UTAH
There are 132 school districts in Utah with 995 schools. During the 2021-2022 school year, there were 675,247 students enrolled in K-12 public schools. About 37% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches. There is a school climate survey policy that states that the State Board is responsible for creating a model school climate survey to be used by a Local Educational Agency. Other school policies related to several aspects of school climate include anti-bullying, emergency response plans, suicide prevention programs, violence prevention, an intervention curriculum, and parental participation. Utah has leadership skills programs as well as patriotic, civic, and character development education. There are also several policies regarding social media/internet that require school-level training in digital citizenship.
Safety
Utah Code 53G-8-802. State Safety and Support Program — State board duties.
State board is responsible for creating a model school climate survey that can be used by a Local Educational Agency to assess stakeholder perceptions of the school.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2020/title-53g/chapter-8/part-8/section-802/
Who does this protect? Students, Administrators, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Utah Administrative Code R277-613-2. Definitions.
Provides definitions of bullying, cyberbullying, and hazing as well as behaviors associated with these actions.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-613/r277-613-2/
Utah asks schools to develop and implement procedures to prevent bullying and harassment behavior and the consequences of such behavior. Policies also explain that procedures are needed for reporting an incidence of bullying and investigating it.
- Utah Administrative Code R277-609-4. LEA Responsibility to Develop Plans.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-609/r277-609-4/
Utah Administrative Code R277-613-4. LEA Responsibility to Create or Update Bullying Policies. https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-613/r277-613-4/
- Utah Administrative Code R277-613-5. Reporting and Incident Investigations of Allegations of Bullying, Cyber-bullying, Hazing, and Retaliation.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-613/r277-613-5/
- Utah Administrative Code R277-613-7. Abusive Conduct.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-613/r277-613-7/
- Utah Code 53G-9-606. Model policy and State Board of Education duties.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53g/chapter-9/part-6/section-606/
Utah Code 53G-9-604. Parental notification of certain incidents and threats is required.
Schools need to notify families if a student is involved in an incident of bullying, cyberbullying, hazing, abusive conduct, or retaliation. Families of each student involved in the incident will be notified.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53g/chapter-9/part-6/section-604/
Utah Code 53G-9-602. Bullying, hazing, and cyberbullying are prohibited. Utah anti-bullying laws cover conduct that occurs on school property, events sponsored by the school, and off-school property.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53g/chapter-9/part-6/section-602/
Who does this protect? Students, Teachers
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Utah schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Utah Administrative Code R277-400-3. Establishing LEA Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Response Plans.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-3/
- Utah Administrative Code R277-400-5. Plan Content–Educational Services and Student Supervision and Building Access.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-5/
- Utah Code 53G-4-402. Powers and duties generally.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53g/chapter-4/part-4/section-402/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-8. Prevention and Intervention.
A Local Educational Agency shall provide comprehensive violence prevention and intervention strategies as part of a school’s regular curriculum. The curriculum will include resource lessons and materials on anger management, conflict resolution, and respect for diversity and other cultures.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-8/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-7. Emergency Response Review and Coordination.
Provide annual training for Local Educational agencies and school building staff regarding an employee’s roles, responsibilities, and priorities in the emergency response plan and conduct at least one annual drill for school emergencies.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-7/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-6. Emergency Preparedness Training for School Occupants.
The plan shall provide procedures for a student to receive age-appropriate emergency preparedness training including rescue techniques, first aid, safety measures appropriate for specific emergencies, etc.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-8/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-7. Emergency Response Review and Coordination.
Provide annual training for Local Educational agencies and school building staff regarding an employee’s roles, responsibilities, and priorities in the emergency response plan and conduct at least one annual drill for school emergencies.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-7/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-6. Emergency Preparedness Training for School Occupants. The plan shall provide procedures for a student to receive age-appropriate emergency preparedness training including rescue techniques, first aid, safety measures appropriate for specific emergencies, etc.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-6/
Utah Code 505.5 – Possession of a dangerous weapon, firearm, or short-barreled shotgun on or about school premises — Penalties.
A person may not possess any dangerous weapon, firearm, or short-barreled shotgun on school grounds unless they have permission from a school administrator.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-76/chapter-10/part-5/section-505-5/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Teaching/Learning
Utah Code 53E-7-204. State board special education authority and duties — Rulemaking.
The state board shall have general control and supervision over all public educational programs in the state for students who are eligible for special education services.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53e/chapter-7/part-2/section-204/
Who does this protect? Students, Students with disabilities
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Interpersonal Relationships
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-8. Prevention and Intervention.
A Local Educational Agency shall provide comprehensive violence prevention and intervention strategies as part of a school’s regular curriculum. The curriculum will include respect for diversity and other cultures.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-8/
Utah Administrative Code R277-613-4. LEA Responsibility to Create or Update Bullying Policies.
School policies need to prohibit discrimination based on students’ or employees’ actual or perceived characteristics, including race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other physical or mental attributes or conformance or failure to conform with stereotypes.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-613/r277-613-4/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff and Students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ staff and students, staff and students of color
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Institutional Environments
Utah Code 53E-2-302. Characteristics of the public education system.
Emphasizes the involvement of educators, parents, business partnerships, and the community at large in the educational process by allowing them to be involved in establishing and implementing educational goals and participating in decision-making at the school site.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53e/chapter-2/part-3/section-302/
Utah Code 53E-2-303. Parental participation in the educational process — Employer support.
Each local school board shall adopt a policy on parental involvement in the schools of the district. The policy should be designed to build consistent and effective communication between parents, teachers, and administrators. It should provide parents with opportunities to be more involved with their children’s education.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53e/chapter-2/part-3/section-303/
Who does this protect? Parents
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? Yes
Utah schools need to develop plans for dealing with emergencies.
- Utah Administrative Code R277-400-3. Establishing LEA Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Response Plans.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-3/
- Utah Administrative Code R277-400-5. Plan Content–Educational Services and Student Supervision and Building Access.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-5/
- Utah Code 53G-4-402. Powers and duties generally.
https://law.justia.com/codes/utah/2021/title-53g/chapter-4/part-4/section-402/
Administrative Code R277-400-7. Emergency Response Review and Coordination.
Provide annual training for Local Educational agencies and school building staff regarding an employee’s roles, responsibilities, and priorities in the emergency response plan and conduct at least one annual drill for school emergencies.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-7/
Utah Administrative Code R277-400-6. Emergency Preparedness Training for School Occupants.
The plan shall provide procedures for a student to receive age-appropriate emergency preparedness training including rescue techniques, first aid, safety measures appropriate for specific emergencies, etc.
https://regulations.justia.com/states/utah/education/title-r277/rule-r277-400/r277-400-6/
Who does this protect? Students, Staff
Does this policy include ways for families to be involved? No
Social Media
There is currently no policy surrounding Leadership in Utah. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School
There is currently no policy surrounding Professional Relationships in Utah. For more information on school climate, please visit us at Services – National School