Effective 5/4/2022
35A-15-202. Elements of a high quality school readiness program.
35A-15-202. Elements of a high quality school readiness program.
- (1) A high quality school readiness program that an eligible LEA or eligible private provider runs shall include:
- (a) an evidence-based curriculum that is aligned with all of the developmental domains and academic content areas defined in the Utah core standards for preschool that the State Board of Education adopts, and that incorporates:
- (i) intentional and differentiated instruction in whole group, small group, and child-directed learning; and
- (ii) intentional instruction in key areas of literacy and numeracy, as determined by the State Board of Education, that:
- (A) is teacher led or through a partnership with a contractor as defined in Section 53F-4-401;
- (B) includes specific literary and numeracy skills, such as phonological awareness; and
- (C) includes provider monitoring and ongoing professional learning and coaching;
- (b) ongoing, focused, and intensive professional development for staff of the school readiness program;
- (c) ongoing assessment of a student’s educational growth and development that:
- (i) is aligned to the Utah core standards for preschool that the State Board of Education adopts; and
- (ii) evaluates student progress to inform instruction;
- (d) administration of the school readiness assessment to each student;
- (e) for a preschool program that an eligible LEA runs, a class size that does not exceed 20 students, with one adult for every 10 students in the class;
- (f) ongoing program evaluation and data collection to monitor program goal achievement and implementation of required program components;
- (g) family engagement, including ongoing communication between home and school, and parent education opportunities based on each family’s circumstances;
- (h) only lead teachers who, by the lead teacher’s second year, obtain at least:
- (i) the minimum standard of a child development associate certification; or
- (ii) an associate or bachelor’s degree in an early childhood education related field; and
- (i) a kindergarten transition plan.
- (a) an evidence-based curriculum that is aligned with all of the developmental domains and academic content areas defined in the Utah core standards for preschool that the State Board of Education adopts, and that incorporates:
- (2) A high quality school readiness program that a home-based educational technology provider runs shall:
- (a) be an evidence-based and age appropriate individualized interactive instruction assessment and feedback technology program that teaches eligible students early learning skills needed to be successful upon entry into kindergarten;
- (b) require regular parental engagement with the student in the student’s use of the home-based educational technology program;
- (c) be aligned with the Utah core standards for preschool that the State Board of Education adopts;
- (d) require the administration of a pre- and post-assessment of each student whose parent or legal guardian consents to the assessment that, for a home-based technology program that receives funding under this part, is designated by the board in accordance with Section 35A-15-402; and
- (e) require technology providers to ensure successful implementation and utilization of the technology program.
Amended by Chapter 348, 2022 General Session