NOTICE OF SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE
TYPE OF FILING: Amendment
1. Agency Information
Education, Administration
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200
2. Contact Persons
Elisse.newey@schools.utah.gov
Please address questions regarding information on this notice to the persons listed above.
3. General Information
A. Rule or section catchline:
R277-326. Early Literacy Coaches
B. Purpose of the new rule or reason for the change:
The amendments are a result of the passage of SB 241 and HB 312 during the 2026 General Session.
C. Summary of the new rule or change:
The amendments restructure the delivery of early literacy coaching statewide.
The amendments shift responsibility for providing, training, and assigning literacy coaches from the Superintendent to regional education service agencies and school districts, remove provisions related to centralized assignment and prioritization of coaches, update definitions and responsibilities to reflect the new locally administered model, align this rule with statutory requirements related to science of reading instruction and professional learning, and incorporate a future requirement for literacy coaches to support integration of social studies content into literacy instruction beginning in the 2028–2029 school year, as required by HB 312 (School Curriculum and Standards Modifications).
The amendments also remove the oversight categorization of "exempt".
4. Legislative Action Information
A. Are any changes in this filing
because of state legislative action?
Changes are because of legislative action.
B. If yes, any bill number and
session:
SB 241 and HB 312 (2026 General Session)
5. Fiscal Information
Provide an estimate and written explanation of the aggregate anticipated cost or savings to:
This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on state government revenues or expenditures.
Removing the internal organizational oversight designation is purely a technical, text-cleaning measure.
The other rule changes are due to the passage of SB 241 and HB 312 (2026). The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) believes that all fiscal impacts were captured in the fiscal note to HB 312 and SB 241 (2026) and this rule does not create any other fiscal impacts for the state, Local Education Agencies (LEAs), or other persons or entities.
This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on local governments' revenues or expenditures.
Removing the internal organizational oversight designation is purely a technical, text-cleaning measure.
The other rule changes are due to the passage of SB 241 and HB 312 (2026). The USBE believes that all fiscal impacts were captured in the fiscal note to HB 312 and SB 241 (2026) and this rule does not create any other fiscal impacts for the state, LEAs, or other persons or entities.
C. Small businesses ("small business" means a business employing 1-49 persons):
This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impact on small businesses' revenues or expenditures.
This only applies to the USBE and LEAs.
D. Non-small businesses ("non-small business" means a business employing 50 or more persons):
There are no non-small businesses in the industry in question, Elementary and Secondary Schools (North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 611110). Because there are no non-small businesses, they do not account for any service delivery for Elementary and Secondary Schools. Therefore, non-small businesses are not expected to receive increased or decreased revenues per year. This proposed rule change is not expected to have any fiscal impact on non-small businesses' revenues or expenditures because there are no applicable non-small businesses, and it does not require any expenditures of, or generate revenue for non-small businesses.
E. Persons other than small businesses, non-small businesses, state, or local government entities ("person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, association, governmental entity, or public or private organization of any character other than an agency):
This rule change is not expected to have fiscal impacts on revenues or expenditures for persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local government entities.
Removing the internal organizational oversight designation is purely a technical, text-cleaning measure.
The other rule changes are due to the passage of SB 241 and HB 312 (2026). The USBE believes that all fiscal impacts were captured in the fiscal note to HB 312 and SB 241 (2026) and this rule does not create any other fiscal impacts for the state, LEAs, or other persons or entities.
F. Compliance costs for affected persons:
There are no compliance costs for affected persons. Removing the internal organizational oversight designation is purely a technical, text-cleaning measure. The other rule changes are due to the passage of SB 241 and HB 312 (2026). The USBE believes that all fiscal impacts were captured in the fiscal note to HB 312 and SB 241 (2026) and this rule does not create any other fiscal impacts for the state, LEAs, or other persons or entities.
6. Regulatory Impact Summary Table
Enter the cost or savings in the relevant cell. If there is no cost or savings, enter, "$0." If a cost or savings is inestimable, enter, "inestimable."
7. Regulatory Impact Analysis Approval
The State Superintendent of the Utah State Board of Education, Molly Hart, has reviewed and approved this regulatory impact analysis.
