Martha Harris

The Trump admin is withholding $35.8M from Utah schools Some of the grants being withheld are for English language learners and before- and after- school programs. The Trump administration said it needed to review them.

The Trump administration is withholding at least $35.8 million in school funding for Utah, as it freezes billions of dollars in similar education grants nationwide.

The director of the non-profit Utah Afterschool Network said it's a scary situation for families.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

Referendum to repeal Utah’s collective bargaining ban heads to 2026 ballot Gov. Spencer Cox let a June 21 deadline to call a special election pass and instead sent the referendum to the November 2026 general election.

“Utah’s public workers are ready,” said the Utah Education Association after the Lt. Gov. certified the referendum. “We are organized, energized and confident that voters will stand with us when the time comes.”

Judge orders release of Arturo Gamboa in No Kings protest shooting case Gamboa’s attorney had sought his release because “he is being unlawfully detained in violation of his constitutional rights.”

Arturo Gamboa, the man arrested after Saturday's SLC protest shooting, will be released from jail. A judge signed the order this afternoon.

"He should never have been in jail in the first place," Gamboa's attorney said.

www.kuer.org/news/2025-06...

Salt Lake DA files a hold on Arturo Gamboa as No Kings shooting investigation continues “I ask for everyone’s patience,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. The district attorney’s office wants “sufficient time to review, analyze, and make an informed decision to any allega...

Arturo Gamboa will stay in jail until Monday.

Salt Lake DA Sim Gill filed a 3-day extension to keep Gamboa there while his office determines what, if any charges, will be filed against him.

www.kuer.org/news/2025-06...

Trump’s executive order on transgender sports kept a Utah teen from playing Arguments continued in a second hearing this year in the lawsuit over Utah’s law banning transgender girls from competing in girls' sports. Now, the central issue is how President Donald Trump’s execu...

A transgender teen in Utah had the go-ahead from the state’s eligibility commission to participate in girls’ high school sports.

Even so, UHSAA would not allow her to compete and cited President Donald Trump's February executive order.

www.kuer.org/politics-gov...

SLCC aims for simplicity and workforce training to meet Utah’s higher ed mandate While the restructuring prioritized Salt Lake Community College’s technical training and health sciences programs, leadership argues that the arts and humanities are still an important part of the sch...

Salt Lake Community College has unveiled its plan for state-mandated budget cuts and reinvestments.

Here's an overview of what's in it.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

Utah Board of Ed member Molly Hart will be the state’s next superintendent Hart succeeds Sydnee Dickson as Utah’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, the chief executive in charge of statewide education.

Utah Board of Ed member Molly Hart will be the state's new Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The board voted 12-to-2 to appoint her on Wednesday night.

Hart will succeed Sydnee Dickson, who has been in the state's top ed job for nearly a decade.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

"Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen is now banned in all Utah public schools.

It was reported by Cache, Davis and Tooele school districts.

This is the 18th book to be banned statewide under the 2024 law, HB29.

Referendum on Utah’s collective bargaining ban has the signatures it needs As of the morning of April 28, the labor groups hit the 8% target in 15 Senate districts, and 146,480 signatures have been verified.

A referendum to repeal Utah's ban on collective bargaining has enough verified signatures to land on the 2026 ballot. But it's not a done deal yet.

Here's the latest from @saigemiller.bsky.social and I.

www.kuer.org/politics-gov...

Utah Tech eyes business investments rather than programs like language or theater State lawmakers are requiring Utah Tech University reallocate over $2.55 million in its budget, which means cutting certain programs. Every public college and university in the state has been tasked w...

@utahtechu.bsky.social is the latest college to publicly share how it plans to comply with budget cuts and restructuring mandated by the Legislature.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

Weber State is latest school cutting majors in response to Utah’s higher ed mandate The Ogden-based university will cut 17 majors, 8 minors and 7 certificates. It joins Utah State University as the first pair of schools to announce major changes following the Legislature’s academic o...

Weber State is cutting 32 majors, minors and certificates. 89 courses will be eliminated.

In which I speak with students about the news, and
@marthajharris.bsky.social tells us what's happening with other Utah state schools: www.kuer.org/education/20...

ACLU Utah sues Trump admin to protect international students in Utah The ACLU of Utah wants a temporary restraining order to allow students to resume their studies and work. Without that, the students could face deportation after the government terminated their registr...

ACLU of Utah is suing the federal government on behalf of nine international students who had their legal status terminated.

The lawsuit argues the Trump administration violated the students' Fifth Amendment due process rights.

www.kuer.org/politics-gov...

Unions turn in 320,000 signatures in bid to repeal Utah’s collective bargaining ban The signatures turned in are more than double the 140,748 needed. The next step is signature verification, followed by 45 days when opponents can convince people to remove their names.

Utah labor unions say they've submitted 320,000 signatures in effort to repeal collective bargaining ban — more than double what they needed.

Here's what happens next.

www.kuer.org/politics-gov...

Utah colleges confirm dozens of international student visas terminated Colleges across the U.S. are reporting that some of their international students are unexpectedly having their visas revoked by the Trump Administration.

