Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 352: Higher Education Alignment

HB 352 requires Utah's public higher education institutions to organize into geographic regions containing at least one degree-granting institution and one technical college per region. It mandates the Utah Board of Higher Education to establish regional groupings, report to the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee by August 2026, and ensure horizontal (collaboration between similar institutions) and vertical (integration across education levels) integration. Key provisions include creating clear transfer paths for credits, stackable programs that build sequentially, and shared services like admissions and student support. This affects all public higher education institutions in Utah, including research universities (e.g., University of Utah, Utah State), regional universities (e.g., Weber State, Utah Valley), community colleges (e.g., Salt Lake Community College), and technical colleges. The bill amends Utah Code Section 53H-3-602 to formalize these regional alignment requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates regional integration of higher education institutions to improve collaboration and vertical alignment, strengthening system coordination.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 293: Public Education Student Athlete Protections

HB 293 prohibits Utah public schools from joining athletic associations that fail to include specific student athlete protections. The bill requires associations to mandate holiday breaks, summer rest periods, and limit practice time to 15 hours per week. It also sets documentation standards for verifying student eligibility, with accommodations for non-citizen students (using alternative IDs or affidavits) and homeless youth (using school records or affidavits). This directly affects public schools and the athletic associations they partner with, ensuring associations comply with these policies before schools can participate.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates student athlete protections including rest periods, practice limits, and eligibility documentation, directly enhancing student health/safety within K-12 athletics per bill's requirements.95% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationBill explicitly allows non-citizen students alternative IDs/affidavits for eligibility, enabling access to school sports programs.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 216: Higher Education Performance and Enrollment Funding

SB 216 proposes adjusting state funding for public colleges based on changes in student enrollment trends. It would calculate funding by comparing five-year average enrollment data (for resident students) between two consecutive five-year periods and adjusting support based on whether enrollment increased or decreased. This funding mechanism directly affects public higher education institutions in the state, tying their state appropriations to measurable enrollment performance. The bill is currently under review by the Senate Education Committee and has not yet become law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesTies state appropriations to enrollment performance, directly managing budget allocation for higher education institutions.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill adjusts state funding for public colleges based on enrollment trends, linking appropriations to performance metrics rather than cutting funds.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 143: Special Education Amendments

HB 143 requires Utah school districts to provide parents of students in special education with written notice at least 30 days before changing a student’s special education placement due to a boundary change (like moving to a new school). The notice must include details about the change’s reason, new location, timeline, contact information, and options for discussing it or scheduling an IEP meeting. It directly affects parents of students in special education programs whose school assignments are altered. The bill creates a clear process for districts to communicate these changes while giving parents time to provide input before decisions are finalized.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates parental notice for special education placement changes, enhancing transparency and protection in IEP processes for students with disabilities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 52: Substitute Teaching Requirements Amendments

SB 52 removes the requirement for a teaching license for long-term substitute teachers in Utah school districts. This change directly affects school districts hiring substitutes and non-licensed individuals seeking long-term substitute roles. The bill eliminates the previous restriction limiting non-licensed substitutes to 20 days per school year, while maintaining background checks and requiring districts to prioritize licensed educators when available. It amends Utah Code Section 53E-6-901 and takes effect May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves teaching license requirement for long-term substitutes, easing school staffing while maintaining background checks and prioritizing licensed educators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 54: Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments

SB 54 amends Utah's Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program to make it more accessible. It removes income-based eligibility requirements (affecting low-income families) and eliminates eligibility for siblings. The bill aligns the program with Utah's Fits All Scholarship Program by allowing scholarship organizations to approve private schools and providers, requiring physical education and extracurricular caps, and adding primary residency verification. These changes streamline administration and clarify eligibility without appropriating new funds.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves income-based eligibility for low-income families in K-12 scholarship program, expanding educational access and aligning with broader scholarship initiatives.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 51: School Safety Modifications

SB 51 creates a statewide system for Utah schools to share information about student threats. Local schools (LEAs) must report specific threat-related data to the State Board of Education, which can then share this information with other schools to improve safety coordination. The bill includes privacy protections for students, immunity for schools reporting in good faith, and clear rules for data collection and deletion. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, and does not appropriate new funding.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates statewide safety data sharing for schools, directly addressing student health and safety (a core Education topic) with privacy protections and immunity for reporting.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyIncludes explicit privacy protections for student data in a statewide reporting system, aligning with data privacy focus of Technology topic.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 62: School Finance Amendments

SB 62 modifies Utah's school funding formula to adjust how districts calculate weighted pupil units (WPU) for state funding. It replaces the previous "prior year plus growth" method with a new rule: funding calculations will use the higher of either (1) the prior year's enrollment adjusted for actual growth or (2) the current school year's October enrollment count. This change directly affects public school districts and charter schools by altering how their student enrollment data influences annual funding amounts. The bill makes no new money appropriations but changes the calculation method, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesModifies school funding formula to increase state allocation for education via enrollment-based calculation, strengthening public school financing.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill revises school funding formula to use higher enrollment data for state funding calculations, potentially increasing resources for schools without explicit cuts or restrictions.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 88: School Technology Amendments

SB 88 amends Utah's public school internet policies to require school boards to adopt specific procedures. It directly affects public schools, parents, and students by mandating that school boards: (1) adopt policies restricting obscene content, (2) implement a parent-accessible monitoring system for student device activity, and (3) use a preapproved content filtering system when parents request it. The bill also requires school boards to review policies every three years and post them visibly in schools. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and does not appropriate new funding.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates content filtering and monitoring to protect students from obscene material in school internet use, aligning with protective education safeguards.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyMandates content filtering and monitoring, restricting internet access to obscene content per bill requirements.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 273: Classroom Technology Amendments

HB 273 requires Utah's State Board of Education to develop model policies for technology and artificial intelligence use in public schools, directly affecting all Utah public schools, teachers, and students. Key provisions include adding artificial intelligence standards to core computer science curriculum, establishing grade-level technology use requirements, creating a model for balanced technology integration, and allowing high schools to offer AI-focused "sandbox" courses. The bill also mandates reporting on implementation and exempts certain student groups from grade-level tech requirements, with no new state funding allocated.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds AI curriculum standards, mandates tech integration models, enables AI-focused courses - advancing educational technology in K-12.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates AI curriculum standards, grade-level tech requirements, and AI 'sandbox' courses in schools, directly advancing technology integration in education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education