Under The Dome: Capitol Insights from UEA

Public Education Appropriations (PEA) Update 

 Jan. 29, 2026

The Public Education Appropriations Committee continues to meet to review budget items, consider proposed cuts and hear from agencies, organizations and legislators requesting appropriations as the committee works through options for balancing the FY 2027 public education budget.

Overall status

• PEA continues to work through FY 2027 public education budget pressures, including proposed cuts, base budget adjustments and competing funding requests.
• Agencies and legislators are presenting line-item justifications, reductions and restoration requests as part of a constrained fiscal environment.

Budget reduction context

• Public education is operating under an assumed 5% reduction scenario, with USBE modeling across-the-board impacts.
• Cuts are a result of the loss of federal funding due to the Big Beautiful Bill.
• Many proposals reflect one-time balance cleanups, vacant FTE eliminations or technical corrections, while others would result in real program impacts if adopted.

Key recurring themes

Tension between cuts and investments

• Several educator-focused programs (e.g., National Board Certification incentives, literacy initiatives, turnaround supports) are simultaneously facing proposed reductions and separate requests to expand or restore.

Shift toward targeted and grant-based funding

• Growth-related grants, pilot programs and competitive funding models are being emphasized over broad formula increases.

Capacity and implementation concerns

• Many initiatives assume additional work by LEAs or USBE without corresponding long-term staffing or guaranteed funding.

Use of one-time funds

• Stabilization funds and one-time appropriations are being used to buffer cuts, raising questions about sustainability.

Agency positions

• USBE has concurred with some targeted reductions (e.g., programs tied to closed entities or excess balances).
• In other areas, USBE highlights significant operational or student impacts if ongoing reductions are adopted.
• USBE has also put forward priority requests tied to literacy, educator retention, mental health, STEM and accountability systems.

Legislator-driven appropriations requests

• Requests range from educator incentives and retention strategies to student support and growth-related infrastructure.
• These requests often conflict with LFA reduction recommendations, forcing prioritization decisions.

Implications for public education

• Short term: Likely flattening or reduction of discretionary programs and increased pressure on educator compensation adjustments.
• Long term: Risk of erosion of retention incentives and support programs if ongoing cuts are adopted without restoration.
• Structural concern: Increasing reliance on temporary or competitive funding rather than predictable base investments.

Big-picture takeaway

The committee is trying to balance fiscal restraint with education priorities, but faces difficult trade-offs between maintaining core operations and investing in educator workforce stability and student supports.

Appropriations requests heard Jan. 29, 2026

National Board-Certified Teacher Incentive Program — Rep. John Arthur

• Requested funding to restore and expand educator incentives tied to National Board Certification.

Economic Mobility/Community Partnerships Initiatives (S.B. 165 framework)

• Requested support for a grant program that funds community-based partnerships, with LEAs as optional partners.
• While not a traditional education line item, it “touches public education through literacy, graduation and postsecondary outcomes,” which is why it landed in PEA discussion.

Senate panel advances tax bills that could squeeze school funding and local control

January 29, 2026

The Senate Revenue and Tax Committee advanced three tax bills that could affect how education dollars flow and how much revenue is available for public schools in future years.

S.B. 65, Minimum Basic Tax Rate Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, would route a locally imposed school levy through the state. Under the bill, local school districts would levy and collect the revenue, send it to the state, and the state would redistribute it back to districts. The bill language points to funds flowing through the Uniform School Fund rather than the unrestricted General Fund. Still, concerns remain that centralizing the money could reduce local control and give the Legislature greater discretion over how education dollars are handled. The State Auditor raised concerns about the structure, including potential accounting and legality issues. The committee passed the bill 4-1. Several members urged further work with the State Auditor’s Office. The next step is Senate first reading.

S.B. 116, Income Tax Rate Amendments, also sponsored by Fillmore, would create an automatic tax cut trigger when actual state revenue exceeds projected revenue. The bill would use a formula-based approach rather than requiring lawmakers to vote annually on tax rate changes. Committee members raised concerns about reduced flexibility during economic swings and how automatic reductions could affect long-term revenue stability. Questions were also raised about how the proposal could interact with current 5% budget cut requests for state agencies, including public education. The committee passed the bill 3-2.

S.B. 60, Income Tax Rate Amendments, sponsored by Sen. Dan McCay, would reduce Utah’s income tax rate from 4.5% to 4.45%. Lawmakers questioned the timing of cutting taxes in a year when appropriation committees have been asked to reduce budgets by 5%. Members also noted income tax is a major funding source for education, and even small cuts can add up over time. The committee passed the bill 4-1, along party lines.

House panel advances educator pipeline, fee waiver bill as budget cuts loom

January 28, 2026

Utah lawmakers weighed several education bills Tuesday, Jan. 27, as the House Education Committee voted to advance proposals on school fees, educator workforce needs and school safety policies. Meanwhile, the Public Education Appropriations Committee continued working through proposed cuts tied to federal tax changes, with state leaders modeling how to meet a required 5% budget reduction.

