SB 35 Utah Senate · 2025 General Session

Statewide Online Education Program Modifications

SB 35 amends Utah's Statewide Online Education Program to improve funding for small public high schools (under 1,000 students) that struggle to offer advanced courses like AP, IB, or concurrent enrollment due to enrollment size, geographic isolation, staffing limits, or budget constraints. It requires the state board to create a prioritized funding system based on these needs, implement an annual assessment to adjust funding, and mandate schools receiving funds to report on course usage, student participation, and achievement. The bill does not appropriate new money but modifies how existing funds are distributed and requires annual reports to the Education Interim Committee. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed Mar 27, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 27, 2025
MODERATE
This bill modifies Utah's Statewide Online Education Program to prioritize funding for small high schools (fewer than 1,000 students) that cannot offer certain courses due to size, isolation, or staffing limitations. The state board must now establish a ranked distribution system based on demonstrated need and create an annual assessment process to adjust funding priorities. The bill also adds reporting requirements for recipient schools and requires the Education Interim Committee to receive regular updates on program performance.
Scope change
The bill specifically targets small public high schools with fewer than 1,000 students that previously may not have been prioritized for online course funding under the Statewide Online Education Program.
FISCAL

Requires the state board to establish a prioritized funding distribution system that ranks schools based on demonstrated inability to provide courses due to insufficient enrollment, geographic isolation, limited staff capacity, or financial constraints.

REQUIREMENT

Mandates an annual assessment process to identify schools with the highest demonstrated need and adjust funding priorities based on program outcomes.

Establishes new reporting requirements for recipient schools to document fund usage, track student participation, measure student achievement, and demonstrate ongoing need for continued funding.

TIMELINE

Sets the effective date of the bill as July 1, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Minor formatting and punctuation changes to the statutory text, including removal of bracketed editorial marks from the enrolled version.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
31
Key actions
7
Committee
3
Mar 27, 2025
Signed into law
Governor Signed
executive
Mar 5, 2025
Legislature · Passed
Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
legislature
Mar 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
upper
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
House/ passed 3rd reading
lower
Mar 5, 2025
Introduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
lower
Feb 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate/ committee report favorable
upper
Feb 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Senate/ to standing committee
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Introduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors