Utah Education News
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Utah's 2026 Legislative session could remake public education in the state. Here's how
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Updated Jan. 19 - 2:53 p.m. | Save Story
Utah's 2025 legislative session included historic disruptions to schools and campuses across the state in higher education. This year, lawmakers are setting their sights on remaking K-12.
Fields to fajitas: The partnership changing school meals in Boyle County
Megan Mannering, CNN | Posted Jan. 19 - 8:15 a.m. | Save Story
The days of rectangle pizza and processed fruit cups are dwindling in Kentucky schools.
Emotional farewell: Students surprise beloved teacher as he departs for the Navy
Cody Roberts, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Jan. 19 - 7:41 a.m. | Save Story
Students lined the hallways waving American flags at Eagle Rock Middle School Thursday afternoon in a surprise send-off for their P.E. teacher, Sean Steo, who is joining the U.S. Navy.
This Utah lawmaker, mentored by Orrin Hatch, wants to help the next generation
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL | Posted Jan. 18 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Business leader and Utah state Rep. Jason Thompson launched Legacy Forward Foundation, a nonprofit to help schools implement leadership curriculum for students.
Utah lawmakers call it 'common sense.' The ACLU calls it censorship
Emma Pitts, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 18 - 4:00 p.m. | Save Story
The Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Utah on Friday, protesting the state's law regarding "sensitive material" in school libraries.
Elementary school arts program safe for now going into legislative session
Arianne Brown for KSL | Posted Jan. 17 - 7:04 p.m. | Save Story
A beloved arts program has been spared for now, following a Utah State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, during which the possibility of reducing its funding was discussed going into the 2026 legislative session.
Concurrent enrollment: Utah high schoolers earning college credit in record numbers
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 17 - 1:09 p.m. | Save Story
Concurrent enrollment offers Utah high school students many benefits. It should come as no surprise they're earning college credits in record numbers, according to a new report.
At one Utah elementary school, Red Ribbon Week is about more than just saying 'no' to drugs
Alex Cabrero, KSL | Posted Jan. 16 - 8:05 p.m. | Save Story
At North Point Elementary School in Lehi, Red Ribbon Week isn't just about what students put into their bodies. It's also about what they take in every day, especially online.
Brad Mortensen inaugurated as Utah State University's 18th president
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Jan. 16 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Brad Mortensen was inaugurated as Utah State University's 18th president Friday, the first alumnus to ascend to the presidency.
School boards approve names for 3 new Utah County school districts
Curtis Booker, KSL | Posted Jan. 16 - 12:02 p.m. | Save Story
New Utah County school districts set new names ahead of 2027 launch
State School Board toils over legislative mandate to cut millions from budget
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Jan. 15 - 9:34 p.m. | Save Story
The Utah State Board of Education is grappling with how to navigate recent directives from the Utah Legislature to trim or reallocate $163 million of the state's education budget.
Idaho offering $50M in tax credits for private education, but you must apply quickly
Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Jan. 15 - 6:28 p.m. | Save Story
A bill implementing the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit went into effect on Jan. 1, and the application period is now open.
'Nothing short of remarkable': UVU President Astrid Tuminez announces she is stepping down
Logan Stefanich and Daniel Woodruff, KSL | Updated Jan. 14 - 12:50 p.m. | Save Story
After nearly seven years at the helm of Utah's largest university, Astrid Tuminez announced Wednesday she is stepping down from her role as president of Utah Valley University.
US Supreme Court conservatives lean toward allowing transgender sports bans
Andrew Chung and John Kruzel, Reuters | Updated Jan. 13 - 2:15 p.m. | Save Story
Conservative Supreme Court justices signaled sympathy on Tuesday toward the legality of state laws banning transgender athletes from participating on female sports teams.
Teacher claims Utah Education Association misled members about political use of dues
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 13 - 8:00 a.m. | Save Story
A member of the Utah State Board of Education filed a lawsuit against the association, alleging that the organization misled teachers about how their dues are used for political activities.
