Education

SB 65 amends rules for distributing minimum basic tax revenue to school districts. It requires the state treasurer to deposit county tax payments into a special fund and notify the state board within 35 days. The state board must then send school districts either the full deposit amount or their remaining unfunded program costs (whichever is less), but not exceeding the deposit. The bill also clarifies that the state isn't subject to certain notice requirements before implementing these tax rates.

HB 241 updates Utah's charter school laws by replacing the "Charter School Revolving Account" with the "Charter School Revolving Fund," administered by the Utah Charter Finance Authority starting July 1, 2026. It gives charter schools equal access to purchase decommissioned school property (with resale restrictions), clarifies they are public schools, and requires governing board members to take an oath of office. The bill also adjusts loan limits ($1 million for facility expansions, 25% for acquisition/construction) and repayment terms, while making technical changes to related statutes. No new state funds are appropriated for these changes.

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.

SB 1 allocates $44.5 million for Utah's public higher education institutions for fiscal year 2026 and $3.08 billion for 2027, funding operations, instruction, research, and specific programs. It directs funds from the General Fund, Income Tax Fund, and other sources to institutions like the University of Utah (including its School of Medicine, cancer research, and hospital) and Utah State University (covering veterinary medicine, dentistry, and career education). The bill specifies detailed budget breakdowns for departments such as academic support, student services, and initiatives like the Poison Control Center. This funding directly supports the day-to-day operations and strategic priorities of Utah's public universities.

HB 1 amends Utah's public education budget for fiscal years 2026-2027, primarily adjusting funding formulas and allocations. It sets the weighted pupil unit (WPU) value at $4,870 for 2026-2027, revises eligibility for career and technical education funding, and modifies emergency funding for English learners. The bill appropriates over $8.7 billion for school operations and capital budgets in 2027, including $4.8 billion from the Uniform School Fund, and adjusts tax rate calculations to support school funding. These changes directly affect Utah school districts, charter schools, and state education agencies through updated budget allocations and funding mechanisms.