International students at several Utah colleges have had their visas revoked and records terminated by the Trump administration.

More than 49 students have been affected so far.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

Utah Board of Ed votes down resolution tying DEI to ‘Soviet policy goals’ The resolution, which drew attention online and hundreds of messages to board members, called on schools to get rid of any remaining DEI practices. Utah’s anti-DEI law was passed in 2024.

Some Utah State Board of Ed members wanted to send a strong message against DEI.

But the proposed resolution failed to get enough support from the full school board.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

All of Utah's business programs struggle w/ gender parity, but at BYU there's a clear gap in faculty representation which impacts mentorship. buff.ly/sOwzQVq

U.S. Education Department says it is cutting nearly half of all staff According to the department, more than 1,300 positions will be cut as a result of this reduction in force. Roughly another 600 employees have accepted voluntary resignations or retired.

UPDATE: According to the department, more than 1,300 positions will be cut as a result of this reduction in force. Roughly another 600 employees have accepted voluntary resignations or retired.

A new Huntsman Center is part of University of Utah’s campus reimagining There are no firm designs nor a location, but Ute Athletics Director Mark Harlan called the idea “a fantastic opportunity for this athletic department to modernize.”

The University of Utah is looking to move the Huntsman Center. Since 1969, it's been home to basketball, volleyball and gymnastics.

Here's why the school wants to move the arena.

www.kuer.org/sports-recre...

Mighty indeed: Capitol Reef has a record 2024, Zion is now America’s No. 2 park All but one of Utah’s Mighty Five national parks had an increase in visitors from the previous year. At the same time, concerns linger about how federal job cuts might impact park crowds.

Did you decide 2024 was a good year to finally check out Capitol Reef? Looks like a lot of people did.

Utah’s big higher ed ‘reinvestment’ bill awaits Gov. Cox. Here’s what happens next Lawmakers have clearly told Utah universities and colleges that they need to decide which of their educational programs get more money and which will get less. If they don’t, they could lose millions.

This year with HB265, Utah lawmakers are cutting funding but schools can earn it back.

To get it back, schools have to cut some programs and "reinvest" that money into more "high-demand" programs.

USU has about $12.6 million on the line.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

In 2024, Utah lawmakers cut 1.5% of higher education funding. USU says that means a $4.8 million budget cut for them starting July 1.

USU Interim President Details Budget Cuts From Legislature, Voluntary Separation Incentive Program This message from USU Interim President Alan L. Smith regarding budget cuts and a voluntary separation incentive program was sent to faculty and staff on March 7.

Here is the full letter from USU Interim President Alan L. Smith. www.usu.edu/today/story/...

Utah State Univeristy will have a "voluntary separation incentive program" in response to a #utleg bill and budget cuts.

A letter sent to faculty and staff today said the buyouts will happen "prior to considering other actions, including potential layoffs."

A 17th book has been banned in all Utah public schools.

"Tricks" by Ellen Hopkins was added to the list today.

It was reported by Davis, Tooele and Washington school districts.

Public unions say they’ll pursue a repeal of Utah’s new collective bargaining ban Representatives from eight unions announced Wednesday they intend to file and collect signatures for a ballot statewide referendum to overturn HB267.

The saga over Utah’s law banning public labor union collective bargaining will continue past the legislative session.

A coalition of unions will try to repeal HB267 with a ballot referendum.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

Utah leaders announce a $1,400 pay raise for public school teachers As the end of the session draws near, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz and Senate President Stuart Adams announced a wage increase of $278 million for teachers, support staff and dist...

Utah public school teachers are getting a $1,446 pay raise from the state.

But the Utah Education Association is still frustrated with state leaders and called today's announcement "political posturing."

www.kuer.org/politics-gov...

Utah is shaking up higher ed, even as a report says there’s a solid return on it “The perceptions around the value of higher education are misaligned with the realities of the value,” said Utah Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward.

A new Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute report highlights the value of higher education in Utah.

This comes as Utah lawmakers look to cut “low-performing” college programs and reallocate those funds to "high-performing" ones.

www.kuer.org/education/20...

NEW: Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Durrant met with Speaker Schultz and President Adams today, and delivered this letter laying out why the Judicial Council opposes Lisonbee's HB512, which would allow legislators a say in judge retention elections. #utpol #utleg

Utah lawmakers vote to reroute education property tax dollars to the General Fund Dollars from the State Basic School Levy on Utahns’ property tax bills used to go directly to local districts. Lawmakers say the change is in the interest of state budget flexibility and giving…

One district administrator feels like the change, which was sent to the governor, is "an end run around Constitutional Amendment A" — the proposal in last election that courts voided from the ballot.

After Declaring NAEP Off-Limits, Education Department Cancels Upcoming Test One prominent researcher said the flip-flop offers ‘the first direct evidence that executive actions have weakened NAEP.’

After Declaring NAEP Off-Limits, Education Department Cancels Upcoming Test www.the74million.org/article/afte...