Summary

Utah HB 139 (Open States or Utah Legislature) establishes a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Action Center Board tasked with creating a STEM Action Center program. It also appropriates funding for education related instructional technology and professional development in the STEM areas.

Legislative Analysis

UT HB 139 establishes a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Action Center Board tasked with creating a STEM Action Center program. The Board will also:

• hire an executive director to oversee the STEM Action Center’s administration;
• select providers, through a request for proposals process, to provide education related instructional technology;
• work with private industry to obtain private funding and support for the STEM Action Center; and
• report to the Education Interim Committee, the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and the State Board of Education once each year.

This legislation requires the executive director of the STEM Action Center to track student achievement and progress in STEM areas.

$1.5 million in ongoing funding is appropriated to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for the establishment of the STEM Action Center. The Office will be responsible for staffing the Board and the STEM Action Center.

HB 139 also appropriates $8.5 million in one-time funding to the Governor’s Office of Economic Development- STEM Action Center for funding education related instructional technology and professional development in the STEM areas for students in grades 6 through 12. State Board of Education staff and STEM Action Center staff will allocate funds to school districts and charter schools that meet certain criteria.

HB 139 has a positive impact on digital learning by emphasizing the importance of the STEM fields and providing funding to study best practices in STEM and their impact on student learning. It will also provide professional development opportunities for teachers and education for parents around STEM issues and enable more students to interact with dynamic, adaptive technology.

Legislative History

Detailed Vote History: Legiscan |  Open States

Approved by Governor Gary Herbert on 4/1/2013