"It's a huge frustration in trying to balance that requirement," agreed Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, and a special-education teacher. "This would help in providing an opportunity for these teachers to come in prior to or after the school year and do a lot of work they are having to do during the school year."

SB35, which also passed the Senate, would set aside $7 million to pay teachers highly qualified in math, science and technology an extra $5,000 a year in hopes of stemming a teacher shortage in those areas.

However, the Utah Education Association and a few lawmakers opposed the idea saying it could lead to divisiveness among educators and that there are other shortage areas too.

But proponents say it is time public education be in step with market forces.

Another measure, SB39, also sponsored by Stephenson, would charge a task force of legislators and education leaders and teachers that would look at issues related to math, science and technology education and bring back a strategic plan for improvement in those areas.

"We have a crisis in remaining the leader economically in the world, and unless we focus on this issue of math, science and technology, that crisis is going to continue," Stephenson said.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com