6 students sue Davis School District, alleging retaliation for reporting alleged misconduct
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Jan. 12 - 5:04 p.m. | Save Story
A group of students on Monday filed a $10 million lawsuit against Davis School District, alleging it mishandled complaints of harassment and subjected students to retaliation.
Report: About ½ of Utah's third graders struggle with reading — so what can be done?
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 11 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Literacy is fundamental in determining a child's educational success and academic future.
Utah, the state that wants to unplug America's schools
Brigham Tomco, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 11 - 7:15 a.m. | Save Story
The state of Utah plans to transform the trajectory of K-12 education by taking a giant step backward.
How BYU phenom AJ Dybantsa fits into the church's long love affair with basketball
Lee Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 10 - 7:05 p.m. | Save Story
His story is well known even among people who don't watch "SportsCenter." Because it isn't every day the top recruit in the country chooses BYU over basketball elites like North Carolina and Kansas.
Summit County reports its first case of measles in elementary school student
Alex Tumalip, KSL | Posted Jan. 10 - 4:17 p.m. | Save Story
The Summit County Health Department confirmed its first case of measles in a student at South Summit Elementary School.
'This is Her Place, too': Study measures Utahns' perceptions of women's workplace challenges
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Jan. 9 - 7:08 a.m. | Save Story
From a troubling gender pay gap to harassment and discrimination, a new Utah Women and Leadership report outlines some of the workplace-related challenges Utah women face.
What can be done to get Utah kids — and their parents — reading?
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 8 - 12:51 p.m. | Save Story
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox remembers meeting with "a very prominent individual" who divined that parents will soon no longer have to read to their kids. Artificial intelligence will do it for them.
Utah leaders aim to limit phone use during entire school day
Bridger Beal-Cvetko and Daniel Woodruff, KSL | Posted Jan. 7 - 1:20 p.m. | Save Story
Gov. Spencer Cox and other state leaders announced plans to enact a statewide restriction on cellphones throughout the school day during the upcoming general legislative session.
Rare computer relic found at University of Utah confirmed to be major discovery
Shelby Lofton, KSL | Posted Jan. 7 - 6:15 a.m. | Save Story
A University of Utah research team's rare find in a storage closet is being called a huge, historically significant discovery after experts at the Computer History Museum verified its contents.
Church of Jesus Christ invites young adults to be 'one in a million' in institute's centennial year
Emily Ashcraft, KSL | Posted Jan. 5 - 4:05 p.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' institute program has grown in the last 100 years from a single building in Idaho to over 2,700 locations in 170 countries around the world.
2025: A historic, disruptive — and sometimes tragic — year for education in Utah
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 4 - 10:30 p.m. | Save Story
Education in Utah in 2025 saw high-interest stories ranging from higher education budget reallocations, Education Department disruptions, the sound of cellphone silence in K-12 classrooms, and the murder of Charlie Kirk on an Orem campus.
Viral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrases
Corey Williams, Associated Press | Posted Jan. 1 - 8:32 p.m. | Save Story
Respondents to an annual Michigan college survey of overused and misused words and phrases say " 6-7 " is "cooked" and should come to a massive full-stop heading into the new year.
Trump administration: Student loan defaulters may soon have wages garnished
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 29 - 12:04 p.m. | Save Story
Student loan recipients who are in default may soon find fewer dollars in their paychecks.
BYU or Utah? One sports program has higher value than the other
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 28 - 6:30 p.m. | Save Story
Football games between Utah and BYU were close the last three times they met, with the Cougars narrowly winning each.
What's the Trump administration doing to help college aspirants make informed money decisions?
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 26 - 6:25 a.m. | Save Story
The Department of Education introduced an earnings indicator with FAFSA to aid students.
Weber State University seeking public input in search for next president
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Dec. 25 - 10:05 p.m. | Save Story
Nearly two months after Brad Mortensen was announced as Utah State University's next president, Weber State University is seeking the public's input in its presidential search.
