MINUTES OF THE
EDUCATION INTERIM COMMITTEE
Tuesday, September 16, 2025 • 8:30 a.m. • 110 Senate Building


Members Present:
Sen. John D. Johnson, Chair
Rep. R. Neil Walter, Chair
Sen. Lincoln Fillmore
Sen. Kathleen A. Riebe
Sen. Chris H. Wilson
Rep. Tiara Auxier
Rep. Sahara Hayes
Rep. Karianne Lisonbee
Rep. Carol S. Moss
Rep. Clinton D. Okerlund
Rep. Karen M. Peterson
Rep. Val L. Peterson
Rep. Doug Welton

Members Absent:
Sen. Heidi Balderree
Rep. Ariel Defay
Rep. Joseph Elison
Rep. Michael L. Kohler
Rep. Candice B. Pierucci
Rep. Jason E. Thompson

Staff Present:
Finn Andrew Rose, Policy Analyst
Micah Ann Wixom, Policy Analyst
Mike Curtis, Managing Associate General Counsel
Tyler Keetch, Associate General Counsel
Jeff Van Hulten, Associate General Counsel
Amy Hawkes, Administrative Assistant

Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.

Chair Johnson called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.
1.Committee Business
MOTION:Rep. Walter moved to approve the minutes of the August 20, 2025, meeting.The motion passed with a vote of 10-0-9.
Yeas - 10Nays- 0Abs- 9
Rep. T. Auxier
Rep. S. Hayes
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. C. Okerlund
Rep. K. Peterson
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. R. Walter
Sen. C. Wilson
Sen. H. Balderree
Rep. A. Defay
Rep. J. Elison
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Thompson
Rep. D. Welton
2.Legislative Audit: School Construction Processes
2 - AUDIT: A Performance Audit of Public School Construction Standards and Efficiency (Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG))
2 - PRESENTATION: A Performance Audit of Public School Construction Standards and Efficiency (OLAG)
Jesse Martinson, Audit Manager, and Jake Davis, Lead Auditor, Office of the Legislative Auditor General (OLAG), shared findings and recommendations from the Performance Audit of Public-School Construction Standards and Efficiency. They also answered committee questions.
2 - USBE Response 2025-09A Performance Audit of Public-School Construction Standards and Efficiency (USBE)
Molly Hart, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Matt Hymas, Chair, Utah State Board of Education (USBE), responded to the recommendations and findings from the audit.
3.Public Education: H.B. 508 Report
3 - H.B. 508, "School Data Amendments" (2025 General Session)
3 - HB 508: School Data Amendments SIS Report (USBE)
Matt Hymas, Chair, USBE, Representative Matt Macpherson, and Elisse Newey, Deputy Superintendent of Policy, USBE, presented to the committee on the report required by H.B. 508, "School Data Amendments" (2025 General Session) related to SISs (Student Information Systems) and answered committee questions.
Jared Felt, IT Deputy Director, USBE, answered a committee question.
David Williams, Director of Information Systems, Davis School District, shared his experience working with an internal SIS and his concerns about moving to a single SIS used by all districts in Utah. He also answered a committee question.
Mark Clement, Member, Alpine School District Board of Education, and President, Utah School Boards Association, shared his thoughts on the current SIS that Alpine School District uses and on moving to a single SIS for the entire state.
4.Public Education: EdTech App Data Sharing Report
4 - EdTech App Data Sharing Report (Utah State Board of Education (USBE))
4 - EdTech Investigation Observations and Considerations (USBE)
Jennie Earl, Board Member, USBE, Elisse Newey, Deputy Superintendent of Policy, USBE, and Dr. Mark Keith, Associate Professor, BYU, shared findings from research done on student data privacy and information sharing and recommendations based on the findings. They also answered committee questions.
5.Legislative Reports
5 - Education Interim Committee Required Reports (Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel (OLRGC))
Micah Wixom gave the committee an overview of the statutorily required reports that are due to the Education Interim Committee and shared several options to clean up and organize the current list of reports.
6.Other Items/Adjourn
MOTION:Sen. Riebe moved to adjourn.The motion passed with a vote of 9-0-10.
Yeas - 9Nays- 0Abs- 10
Rep. T. Auxier
Sen. L. Fillmore
Rep. S. Hayes
Sen. J. Johnson
Rep. K. Lisonbee
Rep. C. Moss
Rep. C. Okerlund
Sen. K. Riebe
Rep. D. Welton
Sen. H. Balderree
Rep. A. Defay
Rep. J. Elison
Rep. M. Kohler
Rep. K. Peterson
Rep. V. Peterson
Rep. C. Pierucci
Rep. J. Thompson
Rep. R. Walter
Sen. C. Wilson
Chair Johnson adjourned the meeting at 10:54 a.m.