Utah’s 2026 Legislative session could remake public education in the state. Here’s how

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.

Last year in higher education, there were state-mandated budget reallocations across Utah’s public universities, resulting in job losses and academic program cuts — along with job creations and program additions — in hopes of better aligning local academia with Utah industry’s needs.

In 2025 in K-12, a legislative ban on taxpayer-funded union activities and public sector collective bargaining was enacted. That law was later repealed.

Meanwhile, cellphones were banned in Utah’s primary and secondary public schools during class time.

Now the 2026 edition of the Utah state Legislature is just days away — and this year big adjustments could be made to K-12 public education.

Here are several actions likely to keep education near Utah’s legislative forefront in 2026:

Changing ‘retention’ policies for third graders

While a formal bill has yet to be filed, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has repeatedly called for the Legislature to implement “retention” — a policy to hold back Utah third graders who are not reading at minimum proficiency levels.

Proponents of the retention policy say it would allow third graders who are struggling with reading to have an extra year of instruction, better preparing them for future learning and academic success. They also hope it will spur parents to take action at home with struggling readers.

A recent report revealed about half of the state’s K-3 students were reading below minimum proficiency levels, reflecting national reading trends.

A state-enforced retention policy for third graders would likely prompt division between parents, educators and lawmakers. But Cox is certain it can be done in a way that treats kids and families with dignity and respect.

“It’s not that we want to hold kids back, it’s that we want them reading at third grade level so we don’t have to hold them back,” the governor said at a recent literacy symposium.

Cox added that more resources are needed to remedy kids’ reading challenges.

“We need to spend more of the budget on resources. We need more paraprofessionals in our classrooms. … We need those interventions earlier. We need individual reading plans for those in the special education field.”

Bell-to-bell cell phone restrictions

Last year, Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, successfully sponsored a bill restricting cellphone use at Utah’s public K-12 school during class time instruction.

Now Fillmore hopes to go further — introducing legislation outlawing cellphones in K-12 schools from “bell-to-bell.” He was joined by Cox last week at the Capitol to tout the need for enhanced cellphone prohibitions in schools.

An enhanced “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban in schools is essential, Cox said, because learning is not limited to class time. “Learning happens when we’re walking down the hall. Learning happens when we’re out on the playground during recess. Learning happens during lunchtime,” he said.

“And these are social skills; social learning. We’re looking people in the eye. We’re having actual conversations. We’re engaging.

“This is how we develop the human brain, but also how we develop as human beings. We need that development now more than ever — especially with the advent of artificial intelligence.”

Restricting tech in classrooms

A collection of Republican lawmakers have announced plans to introduce a pair of bills that would restrict classroom educational technology.

The Software Accountability for Education, or SAFE, Act would set a standard for approving instructional software before use.

The bill would require software vendors to meet child safety requirements, “ensuring our digital classrooms are as secure as our physical ones,” according to one of the bill’s sponsor’s, Rep. Doug Fiefia, R-Herriman.

Accompanying the SAFE Act, the Balance Act would again provide a statewide standard for tech in schools by significantly reducing the screen time allowed in early grades, gradually increasing exposure as students age.

It would instruct schools to eliminate nonessential screen time and to draft rules for the use of artificial intelligence, said Rep. Ariel Defay, R-Kaysville, in a recent media event.

Defay is sponsoring the bill with Sen. Chris Wilson, R-Logan.

Focus on exercise

A bill designed to instill healthy habits for elementary students such as regular exercise would require the Utah State Board of Education to administer a “Gold Medal Schools Pilot Program.”

USBE, according to the bill, would select up to 50 schools to participate in the pilot program, prioritizing schools demonstrating the greatest need for health improvements.

Fighting chronic absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism continues to challenge Utah’s K-12 schools.

A bill sponsored by Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy, would require absenteeism data collection at all public schools that includes specific absence data for chronically absent students.

USBE would also be required to publish statewide absenteeism data and explore absenteeism causes such as socioeconomic factors, mental health, access to health care — while also identifying intervention strategies.

Higher fines for speeding in a school zone

Veteran lawmaker Rep. Carol Moss, D-Holladay, is proposing legislation outlining fines for lead-footed motorists caught speeding through a 20 mph school zone.

Driving at excessive speeds through a school zone would result in a $760 minimum fine — and fines would increase for repeat offenders.

Digital literacy for high schoolers

Rep. Jordan Teuscher, R-South Jordan, is proposing legislation that would require Utah high school students to complete a digital literacy course in order to graduate.

The course would cover digital literacy concepts such as social media awareness, AI literacy, cybersecurity and media literacy — with an emphasis on ethics.

The bill also calls for establishing a task force charged with improving digital literacy education in Utah.

Changes for substitute teachers

Another education bill co-sponsored by Fillmore seeks to scrap the current requirement that long-term substitute teachers must hold a teaching license.

As a caveat, the bill notes that school districts “shall prioritize licensed educators as substitutes when available.”

Water safety lessons

Physician/lawmaker Sen. Jen Plumb, D-Salt Lake City, is sponsoring legislation that would require water safety instruction to be included in Utah’s core curriculum standards for physical education.

Proposed instruction would include safe behaviors in and around water, the importance of swim lessons and CPR training. Students would be exempt from such water safety training at a parent’s request.

Swim instruction courses may also count toward physical education credit requirements, according to the bill.

Firearms on higher ed campuses?

Legislation proposed by Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, would allow gun owners to carry firearms on Utah’s higher education campuses without a concealed carry permit.

The bill would allow higher education leaders to regulate certain aspects of relaxed firearms restrictions, such as establishing secure areas where firearms are restricted during specific events.

Last year, the Legislature passed a law allowing people 18 or older to carry a firearm on campuses if they have a current Utah concealed weapon permit.

Religious liberty on college campuses

A bill sponsored by Rep. Michael Petersen, R-North Logan, seeks to ensure that a student’s religious and conscience beliefs are respected and accommodated at Utah’s higher education institutions.

Included in House Bill 204 is a provision that colleges and universities “reasonably accommodate a student’s objection to a required assignment or activity for reasons of the student’s sincerely held religious or conscience belief.”

Resident tuition for ROTC students

Rep. Jill Koford, R-Ogden, is sponsoring a bill allowing Utah’s public higher education institutions to grant resident tuition status to out-of-state students enrolled in ROTC programs, which is a nod to a student’s decision to serve in the military.