Press Release

AFC Celebrates Utah Senate Passage of ESA Legislation

With a vote of 20-to-8, the Utah Senate today passed a bill that would create an Education Savings Account (ESA) for all Utah children. This follows last week’s action by the Utah House of Representatives, which passed the bill with a vote of 54 to 20.

Statement from Elisa Clements, COO of the American Federation for Children:

“We congratulate the Utah Senate for taking this important step toward creating meaningful educational opportunities for every child in Utah. Despite intense pressure from defenders of the status quo, the Utah Legislature has courageously voted for the thousands of families desiring more options to meet the unique needs of their children.”

Details: 

  • HB 215 would establish the Utah Fits All Scholarship Program, an Education Savings Account Program available to every student in the state of Utah.
  • Students would be eligible for an ESA of $8,000 per year to be used for qualified education expenses including private school tuition, therapies, tutors, and curriculum.
  • Lower-income families would receive preference in the application process, and the program would also allow partial scholarship awards for students who maintain partial enrollment in their public school.
  • The bill would also provide a pay increase for public school teachers.

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