[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",5984701,"mediaKeyId","5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e","parentId",5761319,"title","Legislative audit finds gaps in state oversight of K‑12 school construction","audioSeconds",146,"startMs",97000,"endMs",243000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e&start=97&end=243","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e/thumbnail_97000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5984701/Utah/Legislative-audit-finds-gaps-in-state-oversight-of-K12-school-construction","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984701-5c6f145fdc7abd13676fdd3cd89186cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770481744&Signature=AxoPSDh0NFc55sBDhnkR0bIa9c55JoB-oUvs9YvwApLPXLg9dkZVI2J8D1Bq0cUBK-TJUD8Hu1718x5~CHRETijMbQysHPuXr-yLGYa84aMoyZ9HO0oW5RYsoNBxYWAx3ACtG~dvcvSpMCppbIw0AALwIpe9rsbJ2PODX3srpZro-imo1Lee5u9THDSD7QrJNmUnQBm9BDkxfh8CuluukELPmC~36dUe35bdpDAWio6TgYZkh7V718fGk5TwRAjgR~BrD-EAp-uUrGfxuxfBl5ZZISgGmWEgH6FTMTAlJFACWQXiIZM79uPIESnWf10klin0vSdMIvw-HNXubvI13Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah Legislature","date","2025-09-16T00:00:00Z","article","Legislative auditors told the Education Interim Committee on Sept. 1 that the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) is not sufficiently overseeing K‑12 school construction and recommended steps including standardized cost reporting, better training and consideration of moving oversight responsibilities to an agency with construction expertise. The audit covers more than $3.6 billion in school projects since 2019 and identifies permit, inspection and code compliance problems that auditors say risk school property and occupant safety.

The audit, presented by Jesse Martinson and Jake Davis of the Legislative Auditor General’s Office, said one significant finding was that 87% of sampled preconstruction permits reflected either that construction began before a permit was issued or that a permit was not obtained. “We were asked to look at the oversight provided for public school constructions for K‑12 and the LEAs,” Martinson said, noting the $3.6 billion figure since 2019. Davis said the State Board’s database and internal controls do not generate actionable information for enforcement and that USBE’s process for notifying districts of noncompliance does not reliably produce the data needed to take action.

Why this matters: committee members and auditors tied the findings to safety and taxpayer risk. Auditors’ sample work — including an outside building‑code reviewer of five projects — concluded most buildings met the intent of providing safe, functional schools, but they flagged recurring compliance gaps: missing plan reviews and special inspections; mechanical, plumbing and electrical reviews not fully performed; firewall installations that did not meet code in multiple schools; and weak documentation of inspections.

Key recommendations and options. Auditors recommended that the legislature require standardized cost reporting and data collection so agencies and local education agencies (LEAs) can compare projects and identify outliers. They also recommended strengthening training for LEA building officials; auditors noted the Utah Facilities Operations and Maintenance Association (UFOMA) currently provides a training conference but USBE does not capture attendance, and charters appear under‑represented at those trainings. To address USBE’s limited construction expertise and enforcement capacity, auditors offered three broad legislative options: 1) designate a different state agency with construction oversight responsibility (auditors cited the Division of Facilities Construction and Management, DFCM, as an example); 2) create a spectrum model where a designated agency provides graduated oversight and support to LEAs depending on their capacity; or 3) maintain the current USBE responsibility but require implementation of the audit’s recommendations and fund the board accordingly.

Bidding and conflict concerns. In chapter 3 auditors flagged one district for concerning procurement practices: that district used a single general contractor for many projects since 2014 and, in at least one solicitation, bundled four major projects (about $130 million in combined cost) into a single bid that one contractor won. Auditors said that bundling was uncommon among other districts reviewed and raised questions about competition and transparency.

Committee reaction and next steps. Committee members pressed auditors and USBE officials on remedies and funding. Representative Lisenby and others urged standardized floor‑plan or blueprint options to control costs and avoid architectural features that add price without clear academic benefit. Senator Wilson, who sponsored a bill file tied to these issues, said he plans to pursue legislation that would implement many audit recommendations and explore assigning DFCM a larger role; he invited committee collaboration. USBE Superintendent Molly Hart and State Board Chair Matt Hymas said the board accepts the findings but lacks the staff and resources to absorb the audit’s recommended enforcement work without additional funding or a structural change in oversight.

No formal committee action was taken at this meeting; members discussed potential legislation and follow‑up. The auditors emphasized establishing consistent cost reporting, improving USBE data systems to enable enforcement, tracking attendance at required training, and collecting better certification information for district building officials so the state can target support where needed.

