Education (Higher Education)

HB 393 creates a two-year pilot program to screen for dyslexia in Utah schools. It requires the University of Utah College of Education and Education Policy Center to develop a dyslexia screening tool and provides resources to school districts and charter schools. The program mandates reporting to the Education Interim Committee and will end on July 1, 2027. The bill amends education code sections but does not appropriate state funds.

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.