
Policy
Education
Human beings are magnificent. We were born with a God-given ability to learn and the capacity to grow. As Aristotle put it, “All men by nature desire to know.” Education is broader than any one school system. It’s a series of opportunities to learn, which should be delivered in ways that allow us to meet the unique needs of children. The growing diversity of our student population requires an equitable education for every child, which contemplates both productive citizenship and employment and which is delivered by the best teachers – whoever they are.
This vision for education requires humility and the pursuit of good ideas – wherever they come from. We can achieve this by empowering parents to create learning paths as unique as the student, rejecting approaches that undermine decision-making authority of those closest to the student, respecting taxpayers as owners of the public education system, and protecting the marketplace of options and the innovators who contribute to it. Education is necessary because each individual has the potential to accomplish great things. Education should reflect these truths, and we believe it can.
Conversations
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Find the right education option for your child
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Find the right education option for your child
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Utah Schools Navigator: Helping families find the right educational fit
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Parents know their children best
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The education debate that's changing America
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Should every child go to the same type of school?
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Who decides where kids go to school?
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The growing demand for school choice
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Why one education system cannot work for every child
Insights & Takeaways
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Sutherland Institute supports Utah’s new high school civics bill
Read More: Sutherland Institute supports Utah’s new high school civics billAmericans are faced with issues that make them wonder how our government works, but too few are equipped to engage meaningfully in the civic processes that surround us.
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New report and survey data highlight areas for open enrollment reform
Read More: New report and survey data highlight areas for open enrollment reformUtah voters strongly support making information about open enrollment more transparent to parents.
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Original public meaning, not subjective intent, should guide Utah judge’s evaluation of scholarship law
Read More: Original public meaning, not subjective intent, should guide Utah judge’s evaluation of scholarship lawThe court can make a great contribution by getting the legal issues right.
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What does the new PALM pilot program bill do for teachers?
Read More: What does the new PALM pilot program bill do for teachers?HB 325 would create a program in which teachers in selected areas could receive incentives for making their learning materials more easily accessible to parents.
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Innovative Reforms for Utah’s Open Enrollment Law
Read More: Innovative Reforms for Utah’s Open Enrollment LawUtah has been a leader in education choice – both private and public – and can elevate that status with key reforms in its open enrollment law and implementation.
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Sutherland releases new open enrollment policy reform recommendations
Read More: Sutherland releases new open enrollment policy reform recommendationsSutherland Institute released a new research publication evaluating open enrollment, with proposed reforms to the law and its implementation.
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What do academic scores on the ‘Nation’s Report Card’ tell us?
Read More: What do academic scores on the ‘Nation’s Report Card’ tell us?Students haven’t made up for the learning loss from the pandemic, and in many cases, they are still declining. But there are some wins and promising trends.
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New Supreme Court case at intersection of religion and parents’ rights in education
Read More: New Supreme Court case at intersection of religion and parents’ rights in educationDespite state law, Maryland school district declined to give parents notice of teaching of sensitive sexuality-related topics and the ability to opt their children out. The parents sued.
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Do we need a one-stop shop for open enrollment data?
Read More: Do we need a one-stop shop for open enrollment data?In several states, there are online platforms that make open enrollment data and navigation easy for parents. Utah should consider how this might look in our state.













