Teacher salaries, scholarship families in limbo after court strikes down Utah Fits All
SALT LAKE CITY () — Teacher salaries are in limbo, and families receiving the are waiting for clarity after a judge ruled that the scholarship program was .
That clarity is supposed to come this Wednesday, April 23, when Judge Laura Scott has scheduled a status hearing to discuss her ruling that struck down the Utah Fits All Scholarship.
PREVIOUSLY: Judge finds 'Utah Fits All' scholarship unconstitutional, legislature to appeal
'In their Complaint, Plaintiffs request the court declare the Program unconstitutional and enjoin its continued operation,' her April 18 ruling reads.
The ruling would signal that the law is thrown out because it's unconstitutional, regardless of whether or not her ruling explicitly it. But Scott's ruling does not outline what happens to existing scholarship funds.
The , so questions remain about whether scholarship recipients can continue to be reimbursed if they've already incurred approved education expenses with money allocated for the first year of the program.
Since 2024, funding for the scholarship had doubled from $40 million to $80 million, which could reportedly fund about 10,000 students, Sen. Kirk Cullimore (R-Draper) . The program offered a scholarship of up to $8,000 for eligible K-12 students.
The Utah State Board of Education provided a statement to ABC4.com, saying that it was 'aware of' the ruling regarding Utah Fits All.
'USBE is currently reviewing the implications of this court decision to determine appropriate next steps. As this process unfolds, USBE remains committed to ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education in accordance with Utah state law. Further information will be provided as it becomes available,' the statement reads.
The Utah Attorney General's office declined to comment until it had more clarity on the situation.
While the parties wait for clarity from the courts, teacher salary increases could likely be cut in half unless there is a stay or reversal of the ruling on appeal.
The 2023 law that created the scholarship program tied teachers' salaries to the Utah Fits All Scholarship being 'in effect' — which means that if the program is not 'in effect,' then teachers get a lower raise.
At the time of the bill's passage, teacher raises were $8,400 with the scholarship or $4,200 without it, with adjustments for cost of living. In 2025, teachers also got a nearly $1,500 raise.
That means that, beginning on July 1 — when this year's state budget takes effect — teachers' salary adjustments could either increase by around $10,000 or only around $5,000, depending on whether the scholarship is 'in effect' or not.
'To our Utah Fits All scholarship recipients: we will continue to fight for you,' Rep. Candice Pierucci (R-South Jordan) said in a statement to ABC4.com after the court's April 18 ruling.
Pierucci, who is the , said she is 'not done fighting this fight' and plans to appeal the judge's decision.
'The decision made by Judge Scott is judicial activism; it is not the job of judiciary to set policy on the bench and infuse personal opinion and ideology into their decisions,' Pierucci said.
Scott Lewis, Derick Fox, and Matthew Drachman contributed to this report.
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