School Land Trust

Fox 13 News Interview

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 trustees 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 that 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