All Roll Calls
Yes: 152 • No: 13
UtahS.B. 2412026 General SessionSenateWALLET
Early Literacy
Sponsored By: Ann Millner (Republican)
Signed by Governor
EducationK-12 EducationHigher EducationSchool PersonnelState Board of EducationLocal Education Agencies (LEAs)Standards and CurriculumStudent AssessmentUtah System of Higher Education
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
12 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.
Struggling readers get individual support plans
Beginning July 1, 2026, schools must notify parents when kindergarten through grade 3 students score below or well below benchmark. Reading plans are required for kindergarteners well below benchmark at midyear or year-end, and grades 1–3 students below benchmark. Plans also cover grade 4 students promoted through a retention exemption who have not reached benchmark during grade 4. Other kindergarten or grade 4 students below benchmark can receive plans at a parent's request. A literacy team must meet within 45 days after the first notice of the school year. Teams review plans after benchmark tests; support continues until the child meets the current-grade benchmark or the team changes the plan. Teachers must discuss progress with parents, and schools and school agencies must keep plans in permanent records. Students with plans must have teachers who completed, or are completing, formal science-of-reading training.
Students get reading help matching needs
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah school agencies must provide targeted reading support under the law's intervention framework. Schools must provide individualized help or tutoring when assessments show reading gaps, signs of dyslexia, or lagging reading skills. Literacy teams must choose research-backed, science-of-reading strategies that target each child's needs. Support intensity and setting must reflect assessments, past help or retention, number skills, and other basic skills. For grades 1–3 students well below benchmark at year-end, teams must also consider dyslexia screening information and extended learning options. Schools must track progress, provide instructional materials, and tell parents how to help and find out-of-school support.
Schools discuss early retention with parents
Beginning July 1, 2026, schools must consider retention and discuss its value with parents of children meeting these criteria. Kindergarteners qualify when well below benchmark at midyear or year-end. First-graders qualify when well below benchmark at year-end, with a prior reading plan and no above-typical academic progress. Second-graders qualify when well below benchmark at year-end and either started that grade below benchmark or had a prior plan without above-typical progress. Before the 2029–2030 school year, this also covers third-graders below benchmark at year-end. These rules require a review and parent discussion, not automatic retention.
Third-grade retention includes exemptions and appeals
Starting with the 2029–2030 year-end reading test, third-graders below benchmark must repeat the grade unless a good-cause exemption applies. Exemptions cover listed assessment, intervention, English-learner, disability-plan, portfolio, prior-retention, and transfer circumstances. The literacy team decides whether an exemption applies; a superintendent's designee decides when team members disagree. Children promoted through an exemption must get intensive reading help through an individual plan, which may include a longer school day. Beginning July 1, 2026, parents can appeal retention or promotion decisions based on process errors or relevant new evidence. School agencies must establish appeals with a reviewer or team including someone trained and experienced in the science of reading. The state board must create a model appeal process.
Parents get regular reading test results
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah districts and charter schools must test reading in kindergarten through grade 3. Tests occur at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year. Schools must share each child's results with a parent. Based on a potential kindergartener's reading and number skills assessment, schools must also provide reading-plan information and literacy resources.
Future teachers get stronger reading preparation
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah State University's Center for the School of the Future must develop a reading-preparation plan. It must work with Utah's higher education and state education boards to improve new elementary teachers' and administrators' knowledge and practice. The plan covers graduates of state institutions and focuses on third-grade reading and writing. Joint board staff must coordinate university teacher preparation, monitor science-of-reading accreditation, and support programs with low literacy-test pass rates. Support must increase when low pass rates persist for two consecutive years. For fiscal year 2027, the state board must draw $150,000 proportionally from specified district, regional-agency, and charter literacy funds for the plan.
