Utah State Board of Education

State Board Meeting Summary

October 3-4, 2025

For several months, the Utah State Board of Education has considered sweeping changes to administrative rules governing educator conduct (R277-210 through R277-217). On Thursday, the Board approved a motion directing its Law and Licensing Committee to study the processes and systems of the Utah Professional Practices Advisory Commission (UPPAC), identify strengths and weaknesses, and submit a comprehensive report with recommendations to Board leadership by May 30, 2026. The motion passed 13-2.

On Friday, the Law and Licensing Committee considered a separate proposal to revise R277-322, the rule governing local education agency codes of conduct. The proposed changes, introduced by Board Member Kerry, would impact requirements for employee conduct standards, training, reporting and compliance.

UEA Director of Government Relations Sara Jones addressed the committee, urging members to consider the overlap between the proposed rule and the broader UPPAC review.

“Yesterday the Board approved a motion to authorize Law and Licensing to study and develop a comprehensive report making recommendations to the Board regarding UPPAC,” Jones said. “Because of the intersection of Rule 322 with UPPAC and the scope of the proposed changes, we ask that the committee not take action on the rule today, or as a standalone discussion. Rather, determine through the comprehensive UPPAC review the committee will do over the next eight months if there are any necessary changes to the LEA Code of Conduct. That way, all the rules and issues will be in alignment and consistent.”

Following extended discussion about the rule’s specific provisions and whether to incorporate it into the UPPAC review process, the committee voted unanimously to revisit the proposal in November to “continue the discussion or take possible action.”

The Utah Education Association will continue to work with the Utah State Board of Education to ensure that decisions reflect what is best for public school students and UEA’s educator members.

Finance Committee Recommends Further Study on Local Levy Funding Changes

Proposal could impact statewide equalization and local property tax rates

The Utah State Board of Education’s Finance Committee reviewed a motion proposing significant amendments to the state’s Voted and Board Local Levy program. The motion called for collaboration between Board staff and the Legislature to consider changes that could reshape the distribution of local property tax revenues and state equalization funds.

The proposed motion recommended that the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) direct staff to work with lawmakers to:

1. Reduce the state guarantee from 20 increments to 15.
2. Reallocate any resulting state savings to the at-risk Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) add-on.
3. Amend the Truth in Taxation code to require school districts to hold Truth in Taxation hearings within their budget processes.
4. Require full disclosure of monetary investment funds, including savings accounts, public treasury investment funds, and similar holdings, with an itemized accounting of those funds.

The Voted and Board Local Levy program allows school districts to raise local property tax revenue, with the state providing equalization funding so districts with lower property tax bases can generate comparable revenue to wealthier districts when taxing at the same rate. The program plays a vital role in promoting equitable school funding while allowing local boards flexibility in managing budgets. The proposed changes were intended to address concerns about high local property tax rates.

Dale Frost, the state’s Minimum School Program Administrator and School Finance Director, presented several funding scenarios to the committee, highlighting the potential impacts of reducing the guarantee. Frost noted that the proposed amendments may not directly resolve the underlying property tax issues, as the adjustments could reduce local capacity and have mixed effects on statewide funding equity.

After discussion, the Finance Committee voted not to advance the motion as written. Instead, it recommended that the full Board direct staff to form a working group to study the issue thoroughly. If approved, the group would include local education agency business administrators, local board members, legislators, representatives from USBE, the Utah Taxpayers Association, the State Tax Commission, and county officials.

The Utah Education Association will continue to monitor this issue closely as it develops, as any changes to the Voted and Board Local Levy program could significantly affect statewide funding equalization and local districts’ ability to support their budgets.

Standards and Assessment Committee Reviews Math and Science Updates

The Utah State Board of Education’s Standards and Assessment Committee reviewed updates to both math and science standards during its recent meeting, including next steps for revising Utah’s K-12 math standards and approving new alternate achievement science standards.

The draft Math Standards were released earlier this year for a 90-day public comment period. The Math Standards committees have now received and begun reviewing that feedback to determine what revisions may be necessary.

• Summary of feedback
• Full public feedback

The next step is for the writing committee to carefully analyze the feedback and decide how to apply the input in revising the standards.

Committee discussion also addressed questions about honors math tracks. Honors courses will remain available at the discretion of local education agencies (LEAs), as Utah does not establish separate state honors standards. There are no honors standards for other core or non-core subjects. Some states have begun automatically enrolling students in honors courses based on end-of-year assessment results, and Utah officials indicated an interest in exploring this approach in the future. For now, decisions regarding honors options remain a local choice.

The committee also reviewed the proposed Alternate Achievement Science Standards, known as the Essential Elements, which are designed for students with individualized education programs (IEPs). These standards maintain breadth and depth while providing appropriate support and accessibility. Only 1 percent of students statewide may be instructed and assessed using these alternate standards. The committee approved the science standards and forwarded them to the full Board for final approval.

In other action, the committee approved revisions to Rule R277-325, which governs student exit and engagement surveys, and forwarded the rule to the full Board for consideration.