Insights
Insights: analysis, research, and informed commentary from Sutherland experts. For elected officials and public policy professionals.
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Best practices districts use to share information with parents
Utah law requires school districts to publish open enrollment data, but some go further. Here are best practices that make district websites more transparent and parent-friendly.
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Loneliness is not a mystery. We’ve known the cure for decades
America’s loneliness crisis is not a personal failure but the result of weakened families, faith communities, and civic institutions, and restoring participation is the real solution.
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Banning phones and boosting literacy: Utah’s 2026 education legislative priorities
As Utah’s 2026 legislative session approaches, lawmakers weigh education bills on technology, literacy, school choice, governance, and funding.
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Rick Larsen leaves a legacy of making sound ideas broadly popular
Rick’s leadership kept Sutherland grounded in constitutional values and presented an aspirational vision for the State of Utah.
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A New Year’s resolution worth keeping: Restoring the balance between states and Washington
Federal spending shortfalls and agency “guidance” are shifting costly obligations to states. Utah lawmakers consider new transparency to protect state budgets.
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Sutherland Institute weighs in on federal regulations for new tax credit scholarship
As federal education rulemaking accelerates in 2026, we weigh in on tax credit scholarship regulations and their impact on state-led school choice.
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Religious liberty doesn’t end at the college classroom door
Recent campus controversies raise a key question: should students’ grades suffer for following their religious conscience?
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Legislators: Utah needs a state-level school open enrollment report
A state-level school open enrollment report would give Utah parents clearer, easier access to transfer data and education choice trends.
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Why the Supreme Court should rein in lawfare against nonprofits
The Supreme Court’s First Choice v. Platkin case highlights how lawfare threatens donor privacy, free speech, and religious nonprofits.
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Determining the mission of the state education agency
Utah’s education priorities show how state education agencies can reassess their duties, refine their mission, and better support parents in a new policy era.