Insights & Takeaways is Sutherland Institute’s official blog that informs the public and policymakers alike. The blog addresses important issues through the two distinct yet complementary lenses of the seasoned policy professional and the engaged citizen.
Insights: analysis, research, and informed commentary from Sutherland experts. For elected officials and public policy professionals.
Takeaways: the most important things voters need to know. For civically engaged citizens.
InsightsKey questions and answers about healthcare sharing ministries
Utah is considering legislation that would require healthcare sharing ministries to report to the state insurance commissioner, although the ministries don’t provide health insurance. What exactly are they?
InsightsThe expansion of the Utah Fits All Scholarship
Increasing funds to the new program is the next key commitment in bringing education choice to families in the state. Arizona and Arkansas can provide some lessons from their experiences.
InsightsUtah’s proactive work on religious freedom will help head off conflicts
This session, the Legislature is considering several religious freedom bills that would implement specific and blanket protections of free exercise.
TakeawaysWhat you need to know about a proposed Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Utah
Utah could become the 26th state to enhance religious freedom protections with such a law.
InsightsThe state of career and technical education and virtual learning
True choice in education includes all types of options, like career and technical education and many forms of online learning.
InsightsWhat’s behind the mess at the Texas border?
Texas says the federal government has failed to enforce border security. The federal government, in turn, complains that Texas officials are interfering with federal efforts to respond to migration.
CommentaryWhat would Utah’s version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act look like?
This bill would create a strong framework to deal with unforeseen religious freedom conflicts
CommentaryHow curriculum transparency can boost the parent-teacher partnership
Utah should continue its “weird” approach by creating curriculum transparency reform that empowers parents, supports teachers, and strengthens the parent-teacher partnership.
TakeawaysWhat you need to know about the ‘success sequence’
The Utah State Legislature is considering a resolution expressing support for the success sequence. Here are answers to common questions about the sequence.
Does AI belong in home schooling?
One group seems especially open to the potential uses of generative AI: home-schoolers. They are already open to doing things differently, and they need curriculum resources.
Abortion coverage lawsuits could be avoided with better religious accommodation
The religious organizations in these cases will have U.S. Supreme Court precedent on their side.
Can free market thinking improve education policy?
Public policy and culture are shifting with the increased interest in new education choices, and AI is making its way into the classroom.
FBI should be able to target extremists without smearing people of faith
A now-retracted FBI field office memo discussing possible threats of extremism from “radical-traditionalist Catholics” has created serious concern about targeting religious practices.
Should we stop talking about ‘polarization’ in education policy?
Viewing today’s education policy issues outside of the framework of right-left politics may help us find our way forward in education reform.
Helping parents address chronic absenteeism
Utah education leaders and researchers note that there is no single reason to explain the uptick in absenteeism – the reasons are as varied as the students and families.
How to strengthen the ‘success sequence’ in Utah
Growing numbers of young adults across America — including here in Utah — are moving into adulthood without a durable connection to two benchmarks strongly connected to human well-being: work and marriage.
A Timeline of American Education
With education at the forefront of American politics, we provide a timeline of how American education has evolved from the Colonial era to the present day in terms of parent-driven education.
History of parent-driven education: Part 7 – Today’s post-pandemic era to the future of parent-driven options
While all states have accepted the responsibility of creating a universal, “free” (tax-supported) education system, some states see that the objective can now be met while including a range of options.