8. Family Impact Information
A. The agency has considered this rule's impact on family health, stability, and formation:
9. Citation Information
Provide citations to the statutory authority for the rule. If there is also a federal requirement for the rule, provide a citation to that requirement:
Utah Constitution, Article X, Section 3
11. Public Notice Information
The public may submit written or oral comments to the agency identified in box 1.
A. Comments will be accepted until:
12. Effective Date Information
This rule change MAY become effective on:
(NOTE: This is the date the agency anticipates making the filing effective. It is NOT the effective date)
13. Agency Authorization Information
Agency head or
designee and title:
Elisse Newey, Deputy Superintendent of Policy
R277. Education, Administration. R277-326. Early Literacy Coaches.
R277-326-1. Authority[,] and Purpose[, and Oversight Category]. (1) This rule is authorized by:
(a) Utah Constitution Article X, Section 3, which vests general control and supervision over public education in the Board;
(b) Subsection 53E-3-401(4), which allows the Board to make rules to execute the Board's duties and responsibilities under the Utah Constitution and state law; and
(c) [Subsection 53E-3-1002(2), which directs the Board to make rules to allocate]Section 53F-2-424, which establishes funding for early literacy coaches, and Subsection 53E-3-401(4), which authorizes the Board to make rules to administer and allocate funding for early literacy coaches. (2) The purpose of this rule is to establish criteria [for assignment]and minimum requirements of early literacy coaches in accordance with Section [53E-3-1002]53G-10-804. [(3) This Rule R277-326 is categorized as exempt as described in Rule R277-111.] R277-326-2. Definitions.
"Early literacy coach" means [a coach provided by the Board to assist LEAs with early literacy in accordance with Section 53E-3-1002]an individual who provides early literacy coaching to educators in kindergarten through grade 3 in accordance with Section 53G-10-804. R277-326-3. Early Literacy Coaches.
(1)(a) [The Superintendent shall provide, train, and assign early literacy coaches in accordance with Section 53E-3-1002]Each regional education service agency and each school district that is not within a regional education service agency shall provide, train, and assign early literacy coaches in accordance with Section 53G-10-804. (b) An early literacy coach shall meet minimum qualifications established by the [Superintendent.]Board including: (i) training in the science of reading; (ii) training in adult learning theory; (iii) data analysis training and experience, including in the benchmark reading assessment; (iv) experience providing professional learning to adults; (v) a master's degree in education is preferred; and (vi) a minimum of five years of elementary teaching experience is preferred. (c) An early literacy coach [may]shall perform responsibilities [as directed by the Superintendent]consistent with Section 53G-10-804 and as directed by the employing regional education service agency or school district including those identified in [Subsections 53E-3-1002(2)(c)(i) through (viii).]Subsections 53G-10-804(2)(b)(i) through (viii), and beginning in the 2028-2029 school year, support the integration of social studies content into literacy instruction to enhance reading comprehension and content knowledge, in alignment with Section 53E-4-205. (d) An early literacy coach may not undertake duties unrelated to literacy coaches, as outlined in [Subsection 53E-3-1002(2)(d)]Section 53G-10-804. (2) An LEA receiving funds for early literacy coaches may not charge indirect costs.
[(3)(a) The Superintendent will determine which schools qualify for assistance from early literacy coaches taking into account the previous year's end-of year assessment data from: (i) Acadience Reading, benchmark, and growth; and (ii) RISE, English Language Arts proficiency. (b) The Superintendent shall exclude data: (i) for students who were not enrolled a full academic year; and (ii) for schools scheduled to close the following year. (4)(a) The Superintendent shall prioritize services under this program for schools identified in Subsections 53E-3-1002(a)(i) and (ii).] (3) A regional education service agency or school district shall ensure that early literacy coaching supports: (a) professional learning in the science of reading for: (i) educators in kindergarten through grade 3; and (ii) elementary principals and vice principals; (b) coaching of educators in kindergarten through grade 3; and (c) training of paraprofessionals consistent with Section 53G-10-804.KEY: professional learning, prek-3, early learning, teacher development
Date of Last Change: 2026[August 7, 2025] Notice of Continuation: June 10, 2025
Authorizing, and Implemented, or Interpreted Law: Art X Sec 3; 53E-3-401(4); 53F-5-214
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