Utah
K-12 public schools in Utah enroll more than 560,000 students, with 31% in poverty, 8% learning English, 21% minorities, and annual expenditures of almost $3.5 billion. (Most recent NCES data)
Litigation
Utah is one of only five states in which no case challenging the state's education finance system has ever been filed.
"The Legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of the state's education systems including: (a) a public education system, which shall be open to all children of the state; and (b) a higher education system. Both systems shall be free from sectarian control." Utah Const. art. X, § 1.
"The public education system shall include all public elementary and secondary schools and such other schools and programs as the Legislature may designate…Public elementary and secondary schools shall be free, except the Legislature may authorize the imposition of fees in the secondary schools." Utah Const. art. X, § 2.
Pre-K
Utah does not have a state funded preschool program. The state Department of Human Services, however, has drafted voluntary early learning guidelines.
