsection (1)(a) to the school districts and charter schools of LEA governing boards that apply for the licenses.     (c) Except as provided in state board rule, a school district or charter school that received a license described in Subsection (1)(b) during the prior year shall be given first priority to receive an equivalent license during the current year.     (d) Licenses distributed to school districts and charter schools in addition to the licenses described in Subsection (1)(c) shall be distributed through a competitive process.       (2) A public school that receives a license described in Subsection (1)(b) shall use the license for a student in kindergarten or grade 1, 2, or 3:   (a) for intervention for the student if the student is reading below grade level; or     (b) for advancement beyond grade level for the student if the student is reading at or above grade level.       (3)   (a) On or before August 1 of each year, the state board shall select and contract with an independent evaluator, through a request for proposals process, to act as an independent contractor to evaluate early interactive reading software provided under this section.     (b) The state board shall ensure that a contract with an independent evaluator requires the independent evaluator to:   (i) evaluate a student's learning gains as a result of using early interactive reading software provided under Subsection (1);     (ii) for the evaluation under Subsection (3)(b)(i), use an assessment that is not developed by a provider of early interactive reading software; and     (iii) determine the extent to which a public school uses the early interactive reading software.       (c) The state board and the independent evaluator selected under Subsection (3)(a) shall submit a report on the results of the evaluation in accordance with Section 53E-1-201.       (4) The state board may acquire an analytical software program that:   (a) monitors, for an individual school, early intervention interactive reading software use and the associated impact on student performance; and     (b) analyzes the information gathered under Subsection (4)(a) to prescribe individual school usage time to maximize the beneficial impact on student performance.       (5) The state board may use up to 4% of the appropriation provided under Subsection (1)(a):   (a) to contract with an independent evaluator selected under Subsection (3)(a); and     (b) for administrative costs associated with this section.      Amended by Chapter 324, 2020 General Session