House Education Committee

HB 106, Student Attendance Changes would direct the Utah State Board of Education to study chronic absenteeism, collect data, identify root causes and make policy recommendations to the Legislature by September 2027. The Utah Education Association supports the bill. Committee members focused discussion on how HB 106 would coordinate with existing absenteeism-related laws. The committee voted to hold the bill and revisit it on a future agenda once coordination is complete.

HB 142, School Fee Waiver Amendments would limit fee waivers to two per student for school trips lasting two or more nights. For a second trip, a qualifying student could request a waiver after meeting with the principal to develop an action plan that includes a school-related contribution. UEA opposes the bill. The committee passed HB 142 unanimously.

HB 163, Grow Your Own Educator Pipeline Program Amendments would expand the state’s existing Grow Your Own Educator program to include licensed special education teachers, in addition to the licensed school counselors, psychologists and social workers it currently supports. UEA supports the bill, which passed unanimously.

HB 227, Student Journalist Amendments would establish protections for student speech and press in school-sponsored media, with specified limits such as libel, slander, or obscenity, and would require a written policy. The committee raised concerns about the bill’s structure, unintended impacts and the need for additional clarification. Sara Jones, UEA government relations director, told the committee there was a lack of clarity around potential liability for school employees. The committee tabled the bill on a 9-3 vote, meaning no action was taken and it will not be debated again.

HB 299, School Response to Sexual Offense would add clarifying language to the existing law requiring local education agencies to adopt a policy addressing when crimes are considered “committed.” The bill would more precisely require a policy for circumstances in which a student has been arrested for, charged with, or adjudicated in the courts for committing a serious offense or sexual crime. The committee passed HB 299 unanimously.

HB 193 would shift benefit decisions from local employers to the state

HB 193, Transgender Medical Procedures Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Nicholeen Peck, R, District 28, Tooele County, would prohibit state insurance plans and those offered to public employees from covering transgender medical care, including plans offered through public employers such as school districts.

A substitute version would allow individuals currently receiving transgender medical care to continue that care until treatment is completed and a physician indicates it is still needed. It would also require insurance to cover detransition-related care for individuals who choose to pursue it.

Before HB 193, school districts and other public employers could decide locally whether to offer coverage for this type of care. The bill would move that decision from local employers to the state, with implications for employee benefits, recruitment, retention and local control. The bill passed out of a House committee and is headed to the House floor next.

Public Education Appropriations Committee

State budget writers continued evaluating options to address a required 5% cut,  after federal tax cuts included in President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed by Congress in July 2025. UEA’s position is that public schools need more funding to fully support students, not less.

Two issues remain key to watch as lawmakers work through proposed reductions: a potential education salary adjustment change from 4% to 3%, and continued modeling by the Utah State Board of Education for a potential 5% across-the-board cut. The committee’s next meeting is on Thursday at 8 a.m.

Public school funding shift advances; tax-return option targets lunch debt

January 27, 2026

SB 62, School Funding Amendments
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-District 17, Salt Lake City

Sen. Fillmore’s bill proposes a significant change to a public school funding mechanism. Currently, schools are funded based on the prior-year ADM (average daily membership) plus enrollment growth. If the bill passes, ADM would no longer be used, and the Oct. 1 student count would be used instead. Sen. Fillmore believes the proposed change would more accurately fund where students are attending school, but the concern is that losing ADM would reduce stability and predictability in year-to-year funding. If the change is made, it would reallocate about $77 million, and the current bill does not include provisions for where that money would be reallocated. The bill is expected to be revised as the budget process moves forward. The bill passed 4-2.

HB 148, Tax Return Donation Amendments
Rep. Matt MacPherson, R-District 26, Salt Lake County

HB 148 creates a voluntary option for Utah taxpayers to donate a portion of their state tax return to help pay down school lunch debt in local school districts. The contribution is optional, and taxpayers may choose to donate any amount. This approach allows Utahns to directly support students and families while keeping participation voluntary.

The bill passed unanimously out of committee, where it received bipartisan praise from committee members. Legislators highlighted the bill as a practical solution that addresses a growing challenge faced by schools.

HB 148 is a positive step forward that would support school districts and help ensure students across the state have access to meals without the burden of unpaid lunch debt.

5% public education budget cuts ahead: what the appropriations subcommittee discussed Jan. 23

January 26, 2026
 

The Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee (PEA) met Friday, Jan. 23, to discuss a required 5% cut to Utah’s public education budget, directed by the Executive Appropriations Committee. The cuts are needed because of the loss of federal funding tied to President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law in July 2025.

 The subcommittee heard three presentations (each taking a very different approach) from Legislative Fiscal Analysis (LFA), the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), and the Governor’s Office.

