• 64% of parents are unaware of the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program.
• Sutherland has written extensively on the program and hopes public, private and nonprofit organizations continue to spread awareness about it.
• The program allows for better opportunities to create a customized education.

​In a recent article, Sutherland Institute’s education policy fellow, Christine Cooke Fairbanks, referenced a Sutherland/Y2 Analytics survey that found that 64% of parents are unaware of the Utah Fits All Scholarship program.

Passed in 2023 and implemented for the 2024 academic year, the Utah Fits All Scholarship, funded by the state’s income tax pool, provides $8,000 scholarships for 10,000 students and $8,400 pay increases to Utah teachers.

“Knowing that a majority of parents are unaware of the Utah Fits All scholarship proves that passing legislation is just the first step,” Fairbanks said in a recent interview. “To make good on the state’s promise that parents deserve options, we have to communicate those options to them.”

Through Fairbanks’ research, Sutherland has worked to inform Utah parents on the program.

Prior to the program’s passage in the 2023 legislative session, Fairbanks provided an FAQ regarding its funding and implementation.

The program, she wrote, “is specifically designed to assist low- and middle-income families before other applicants.” She added, “Students already in the program or those with siblings in the program also receive priority to help families with continuity.”

In a Salt Lake Tribune op-ed earlier this year, Fairbanks referenced how the program benefits families that are seeking a more customized education through micro and home schools.

“[T]he scholarship will mean an uptick in the number of families adopting innovative education models,” she wrote. “For students who need a microschool, this is a good thing.”

As the academic year approaches its midpoint, parents can evaluate the scholarship program here and decide if it’s right for them and their students. For those already receiving the scholarship funding, it’s required to submit the necessary documentation to secure continued funding for the next academic year.

For a more in-depth perspective on this article, review our Insights article here.