Ending: lawmakers said they will use the audit to inform bill drafting and appropriations next session; Senator Wilson said he already has a bill file and will seek committee input.
","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Education Interim Committee - September 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Legislative auditors told the Education Interim Committee that the Utah State Board of Education has not provided sufficient oversight of K‑12 school construction, citing permit, inspection and code‑compliance gaps across projects totaling about $3.6 billion since 2019.","taxTitle","2025 Utah Legislature, Utah Legislature, Utah Legislative Branch, Utah","taxId",78171,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5984690,"State audit and network testing finds many EdTech apps share student data beyond contracts; USBE begins remediation",395,4066000,4461000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e&start=4066&end=4461","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e/thumbnail_4066000.jpg","/articles/5984690/Utah/State-audit-and-network-testing-finds-many-EdTech-apps-share-student-data-beyond-contracts-USBE-begins-remediation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984690-a730bf219d4e7b3c7840c49c119b6be1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770481744&Signature=XN9tjmupSzYhWXGe3aM-YKqDYbQ1u5MMYkNzdyDCLrs0HTf1Uu82LQyaSk7OGy78vXB50Pm80QdAiGO3LNXViNMRaMat5-0JKG21dhRw71Tee7yhS3gE0jdO7xKpu~5dXnybzRv2dnW7ezs3Wrw6VLmHSb9FjO~DpMXUmPPRYjJuE4k7tDIP-UMoxHmhHIPP8~iOmm7jg-u61gyn2nJG68Y2TB9-65YwWU~FjwAzxjLGTePH96ifCRbkaqNV~xOhREbk4kKbL0lwTIXf1CtVGqxsb3Do~~n6NQGK2Vsn2j0f6j4NmsAnhSinmYwtdocTDw2lschMVN3egj3NuUi3yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A technical audit of commonly used educational software presented on Sept. 1 found that many third‑party education apps send student data beyond what vendors declared in their contracts with LEAs. Researchers and USBE staff said the work — combining public registries and network‑traffic testing — found approximately 52% of tested apps transmitted data elements not explicitly disclosed in vendor exhibits and, in multiple cases, forwarded information to third‑party analytics or ad‑tech vendors; USBE has begun vendor follow‑up and remediation.

The study was led by Mark Keith, a professor at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management, and carried out with USBE staff. Researchers compiled a list of edtech apps used in Utah schools from LEA websites, USBE registries and other sources, cleaned the list to about 3,000 unique apps, and sampled roughly 100 widely used apps across disciplines for network packet analysis. Testers installed each app on a device, inspected outgoing and incoming packets, and compared observed traffic to each vendor’s data‑privacy agreement (exhibit B) and to the Utah Student Data Protection Act and federal privacy rules.

Key findings and follow‑up. The researchers reported that in the tested sample, about half of the apps sent data elements that were not in their stated agreements; some data was routed to third parties categorized as aggregators, analytics providers or adtech companies. The study team then shared findings with each vendor and asked for explanations or remediation. USBE’s data‑privacy staff reviewed vendor responses; vendors fell into categories including those that corrected practices, those that provided acceptable explanations, and a minority requiring further scrutiny. The USBE team recommended additional vendor training, stronger contracting and routine audits; it also noted that mergers and acquisitions sometimes change data‑handling practices after contracts are signed.

What Utah law and USBE can do. Presenters said Utah’s student‑data protections are among the strongest in the country (they referenced the Utah Student Data Protection Act of 2016) and that USBE has a dedicated data‑privacy office and a data privacy council. The presenters urged more accountability: run‑time audits, clearer contract exhibits listing allowed data elements, and training for LEA contract holders so they can audit vendors on‑site or request network traffic reports. Researchers noted this work is relatively unique among states, and USBE officials said the report will feed a broader remediation and outreach program.

Committee reaction and next steps. Committee members welcomed the technical approach and asked whether USBE will notify parents; presenters said public notification and further stakeholder outreach are next‑step items for USBE’s data‑privacy office and the data‑privacy advisory committee. USBE staff said many vendors cooperated and corrected practices when shown the network evidence; the agency plans to scale the audit process and provide training to LEAs so they can vet apps before classroom use.