 LFA approach: formula adjustments instead of program cuts
The Legislative Fiscal Analysis’ proposal focused on statewide formula adjustments and reduced growth assumptions, rather than cutting specific schools or programs outright. Major components included savings from enrollment growth, reversing a planned deposit to the Public Education Stabilization Account, and reducing flexible funding to districts and charters. A significant impact of this approach is educator pay: LFA proposes a 5% educator salary increase, rather than the expected 4%, by tying the increase to current-year inflation rather than prior-year WPU growth. This change would be felt statewide.

 USBE approach: flat reductions across programs
The Utah State Board of Education largely proposed a flat 5% cut across nearly every program, including state-level programs and grants, administrative functions, and major Minimum School Program items such as educator salary adjustments, student supports, and transportation. Some committee members expressed frustration, noting that the approach lacked prioritization and failed to distinguish between high-impact programs and lower-priority items.

 Governor’s Office: priorities without specific cuts
The Governor’s Office did not present specific reductions. Instead, they offered a values-based framework to guide legislative decisions, emphasizing the importance of protecting educator compensation, literacy initiatives, and school safety.

 Why this matters

No matter which approach lawmakers choose, the challenges for public education are real. Cuts will affect educator pay, student supports, and classroom resources. Impacts will be felt statewide, especially in a system that serves the vast majority of Utah’s students.

 The UEA believes the only way to reduce harm to public education is to cut funding from the unconstitutional Utah Fits All program. Right now, it is funded at $122 million a year, while the State of Utah is appealing the ruling in a UEA lawsuit that found it unconstitutional. 

By shifting cuts there, the legislature can better protect public schools that serve more than 90% of Utah students. Contact your legislators and urge them to protect public school funding.

Senate Education Committee advances UEA-backed bill to include school nurses in salary adjustment

January 22, 2026

The Senate Education Committee held its first meeting of Utah’s 2026 legislative session on January 22, advancing several bills, including SB 75 — a Utah Education Association legislative priority — with multiple measures receiving unanimous support.

SB 75, Educator Salary Adjustment Eligibility, would add school-registered nurses to the legislative educator salary adjustment program, valued at $10,350 per year. Sen. Calvin Musselman presented the bill on behalf of UEA, joined by Marie Evans, a Weber Education Association member and school registered nurse. The committee passed the bill unanimously.
 

Other measures advanced by the committee include:

• SB 51, School Safety Modifications (Substitute 1): Requested by the legislative School Security Taskforce, the bill would create a process for local education agencies to share information about credible student threats when students transfer between LEAs. It passed unanimously.
• SB 69, School Device Revisions (Substitute 1): The bill would expand last year’s restriction on student cellphone use during instructional hours to a bell-to-bell prohibition, while keeping exemptions (including medical necessity and IEP plans) and adding allowances for LEA-determined exemptions. It would take effect July 1. The bill passed 6-1, with Sen. Riebe voting no, citing concerns it is “heavy-handed.”
• SB 119, School and Classroom Amendments: The bill would change how the public education economic stabilization account may be used, including allowing stabilization funds to cover the inflationary adjustment to the Weighted Pupil Unit under certain federal tax policy impacts. The bill passed 4-2.
• SB 52, Substitute Teaching Requirements Amendments: The bill would remove the requirement that long-term substitute teachers hold a teaching license. Davis Education Association President Kallyn Gren spoke in support, citing the challenges of securing long-term coverage in an emergency. The bill passed unanimously.
• SB 58, Public School Attendance Amendments: In response to concerns identified in a Utah State Board of Education audit, the bill would create uniform statewide definitions for attendance in traditional and virtual schools, along with uniform monitoring and accountability requirements for LEAs. It also would allow school community councils to use school trust funds to address chronic absenteeism. The bill passed 3-1.
• SB 88, School Technology Amendments: The bill would require LEAs to provide a parent-accessible monitoring system for student use of school-managed devices and adopt content filtering that limits access to preapproved websites and digital resources. The bill passed 3-1.

The Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee met Jan. 21, 2026, receiving a briefing from the Utah State Board of Education on its strategic plan and reviewing the public education base budget — the starting point for appropriations as lawmakers consider adjustments for inflation, enrollment changes and technical updates.

Base budget highlights presented to the subcommittee show public education funding projected to increase by about $191 million to keep up with inflation, a 4.2% increase reflected in per-student funding. The proposal also includes about $43 million added to the education stabilization account and about $19 million more for educator pay adjustments tied to growth in eligible educators.

A projected statewide enrollment decline of just over 2% is expected to reduce funding by about $28 million in the basic school program, with reductions in several programs to match lower enrollment. After offsets, ongoing funding is reduced by about $12.5 million, with a one-time $6.4 million backfill in the current year.

The presentation also notes continued decreases in school property tax rates, while total local revenue increases due to higher property values.