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Weber board flags 2026 Joint Legislative priorities, urges AI policy and use of DataGateway
Summary
Board member summarized USBA/JLC priorities for 2026 including WPU increases, attendance incentives and funding for at‑risk students; she also reported on Leadership Academy takeaways urging district adoption of datagateway.schools.utah.gov and creation of an AI policy.
A board member told the Weber School District board that the Utah School Boards Association's Joint Legislative Committee has drafted joint legislative priorities for 2026, and encouraged the district to support an education working group, a 2% WPU increase above guaranteed inflation and growth, and additional funding for at‑risk and special education students.
The board member said the priorities also recommend incentives to improve student attendance and a plan to allow up to 85% of the state's economic stabilization account to be directed to local education agencies. "So these are their priorities for '26, and I think they're pretty valid," she said.
The same board member reported on the USBA Leadership Academy in Bryce Canyon, where the district met Utah's state superintendent and saw a demonstration of datagateway.schools.utah.gov, a data tool staff said can show school‑ and teacher‑level proficiency and progress. The board member said the tool was suggested as part of school board certification.
On artificial intelligence, the presenter from the U.S. Department of Education highlighted both opportunities and risks. "If we don't learn how to take advantage in a safe way of AI, then we'll have to learn to compete with it," the board member said, relaying the presenter's advice. She added the two biggest mistakes districts often make are lacking an AI policy and assuming they are already behind; the recommendation was to develop a safe policy and adopt it iteratively.
The district did not take any formal votes on legislation at this session. Board members framed the USBA/JLC priorities as topics to support and track during the 2026 legislative cycle and asked staff to monitor developments relevant to the district budget and programs.
The report also mentioned the Office of the Legislative Auditor General's best practice handbook and the USDE presenter Matthew Winters, referenced during the Leadership Academy recap. The board did not adopt any new districtwide data or AI policy during the study session.
