Course Choice Empowerment

Added comprehensive long title with highlighted provisions explaining the bill's purpose and effects

Included sponsor information and session details in the header

Reorganized document structure with new page numbering and formatting

Removed original House Amendments header and committee amendment notation

Added page breaks and spacing for improved readability

Added language allowing educational entities to consider licensing terms including source code availability, modification rights, redistribution rights, warranties, and intellectual property indemnification when procuring software and hardware.

Reordered subsection numbering from (5) to (4) to align with the new content structure regarding procurement considerations.

Created a new Utah Private Course Choice Empowerment program (Section 53F-6-501) specifically for private school and home school students, separate from the existing Statewide Online Education Program.

Required separate funding streams for the new private school program, distinct from public education appropriations, with specific administrative cost caps based on appropriation amounts.

Established a new 'program manager' role that must be contracted independently to administer the private school program, with specific duties including provider approval, course oversight, and annual performance reporting.

Required program managers to maintain detailed financial records, conduct regular compliance audits, perform provider site visits at least once per academic year, and provide annual performance reports to the Education Interim Committee.

Created a 'contract administrator' role within the Department of Operations to oversee program manager compliance, conduct audits, and enforce contractual obligations.

Established enforcement mechanisms including written notice for violations, 60-day correction periods, potential program bar for non-compliance, and appeal rights through the Administrative Procedures Act.

Added new definitions for 'blended learning,' 'contract administrator,' 'contract oversight and compliance,' 'contracted entity,' and 'program manager' to support the new program structure.

Removed references to a contractor from the Statewide Online Education Program statute and replaced with more neutral language about program administration.

Set specific deadlines including April 1, 2025 for contracting a program manager, July 1, 2024 for allowing existing Statewide Online Education Program providers to participate, and May 7, 2025 for the bill's effective date.

Modified eligibility criteria to distinguish between public school students (Statewide Online Education Program) and private school/home school students (Private Course Choice Empowerment program), with different credit limits for scholarship students.

Created a new Utah Private Course Choice Empowerment program specifically for private school and home school students, separate from the existing Statewide Online Education Program.

Established a new 'program manager' role that must be contracted by the State Board of Education to administer the private school program, with oversight by a 'contract administrator'.

Added new requirements for educational software and hardware procurement neutrality, requiring educational entities to evaluate products based on performance and value rather than provider type.

Updated definitions to distinguish between 'Statewide Online Education Program' (public school focus) and the new 'Utah Private Course Choice Empowerment program' (private school focus).

Required that the new private school program receive separate funding from public education programs, with specific administrative cost percentages based on appropriation size.

Set specific deadlines including April 1, 2025 for contracting a program manager, and May 7, 2025 as the effective date for the bill.

Created enforcement mechanisms including a 60-day correction period for program manager violations and provisions for barring non-compliant managers from the program.

Made technical formatting changes and removed references to a contractor from the Statewide Online Education Program statute.

Expanded educational software procurement standards to include hardware procurement requirements.

Created a new Utah Private Course Choice Empowerment program specifically for private school and home school students.

Established a new contract administrator role to oversee program implementation and ensure separation between government oversight and independent program operations.

Added provisions for contract oversight and compliance, including regular compliance audits and annual performance evaluations of the program manager.

Set a deadline of April 1, 2025 for the state board to enter into agreements with program managers for the new private school program.

Requires separate funding from public education programs for the private school online course choice program.

Added new definitions including 'blended learning,' 'contract administrator,' 'contract oversight and compliance,' and 'contracted entity.'

Created a new Utah Home and Private Course Choice Empowerment program specifically for private school and home school students, separate from the existing Statewide Online Education Program for public school students.

Established separate funding streams for private/home school online courses, preventing them from being commingled with public education appropriations.

Requires an independent program manager (contracted by the State Board) to oversee course providers, approve courses, manage payments, and report annually on program performance.

Added new procurement neutrality standards requiring educational entities to evaluate software and hardware based on performance and value rather than vendor type or licensing model.

Clarified eligibility criteria for online courses, including specific provisions for exchange students and students with IEPs or Section 504 accommodations.

Established performance metrics and compliance requirements for course providers, including completion rates, student reviews, and regular site visits.

Set implementation deadlines including July 1, 2025 for contracting a program manager and May 7, 2025 for the bill's effective date.

Updated definitions to distinguish between 'authorized online course providers' and 'certified online course providers' and added new definitions for program manager and blended learning.