School Land Trust – School Community Council

Trust Lands

In 1894, shortly before Utah became a state, Congress created a land trust including one-ninth of the land of the state to support our public schools. Today, schools still have 3.3 million acres scattered around the state. These lands are held by the state as trustee for our public schools. The lands are managed by the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA). All net revenue is saved in the permanent State School Fund.

Trust Funds

Under the Utah Enabling Act and the Utah Constitution, all net revenue is saved in the permanent State School Fund, which is currently over $1 billion. Investment of the permanent State School Fund is under the prudent direction of Richard Ellis, State Treasurer. Interest and dividend income is distributed by the School Land Trust Program through districts and directly to each school. All capital gains are retained in the fund to grow the fund and its impact on schools.

Program

The School Land Trust program brings tens of millions of dollars annually to academic programs in public schools across Utah. These funds are the only discretionary funds’ many schools receive. Each school elects a school community council consisting of parents, teachers, and the principal. Councils carefully study their school test scores, decide which areas they want to improve and develop a School Improvement Plan. From that plan, a council chooses one or more academic areas on which to focus its annual trust dividend from the School Land Trust program to improve student performance.

Each school elects a school community council consisting of parents, teachers and the principal. Charter schools are not required to have a council but instead have trust land committees that make decisions about the School Land Trust Program. Your council or committee prepares a plan that identifies the school’s greatest academic need(s).

Your council or committee receives an annual dividend from the permanent State School Fund every July to implement your school’s approved plan for the next school year.

Councils set measurable goals with a plan to achieve the goals and submit the plan online. Their local school board will approve the plan or may ask for revisions before approval. Funds are only distributed to schools with approved plans.

USDB School Community Council Rules of Order

The USDB Advisory Council Acts as the School Community Council.  

2023-24 School Community Council/Advisory Council Meeting Schedule:

Openshaw Education Center is located at 1655 E. 3300 S., Salt Lake City, UT
Zoom link for all meetings provided here.
DATE & TIME LOCATION
August 24, 2023 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
September 28, 2023 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
October 26, 2023 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
November 16, 2023 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
December 2023 NO MEETING
January 25, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
February 22, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
March 28, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
April 25, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
May 23, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
June 27, 2024 @ 4:30 pm Openshaw Education Center or Zoom
July 2024 NO MEETING

 

Current USB Strategic Plan

Current USD Strategic Plan

FY23 Distribution $47,785.62

USDB TSSA Framework and Student Success Plan

2023-2024 Current School Land Trust Plan

2022-2023 School Land Trust Final Report

2021-2022 School Land Trust Final Report

2020-2021  School Land Trust Final Report

2019-2020 School Land Trust Final Report

2018-2019 School Land Trust Final Report

2017-2018 School Land Trust Final Report

2016-2017 School Land Trust Final Report

Archived Meeting Minutes

Date:
August 24, 2023
April 27, 2023
January 26, 2023
August 25, 2022
April 28, 2022
September 23, 2021
April 28, 2021
February 2, 2021
September 22, 2020
April 27, 2020
January 27, 2020
October 7, 2019
April 22, 2019
February 4, 2019
October 15, 2018
April 30, 2018
January 22, 2018
September 21, 2017