Section 201 – Establishment of the School Readiness Board — Membership — Funding prioritization.

• (1) There is created the School Readiness Board within the department composed of:
  • (a) the executive director or the executive director’s designee;
  • (b) one member appointed by the State Board of Education;
  • (c) one member appointed by the chair of the State Charter School Board;
  • (d) two members who have research experience in the area of early childhood development, with:
    • (i) one member who is not a legislator and is appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; and
    • (ii) one member who represents the Utah Data Research Center created in Section 53B-33-201, appointed by the commissioner of higher education;
  • (e) one member, who is not a legislator and is appointed by the president of the Senate, who:
    • (i) has expertise in results-based contracts; or
    • (ii) represents a financial institution that has experience managing a portfolio that meets the requirements of the Community Reinvestment Act, 12 U.S.C. Sec. 2901 et seq.;
  • (f) one member, appointed by the executive director, who has expertise in early childhood education;
  • (g) one member, appointed by the state superintendent, who has expertise in early childhood education;
  • (h) one member, appointed by the governor, who represents a nonprofit corporation that focuses on early childhood education; and
  • (i) one member, appointed by the executive director, who owns and operates a licensed child care center located in the state.

• (2)
  • (a) A member described in Subsection (1)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h) shall serve for a term of two years.
  • (b) If a vacancy occurs for a member described in Subsection (1)(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), or (h), the individual appointing the member shall appoint a replacement to serve the remainder of the member’s term.

• (3)
  • (a) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member’s service.
  • (b) A member may serve more than one term.

• (4) The department shall provide staff support to the board.

• (5)
  • (a) The board members shall elect a chair of the board from the board’s membership.
  • (b) The board shall meet upon the call of the chair or a majority of the board members.

• (6) In allocating funding received under this chapter, the board shall:
  • (a) give first priority to repayment of an investor who is a party to a results-based contract under the Laws of Utah, 2014, Chapter 304, Section 10; and
  • (b) determine prioritization of funding for the remaining programs described in this chapter.

Amended by Chapter 461, 2022 General Session