Utah’s per-pupil funding for public schools will increase by 5%, costing $212 million, according to the latest budget projects.
In public education funding, the Legislature is boosting Utah’s per-pupil funding by 5%, or $212 million next year. Most of that extra money is the result of state law requiring the Legislature to cover the cost of inflationary increases and spending growth. That mandatory spending accounts for just over $161 million, or 3.8% of the total. The remaining 1.2% in per-pupil funding, just over $50 million, is a discretionary increase.
Among some of the construction projects added to the budget on Friday night, is $25 million in unspent COVID funding that lawmakers are hoping to put toward a University of Utah hospital in West Valley City. The federal government needs to approve using those funds for the project. If that does not happen, the money will go toward improving broadband infrastructure.