State education staff to collect LEA system costs under HB 508; first report due Sept. 15, 2025

The Utah State Board of Education staff told local education agency (LEA) representatives that House Bill 508 requires a comprehensive, two-year study of LEA data practices, systems and reporting and that LEAs will be asked to supply cost and usage information for the study. The first statutorily required report is due Sept. 15, 2025; a second report is scheduled for 2026.

Why it matters: The legislature directed the state board to gather information to understand costs, capabilities and potential changes (including discussion of a single statewide student information system). The responses could inform recommendations for statutory or rule changes, implementation timelines and possible funding requests.

Board staff said they will distribute an initial Qualtrics survey to LEAs in late May or June asking for average annual costs (not one-time setup fees) related to their student information systems and related data systems. The survey will ask LEAs to estimate annual expenditures such as licensing, hosting, technical support, staff training and custom programming. Staff emphasized round 1 will focus mostly on SIS-related costs; other systems will be considered in round 2.

Staff also said the state board must form an advisory committee to review the study. Committee membership will include representatives from urban and rural school districts, charter schools, the State Board and the Utah State Board of Education staff (department staff). Staff indicated the committee could also include business administrators, superintendents and parent representatives but that final membership will be determined once the board meets to form the group.

What LEAs should prepare: The survey will ask for an average annual cost for systems (not startup only). LEAs should consider direct vendor charges, hosting and licensing fees, hardware costs, staff time assigned to maintaining and extracting data, and the cost of custom work. Staff recommended LEAs estimate staff hours spent on SIS tasks and include employees who work primarily in the SIS for a year. Hardware costs for SIS were identified as included; classroom-gradebook entry by teachers was discussed as likely not part of the main SIS-cost calculation but may be considered in clarifications.

Timing and help: Staff said they intend to send the survey before the end of the school year and that LEAs wanting to preview the survey should contact Nicole Clark to volunteer to review the draft. Staff said they will also notify superintendents, data directors and the VAs (data contacts) so the survey reaches the relevant local staff.

Next steps: The state board will form the review committee and continue refining the survey to avoid overly broad or vague questions. Staff warned that the exercise will take time and staff capacity and encouraged LEAs to begin gathering cost estimates and staff-time calculations so they can respond by the deadlines.