U. expands its Master of Business Creation program to a third continent — Europe
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 25 - 8:05 p.m. | Save Story
From its headquarters in Salt Lake City, the University of Utah's Master of Business Creation program already operates from eastern Canada to Ghana and several other African nations.
Idaho senior offered full-ride scholarship after becoming a finalist in a highly competitive program
Brittni Johnson, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Dec. 25 - 6:30 p.m. | Save Story
A high school senior from Hillcrest High School in Idaho recently accepted a full four-year scholarship offer worth over $325,000 to a college in Vermont.
Massachusetts students build wind phone that connects grieving family with lost loved ones
Matt Reed, WCVB via CNN Newsource | Posted Dec. 25 - 1:25 p.m. | Save Story
In a corner of Somerset, Massachusetts, there is a sound that seems out of place. A rotary phone in a small wooden structure, allowing the living to connect with those not on the other line, but on the other side.
Clearfield High students raise over $100K for domestic violence services in Davis County
Curtis Booker, KSL | Posted Dec. 24 - 10:30 p.m. | Save Story
A Clearfield High fundraiser raised more than $100,000 to strengthen security measures at Safe Harbor Crisis Center.
Would Shakespeare give a thumbs-up to the film 'Hamnet'? A University of Utah professor's take
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 24 - 11:32 a.m. | Save Story
Besides examining how one processes deep grief, "Hamnet" reminds moviegoers of the humanities' cathartic capacity.
Oklahoma university graduate student barred from teaching over gender essay grading dispute
Andrew Hay, Reuters | Updated Dec. 23 - 9:41 p.m. | Save Story
The University of Oklahoma has stripped a graduate student of teaching duties after ​the teaching assistant gave a zero grade to a student who cited the Bible and her personal religious beliefs in an essay on gender.
Majestic Elementary music teacher heads to Rose Parade on New Year's Day
Alex Cabrero, KSL | Posted Dec. 23 - 9:35 a.m. | Save Story
Lisa Blodgett, a teacher at Majestic Elementary, will be marching in the Pasadena Rose Parade along with more than 300 other band directors from across North America.
Trump administration to review safety at Brown University after campus shooting
Ryan Patrick Jones, Reuters | Updated Dec. 22 - 8:26 p.m. | Save Story
The U.S. Department of Education on Monday said it was reviewing ​safety at Brown University in response to a mass shooting on the campus earlier this month.
Musician surprises Herriman High School marching band while on tour
Deanie Wimmer, KSL | Posted Dec. 22 - 7:46 a.m. | Save Story
A Utah high school marching band that spent over 250 hours preparing a field show based on an indie-folk artist's music got a surprise they'll never forget.
Students make history: First aircraft built at Wright Brothers site since 1903
Will Thomas | Posted Dec. 21 - 5:00 p.m. | Save Story
History was made Wednesday, as the First Flight High School's Aviation Program unveiled the aircraft they built over the past two years — becoming the first plane built on the grounds here since the Wright Brothers.
Skateboarders aren't punk kids anymore. An inside look at USU's skateboard club
Lauren Tippetts, KSL | Posted Dec. 21 - 11:14 a.m. | Save Story
When you think of skateboarders, do you think of punk kids? Well, those kids are now in college and they're still skating. Utah State University Journalism professor Brian Champagne took some of his photography students along to let the USU skateboard club touch-up their image in their own words.
Mountain Ridge students rally for Be Brave Baylee Foundation, supporting burn survivors
Emma Benson, KSL | Posted Dec. 20 - 10:12 p.m. | Save Story
Students at Mountain Ridge High School on Friday chose the Be Brave Baylee Foundation as the focus of their Season of Scarlet fundraiser.Â
Claiming independence: Machinist program for Utahns with autism graduates inaugural cohort
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 20 - 12:01 p.m. | Save Story
This holiday season is already far more festive for Addie Morley.