Ending: USBE and academic partners recommended formalizing regular auditing of third‑party educational apps, expanding training for LEA contract holders, and adding vendor accountability clauses to contracts; committee members asked USBE to consider parent notifications and use the report to update guidance for districts and charter schools.","A technical review of 100 widely used educational apps found about half sent data elements not listed in vendor agreements and sometimes routed data to third‑party advertising and analytics firms; USBE and academic partners notified vendors and began remediation and training.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5984696,"USBE and advisory committee recommend vendor choice with state support for student‑information systems",790,3564000,4354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e&start=3564&end=4354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5761319-57e88467745d5bfd1431fb0f86c3313e/thumbnail_3564000.jpg","/articles/5984696/Utah/USBE-and-advisory-committee-recommend-vendor-choice-with-state-support-for-studentinformation-systems","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5984696-de5c905529b0c9278deb2159add32672/orig.mp4?Expires=1770481744&Signature=BjOX-sZl9otplKXenb79JL0AX6U65hJE5uKuxNE1Hkj6O0VAQ~t5o1X3XIaSWjyp564K2z3qf1ZYGbBiOGixMEDtIfqeeRf1aHSkRifGSk7geRfmbYaY9zZFwhTlSqRpsAQP~CrMvVZwBvSQ30VxgprzvJG~RsUiIJ5yBEsfe9lQ4HzlBbPIzyq-FdBqNzDffsPqRVeDJp5eQAs3E5y7ScCL7fKfgTMTxTRqfaO1pU6FzBvlnhL9BniaShVbc-JWPBjZL54WJkEAZhvWqYwVRFJlrBoLRGWOyoRoFiRO91pVQbvHy1Yoe4dt2V6VkbIkdm3qf9wxqkA6YE4qjHBwpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Board of Education and a 24‑member advisory committee presented a report required by HB 508 on Sept. 1 that evaluated Utah’s student‑information systems (SIS), estimated costs and staff time, and advanced four policy options for the Legislature to consider. The committee’s recommended option — allow local education agencies to keep vendor choice while increasing USBE support, monitoring and vendor coordination — received the most committee votes in a ranked‑choice process.

The report, summarized by Elise Newey (deputy superintendent for policy) and State Board Chair Matt Hymas, found Utah supports multiple SIS vendors across the state: eight vendors serve districts and charters, with the state’s free Aspire system used by many smaller LEAs and proprietary vendors serving large districts. The committee estimated the total annual cost for SIS procurement, hosting, licensing, training and related staff time at roughly $10 million and estimated LEA staff spend about 773,000 hours per school year on SIS‑related activities (data entry, error correction, training).

What the options would do. The advisory committee developed four pathways: 1) status quo with additional requirements and updated Aspire; 2) LEA vendor choice with increased USBE support (the committee’s preferred option); 3) a small state‑approved vendor pool (3–5 vendors) with contracts held at the state level; and 4) a single statewide SIS. Cost estimates were imprecise but the report projected that options 3 and 4 would have significant one‑time and ongoing costs (example: one‑time $3 million and ongoing $15 million in fiscal modeling for a small group vendor approach) and that potential savings appear after long time horizons (roughly 10 years) if a single vendor remains in place through multiple RFP cycles.

Data quality and enforcement. Committee members and USBE officials emphasized a central problem: data quality. USBE staff reported that about 70% of LEAs that submit nightly data to the state produce at least one fatal error — errors that block state systems from ingesting required fields, such as incomplete course transcripts or missing concurrent‑enrollment flags. Jared Felt, USBE IT director, described examples: “Course name is not on the course transcript that gets sent to us,” and “a student is enrolled in concurrent enrollment, but that field is left blank.” The board has $10 million appropriated last year to address data issues; USBE told the committee the appropriation is available and could be used for pilots, vendor support or data‑cleaning work.

Committee reaction and next steps. Legislators expressed differing views. Some argued a single statewide SIS would most directly reduce inconsistent data and cybersecurity exposure; others and many district representatives warned of “sunk costs” — districts’ investments in bespoke systems and integrations that would be costly to replace — and favored a state role that focuses on technical assistance, auditing and stronger definitions. The advisory committee voted for option 2 in ranked choice voting: preserve LEA vendor choice while expanding USBE resources for vendor oversight, training and error remediation. USBE and the advisory panel plan a second report next year focused on reporting burden and data retention; legislators discussed using some of the $10 million appropriation for pilots or vendor bridge solutions.

Ending: The report will inform legislation and appropriations as the Legislature considers whether to fund additional USBE staff, require standardized reporting definitions, or pursue a state‑held contracting model. Committee members asked staff to return next year with the second HB 508 deliverable on reporting burden and data retention.
","A report required by HB 508 reviewed Utah’s student‑information systems, estimated annual costs and staff burden, and recommended that LEAs keep vendor choice while USBE provides vendor support, auditing and technical assistance; committee discussion flagged persistent fatal data errors and an unused $10 million appropriation to help fix data.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Legislative audit finds gaps in state oversight of K‑12 school construction

State audit and network testing finds many EdTech apps share student data beyond contracts; USBE begins remediation

USBE and advisory committee recommend vendor choice with state support for student‑information systems