53F-2-422. Education Support Professional Supplemental Stipend.

379 words·~2 min read·/ut/title-53f/chapter-2/53f-2-422

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

Effective 7/1/2025

(1)As used in this section:

(i)"Education support professional" means an individual:

(A)whom an LEA or RESA employs and directly pays; and

(B)who is assigned to work in a school setting.

(ii)"Education support professional" includes the following categories that an LEA reports to the state board:

(A)instructional paraprofessionals;

(B)library paraprofessionals;

(C)student support; and

(D)school and other support, including employees like janitors, bus drivers, and food service.

(iii)"Education support professional" also includes an individual in LEA or RESA administration or administration support if the individual works exclusively in a school setting supporting students.

(i)"Qualifying employee" means an education support professional who was employed by an LEA or RESA as of September 1, 2025.

(ii)"Qualifying employee" does not include:

(A)a licensed school-level educator;

(B)school district employees who are assigned to work in the central administration of the school district, including superintendents, deputy and assistant superintendents, area and regional directors, curriculum specialists, and support staff; or

(C)individuals with whom an LEA contracts but does not directly pay the individual or report the individual to the state board in annual employment reports.

(c)"Regional education service agency" or "RESA" means the same as that term is defined in Section 53G-4-410 .

(d)"Stipend" means the one-time Education Support Professional Supplemental Stipend.

(2)There is created a one-time Education Support Professional Supplemental Stipend.

(a)Subject to legislative appropriations, the state board shall allocate funds to a qualifying education entity to provide the stipend to qualifying employees as follows:

(i)for an education support professional, $1,000; and

(ii)employer-paid benefits.

(b)The stipend shall be prorated for each employee based on full-time equivalent status.

(c)Notwithstanding Subsection (3)(a) , in the event that an allocation to an LEA or RESA is insufficient to provide the full stipend to each qualifying employee whom the LEA or RESA employs, the LEA or RESA shall reduce the amount of the stipend on a prorated basis.

(4)An LEA or RESA that receives an allocation from the state board under Subsection

(3)shall return any unexpended amounts to the state no later than December 31, 2025.

Enacted by Chapter 165 , 2025 General Session