2025 Legislative Summary

Pub. 14 2024-2025 Issue 2

An LEA must do a brief firearm safety instruction: three times in K-6 grades, two times in middle school and one time in high school.
The expectation is that the instruction varies by age — and may only take five minutes.
Students may be opted out of the instruction by parent/guardian.

Defines permitted flags: the official flag of the United States, an official Utah state flag, the current and official flag for another country, state or political subdivision of another country or state, a flag that represents a city, municipality, county or political subdivision of the state, a flag that represents a branch, unit or division of the United States military, the National League of Families POW/MIA flag, a flag that represents a Native American tribe as defined in federal law, an officially licensed flag of a college or university, an official public school flag, or an official Olympic or USOC flag.

If an LEA participates in the federal school lunch program, this law eliminates the distinction between free and reduced lunch prices.
State Board is to reimburse LEAs for the difference between “federal reimbursement rates for a meal” and a “reduced price meal.”
Appropriation of $2.5 million to the State Board.

May use packets for original or replacement credit if LEA approves the packet as instructional material or the State Board recommends the packet.
Students may not use packets to improve a grade.
LEAs must assign a distinct course name and number for credit earned via packets.

“Restricted services” are mental health services provided in a school setting.
An individual providing restricted services must have been appropriately licensed or be supervised by someone with an appropriate license.
LEAs must obtain parental consent before providing restricted services.
Except in an emergency, restricted services may only cover subjects identified by parents.

Fundraising is NOT a fee.
A student must have a path to obtain a diploma that does not require the student to pay a fee. (Does not require an LEA to provide — fee free — a specific course of program, or the student’s preferred course, activity, etc.)
Non-fee course is a course that generates credit in ELA, health, math, science and social studies.
May not charge a fee for a “non-fee course.”
EXCEPTIONS MATTER — SO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THIS BILL.

Trip means school-sponsored travel of two or more nights that requires a fee.
Fee policy must cap total of fee waivers.
Limit waivers to no more than two trips per year.
If the student qualifies for fee waivers and wants to attend more trips, the school must develop a plan.

Beginning July 1, 2026, end-of-year standards assessments in the following:
- Math tests for grades 3-10.
- ELA tests for grades 3-10.
- Science tests for grades 4-10.

Prohibits an LEA from requiring a student to undress in the presence of another
May meet this requirement by providing a space with a curtain or a single occupancy facility.

Students may not use smart watches, phones or tablets during classroom hours.
However, any LEA may adopt policies describing how and when students may have and use smartwatches, phones and tablets in classes.
Classroom hours do NOT include lunch, recess or transit time between classes.

Staff/student bullying means intending to cause harm, repeatedly committing a written, verbal or physical act against a student or a school employee, or engaging in a single egregious act toward another employee involving an imbalance of power that:
- Creates an environment that a reasonable person would find hostile, threatening or humiliating; and
- Substantially interferes with a student’s or employee’s educational or professional performance, opportunities or benefits.
Does not include ordinary teasing, horseplay, argument or peer conflict.