Candice Pierucci

Utah is highlighting its public education system as more than 572,000 students return to school districts statewide, along with about 85,000 attending public charter schools. State Rep. Candice Pierucci, who chaired the House Education Committee, pointed to five years of funding growth, with state support for public education rising $1.8 billion, or more than 44%, and now accounting for nearly half of Utah's state budget.

Teacher pay has also risen, with a $6,000 salary increase giving Utah the fourth-highest average starting teacher salary in the nation. Teachers now get 32 hours of paid planning time and up to $500 for classroom supplies. The Utah Fits All Scholarship program, which expands school choice options for families, has issued awards to more than 18,700 students for the coming year, with 8,800 more on a waitlist. Officials say priorities ahead include early literacy initiatives, screen-time guardrails, and preparing students to use AI responsibly.