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What will this legislative session hold for education policy?

January 23, 2025

  • While changes to higher education funding may take up a lot of airtime and gain media attention, plenty will also take place in the K-12 space as well.
  • There will be pushes to expand the Utah Fits All Scholarship, support English language learners, promote parent access to curriculum materials, and strengthen public school choice through open enrollment.

On the heels of a U.S. presidential inauguration, the Utah legislative session officially began this week.  

With energy for change at the national level and new opportunities to legislate at the state level, we are likely to see the typical flurry of state bills trying to get passed during the next few weeks. 

Although education groups have called on legislators to reduce how many education bills they pass this session, it’s less likely that legislators will heed that advice. There’s a lot we can expect to be tackled this year. Here are just a few. 

Here’s what you can expect to see from the Legislature in education policy

Evaluation of higher education and reallocation of its funding

It’s clear that higher education is taking a portion of the spotlight this legislative session. Leading up to the 45-day lawmaking term, Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz has discussed the “inefficiencies” and “challenges” in higher education that need to be addressed. There’s been talk that this will cut higher education funding by $60 million 

Several state leaders have publicly discussed their desire to evaluate how Utah’s 16 public colleges and universities use funding and to ensure money is spent more on high-demand programs and less on administrative costs or underperforming degree programs. One bill requires each degree-granting institution to create a “strategic reinvestment plan” that outlines how they will reallocate funds from certain programs to others. 

Part of the higher education discussion centers on the question of which education programs in the state schools meet the needs of the state’s economy. Because of this, alternative postsecondary education and career and technical education are relevant areas of discussion – areas that also have support in the governor’s new budget recommendations and legislative priorities. Evaluating public higher education and offering additional postsecondary education options are prudent policy choices. 

Utah’s governor has shared his support of the legislative effort to make adjustments in higher education, an effort also backed by House and Senate leadership and listed among the House Majority Caucus education priorities, which means this effort has a strong chance for success. 

Expansion and reforms of the Utah Fits All Scholarship

House Speaker Mike Schultz has also said that the legislative body is looking for ways to expand funding for the Utah Fits All Scholarship, the 2023 universal choice program that gives parents more education options.  

The new program has consistently had more demand from families than money to supply scholarships. One year after the bill’s passage – and notably before any scholarships had been given to families – the Legislature doubled the amount of funds for the program so more families could access it from the start. This year there is already debate from both legislative and nonlegislative education leaders about increasing those funds again – with those in the Legislature looking to do so. 

Unsurprisingly, the expansion of the program is being opposed by the Utah Education Association, the group that launched a lawsuit against the program last year challenging the constitutionality of the program. According to a recent survey, 93% of its membership opposes the expansion of the program.  

Furthermore, a legislator who voted against the bill in 2023 has opened a bill to prevent the scholarship funds from going toward sports or extracurricular activities, arguing that those are already available through public schools.  

Although there is ongoing energy in opposition to the program, given the makeup of the Legislature and the House Majority Caucus prioritization of program expansion, there is a higher likelihood that the expansion will pass than not – something that would benefit additional parents in the state. 

English Language Learning

Another education bill likely to pass the Legislature offers funding to schools impacted by an increase in students who are English Language Learners. Recently, legislators unveiled a comprehensive legislative effort, made up of a number of bills, to deal with illegal immigration. Many of the bills address penalties for undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes, but this particular bill allows emergency funds to be used to train teachers in English Language Learning at schools that need it most.  

The legislation was studied and recommended during the interim session, passing unanimously then. It’s also likely to be welcomed as a needed relief by schools that already feel the need for such funding. All of this, along with the fact that it’s part of a larger legislative effort, means we can anticipate its success. 

Other discussions likely to be heard on the Hill

Sutherland Institute has been pushing for a legislative incentive for public school teachers who offer parents more access to what they are teaching in their individual classrooms. The effort is supposed to elevate the work already done at the state level to help parents have transparency into what their children are learning, while avoiding any additional mandates on teachers.  

Likewise, Sutherland Institute has called for an effort to strengthen open enrollment in the state. Sutherland’s research found a lack of compliance with open enrollment law in some instances and is aimed at identifying ways that the state’s law and implementation might be strengthened. The ultimate goal of any reforms in this area is to ensure that parents who have students enrolled in public schools have the best information possible and abundant opportunities should they decide that they need to transfer their student to another public school. 

Conclusion 

While higher education may take up a lot of airtime and gain media attention, plenty will also take place in the K-12 space as well.  

Happy first week of the legislative session for all who legislate and participate.

Insights: analysis, research, and informed commentary from Sutherland experts. For elected officials and public policy professionals.

  • While changes to higher education funding may take up a lot of airtime and gain media attention, plenty will also take place in the K-12 space as well. 
  • There will be pushes to expand the Utah Fits All Scholarship, support English language learners, promote parent access to curriculum materials, and strengthen public school choice through open enrollment.

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