School funding targets reading staff support
Beginning July 1, 2026, these funding rules depend on legislative appropriations; the law itself appropriates no money. Each regional education service agency and district outside a regional agency must receive at least $75,000 for literacy coaching and training. Remaining coaching funds follow average daily student membership, including member districts served by each regional agency. At least $15 million must be distributed proportionally to eligible districts and regional agencies for literacy classroom aides. At least $1 million must go through the State Charter School Board for charter school coaching, training, and interventions. Charter distributions require consultation with each school's authorizer; these funds go to schools and agencies, not directly to families.
Schools target higher third-grade reading goals
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah's goal is 80% of third-graders reading at grade level by July 1, 2030. This replaces the 70% goal for July 1, 2027; grade level means meeting the year-end reading benchmark. The state board must align resources and support local literacy planning. District boards, charter authorizers, and the state board must annually monitor reading outcomes, instruction, training, and interventions. The state board's monitoring covers all public schools. Schools below the statewide goal must direct at least 50% of their Teacher and Student Success Plan distribution to evidence-based reading strategies and interventions aligned with the science of reading.
Teachers get reading coaches and training
Beginning July 1, 2026, regional education service agencies and districts outside them must provide, train, and assign K–3 literacy coaches. Each must also maintain at least one early-literacy staff position; these duties depend on legislative appropriations. They must offer formal science-of-reading training to K–3 teachers and elementary principals and vice principals, also subject to funding. Trained coaches or teachers must train K–3 classroom aides. The state board must set coach qualifications, duties, and working relationships, and prevent unrelated work from interfering with instructional support.
Universities lose required reading faculty match
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah's higher education board no longer must provide matching funds for additional science-of-reading faculty hires. The former requirement covered 75% of a hire's cost when a state institution with a university teacher-preparation program paid 25%. That requirement depended on legislative appropriations. The repeal does not prohibit institutions from hiring reading faculty.
Schools adopt reading programs with limits
Beginning July 1, 2026, Utah school agencies must adopt science-of-reading curricula and intervention programs advised by the state's reading panel. Schools cannot use the three-cueing model in curricula or teaching. An exception applies only when a child's Individualized Education Program or Section 504 plan explicitly identifies it as appropriate.
Teacher reviews add reading rules, safeguards
From July 1, 2026, until repeal on July 1, 2029, local boards must use annual evaluations with multiple evidence sources and state professional standards. K–3 teacher reviews must consider knowledge and use of the science of reading. Principals of schools serving K–3 must be reviewed on effective implementation. Reviews must include student academic growth, including K–3 benchmark reading results. End-of-level assessment scores cannot be used in educator evaluations.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Ann Millner
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Karen M. Peterson
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/4/2026
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Yes: 24 • No: 1
House vote • 3/4/2026
House/ floor amendment
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 3/4/2026
House/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 62 • No: 7
House vote • 2/27/2026
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 9 • No: 2
Senate vote • 2/24/2026
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Yes: 24 • No: 1
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Yes: 27 • No: 1
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
Senate/ uncircled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
Senate/ substituted
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/20/2026
Senate/ circled
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/6/2026
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Yes: 6 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
3/18/2026Senate/ to Governor
3/13/2026SenateSenate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
3/13/2026SenateSenate/ enrolled bill to Printing
3/11/2026SenateEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
3/11/2026Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
3/6/2026Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
3/6/2026Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
3/5/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/5/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
3/4/2026HouseSenate/ to House
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ concurs with House amendment
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
3/4/2026SenateSenate/ received from House
3/4/2026SenateHouse/ to Senate
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ passed 3rd reading
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ floor amendment
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
3/4/2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
3/3/2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
3/3/2026HouseHouse/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact
3/2/2026HouseHouse/ committee report favorable
3/2/2026HouseHouse Comm - Favorable Recommendation
2/27/2026
Bill Text
Enrolled
3/11/2026
Amended 3/5/2026 16:03:189
3/5/2026
Substitute #1
2/17/2026
Introduced
2/3/2026