The committee received a detailed information briefing on the Utah Schools Information Management Structure (USIMS). Product owners from the student, finance and educator domains summarized recent work, pilot progress, and next steps for vendor integration and production data.

Staff described USIMS not as a single standalone application but as an infrastructure that will move standardized student, educator and finance data between local systems and state systems. Deputy Superintendent Scott Jones emphasized that USIMS improves data transfer and reduces administrative burden but does not substitute for accurate local data entry: “USIMS is an infrastructure that provides… ability to better diagnose a new student's individual needs based on academic history,” he said, while noting local data accuracy remains an LEA responsibility.

Student domain product owner Mark Wadips said work is under way to deliver the student “backpack” datasets, add statewide assessment scores beyond RISE, include WIDA screener scores, and accelerate attendance and IEP/SELMA (SCRAM/IEP) data ingestion. Finance domain product owner Don Moody described stabilizing the finance API, onboarding vendors, and developing indirect cost and carryforward calculations; school finance director Sam Urie confirmed the transition away from time‑limited ARP/ESSER funds to the $17.2 million state USIMS appropriation for ongoing work.

Educator domain product owner Tim Davis reported progress on the educator prep recommendation flow (university recommendations), background check workflow integration, assignment management and planned rollouts of UEN services and UPAC hearing workflows. Staff said they will continue on‑site sessions with LEAs and SIS vendors and scheduled focus working groups and a quarterly functional advisory board.

Committee members thanked staff for progress and asked staff to report monthly on USIMS progress and continue vendor coordination; staff said they will continue monthly updates and quarterly deeper dives.