Investigators study Brown University shooter's failed past in academia
Svea Herbst-Bayliss, Rich McKay and Sergio Goncalves, Reuters | Updated Dec. 20 - 9:34 a.m. | Save Story
Claudio Neves Valente was briefly enrolled as a young, promising doctoral student in the physics department at Brown University before dropping out. How did it lead to a shooting?
2 lawmakers say anti-diversity, equity and inclusion law not meant to prohibit speech on campus
Tim Vandenack, KSL | Posted Dec. 19 - 10:02 a.m. | Save Story
Utah Rep. Katy Hall and Sen. John Johnson, addressing a free speech controversy at Weber State, said HB261 was never meant to prohibit speech on university campuses.
Rhode Island joins Utah on the diverse list of states to experience a college campus shooting
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 16 - 7:40 a.m. | Save Story
Last Saturday, two people were killed and nine others wounded at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, after a gunman dressed in black entered the Ivy League school's engineering building during final exams and began firing.
University of Utah athletics private equity deal catches the attention of Congress
Cami Mondeaux, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 16 - 6:15 a.m. | Save Story
Federal lawmakers are exploring ways to block colleges from entering into private equity deals, possibly putting plans at risk for the University of Utah after it announced last week a first-of-it-kind proposal.
Authorities say they'll release person of interest detained in Brown University shooting
Kimberlee Kruesi, Amanda Swinhart And Holly Ramer, Associated Press | Updated Dec. 14 - 10:01 p.m. | Save Story
Officials in Providence say they will release a person of interest detained in a Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine.
Utah students report improved mental health, less substance use
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL | Posted Dec. 13 - 12:01 p.m. | Save Story
Utah students report fewer symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts, and fewer say they have used alcohol or drugs compared with two years ago, a new statewide survey finds.
Student housing planned for site of abandoned 'eyesore' Provo apartment complex
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Dec. 12 - 10:32 p.m. | Save Story
A Provo apartment complex described as an "eyesore" and a "nuisance" in city documents is set to become housing for BYU students after Utah development firm Cole West announced its acquisition of the property.
Utah schools face declining enrollment: What it means for communities
Deanie Wimmer, KSL | Posted Dec. 12 - 4:33 p.m. | Save Story
A recent vote to close Cedar Valley Elementary School is one of many schools in recent months at risk of closing due to a growing trend across Utah of declining enrollment.
Increase in drivers passing school buses draws safety concerns in Box Elder County
Mike Anderson, KSL | Posted Dec. 11 - 7:05 p.m. | Save Story
The Box Elder School District says motorists are putting children at risk by passing stopped school buses along U.S. 89 in Willard and Perry, where construction has narrowed traffic to two lanes.
Why have Utah's high school dropout rates been sliced in half?
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 11 - 8:05 a.m. | Save Story
A new report from the Utah State Board of Education said the state's overall four-year graduation rate rose, and the dropout rate has been sliced in half.
Volunteer pilots bring Santa, gifts to Title I schools on Utah-Arizona border
Mike Anderson, KSL | Posted Dec. 10 - 10:08 p.m. | Save Story
Volunteer pilots from Angel Flight West delivered toys, coats, backpacks, and 500 books to students in Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona, during the annual Santa Flight on Wednesday.
Weber State erred in creating list of 'prohibited' words, says Utah System of Higher Ed head
Tim Vandenack, KSL | Posted Dec. 10 - 9:02 p.m. | Save Story
Utah System of Higher Education Commissioner Geoff Landward said Weber State erred in creating list of "prohibited" words guest speakers may not use.
School board unanimously votes to close Cedar Valley Elementary School; community reacts
Arianne Brown for KSL | Posted Dec. 10 - 7:33 p.m. | Save Story
The Board of Education of the West District, also known as the Lake Mountain School District, voted to close Cedar Valley Elementary School last week. Cedar Fort residents cited concerns with the decision.
UVU guaranteeing admission to all SLCC graduates through new partnership
Logan Stefanich, KSL | Posted Dec. 10 - 8:05 a.m. | Save Story
Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College are partnering together to create a pathway toward bachelor's degrees for more Utah students.
