Education

signed · Utah · House Feb 27, 2026

HB 75: American Indian and Alaska Native Education Amendments

HB 75 amends Utah's education laws to better support American Indian and Alaska Native students. It defines "American Indian and Alaska Native concentrated schools" (those with ≥29% Native students), expands grant eligibility for schools serving these students (prioritizing certain counties), and requires the state board to adopt a specific education plan by 2027. The bill mandates annual reporting to the Native American Legislative Liaison Committee on grant use, program effectiveness, and plan implementation. It updates existing grant rules and creates new reporting requirements without appropriating new funds. The policy directly affects Utah schools with significant Native student populations and tribal communities through improved resource targeting and accountability.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands grant eligibility for Native-serving schools, mandates education plan adoption, and requires annual reporting on program effectiveness to improve educational access and support for American Indian/Alaska Native students.95% confidence

Tags Tribal Nations

failed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 43: School Security Amendments

HB 43 creates Utah's School Safety Support Program to fund school safety measures like personnel, infrastructure, and emergency protocols. It directs state funding to school districts and charter schools based on enrollment (with a 20% equal share for all charters and 80% per student), requiring schools to submit safety plans and annual reports to receive funds. The bill protects this program from funding cuts during enrollment declines and adds it to existing education programs eligible for annual inflation adjustments. No new money is appropriated - funding comes from existing state education budgets. The program applies to all public schools meeting safety requirements under Utah's School Security Act.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates state funds for school safety program, protects from budget cuts, and directs appropriations toward K-12 safety measures per enrollment metrics.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state-funded school safety program with mandatory safety plans and protected funding, directly supporting school infrastructure and operations under education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

Track

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 58: Public School Attendance Amendments

SB 58 requires public schools to address chronic absenteeism and academic needs through specific, funded programs. School principals must provide written compliance assurances, and school councils must create detailed plans using allocated funds to target the school’s most critical academic needs and absenteeism. These plans must include specific programs, materials, or staff training (like attendance plans, academic recovery programs, and staff development) with measurable goals for improving student performance. The bill directly affects public schools, their councils, and principals by mandating structured, accountable approaches to attendance and academic improvement.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates funded programs for absenteeism and academic recovery, requiring allocated funds and measurable goals to improve school performance per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

introduced · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 121: School Fee Amendments

HB 121 clarifies which courses schools cannot charge fees for by updating definitions in Utah law. It specifically adds "science" to the list of core subjects (alongside English, health, math, and social studies) where fees are prohibited for courses that grant credit or a grade. This directly affects secondary schools (grades 7-12) and students enrolled in these required science courses, ensuring schools cannot require fees for them. The bill makes a technical correction to existing definitions without introducing new requirements or costs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents schools from charging fees for required science courses, removing financial barriers to core education access in grades 7-12.95% confidence

Track

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

Sub-Topics Teachers

signed · Utah · House Feb 27, 2026

HB 55: Privacy Compliance for Education Technology Vendors

HB 55 requires schools and government agencies contracting with education technology vendors to include specific privacy clauses in their agreements. It mandates that if a vendor illegally sells student data (violating state or federal law), the school must notify the vendor within 30 days and terminate the contract if the violation isn’t fixed within another 30 days. The bill also prohibits vendors from charging fees or seeking damages for contract termination due to privacy violations and repeals a prior provision allowing vendors to respond to student feedback requests. This directly affects schools, their ed tech vendors, and student data privacy protections under Utah law.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProtects student data privacy in ed tech contracts, mandating termination for violations and prohibiting vendor fees for breaches, strengthening student privacy safeguards in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates privacy clauses for edtech vendors, requires contract termination for illegal data sales, and protects student data privacy per bill's core provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Consumer Data Protection Data Privacy

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

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

introduced · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 109: Utah Fits All Scholarship Program Alterations

HB 109 modifies Utah's Fits All Scholarship Program to prevent grade repetition for students using scholarship funds. It updates program rules in Utah Code sections 53F-6-402, 403, and 405 without adding new funding. The bill affects families using scholarships for private or home-based education, maintaining annual limits ($8,000 for private schools, $4,000-$6,000 for home-based students). Key changes include adjusting how unused scholarship funds are redistributed when students exit mid-year and clarifying accountability requirements for continued eligibility. The bill does not alter scholarship amounts or eligibility criteria but refines program administration.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationPrevents grade repetition for scholarship students, maintaining educational access to private/home education without reducing funding limits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Financial Aid

Track

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

Sub-Topics School Funding