Senate hears presentation on Taylor plan; places model on master study resolution

Phyllis Taylor, representing the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation, told the Utah Senate she was urging lawmakers to study a scholarship incentive program that pays four years of public tuition for students who earn a college core curriculum in high school, graduate with at least a 2.5 GPA and score 18 on the ACT. "The program is known as the Taylor plan," Taylor said, describing decades of implementation and claiming higher participation, better ACT scores and increased on‑time college graduation in states that have adopted versions of the idea.

Senator Bramble introduced Taylor and asked the Senate to resolve into a Committee of the Whole to hear a brief presentation. Senators questioned logistics and possible tailoring for Utah; Senator Stevenson and others asked if the foundation could provide data and work with state officials during the interim. After the presentation, the Senate unanimously voted to add the Taylor plan to the master study resolution and to refer it to appropriate interim committees (public education and higher education) for review and recommendations to the next general session.

Why it matters: The study placement directs staff and legislators to examine program design, cost, and likely effects on student preparation and state higher‑education budgets ahead of any bill drafting. The Senate did not adopt policy or fund the plan; it voted only to study the proposal during the interim. The next step is committee review and possible bill sponsorship in a future session.