UtahUtah law requires regular social studies in elementary grades
Utah schools must provide regular social studies in elementary grades by 2031, and the state must develop shared teaching materials if lawmakers fund them.
What it does
Elementary students must receive regular social studies instruction. Schools must provide suitable materials, teacher development, and ways to check student progress.
Starting in the 2028–2029 school year, secondary social studies must compare American self-government with communism and other forms of rule, including their histories and effects.
If lawmakers provide funding, the state superintendent must develop free teaching materials that schools can adapt and share. Schools may choose whether to use them.
High school social studies graduation requirements include separate semester courses in American constitutional government and citizenship, and U.S. history. Students cannot count the same semester course twice.
Starting in the 2028–2029 school year, students will study religious and philosophical influences on founding documents. Lessons must focus on history and civic ideas, not religious doctrine.
Argument forRegular social studies in every elementary grade could help students build history and civics knowledge over time, while teachers connect it with reading and math.
Argument againstRequired comparisons and historical examples could leave teachers less class time for other subjects, since the state sets specific topics students must study.
More detail
Local education agencies must ensure students receive regular social studies instruction in elementary grades. Elementary grades means kindergarten through grade 6. Schools must provide suitable materials, ongoing teacher development, and regular checks of student progress. Local education agencies must implement these requirements by July 1, 2031.
The state board must include comparisons of government systems and American self-government in secondary social studies standards. The instruction compares constitutional republicanism with communism and other autocratic systems, including their histories and effects. The state board decides which secondary grades receive the instruction and how often. These standards apply beginning in the 2028–2029 school year.
The state superintendent must develop and share open educational resources, if lawmakers provide funding. The resources must align with Utah standards and be age appropriate. They may cover kindergarten through grade 12 and must be available through a public digital platform. Schools may choose whether to use the materials; schools that adopt them must follow their usual curriculum approval process. The materials must be openly licensed so schools can use, adapt, and share them without charge. The requirement takes effect July 1, 2026.
The state board must set high school social studies graduation requirements that include distinct semester courses in American constitutional government and citizenship, and U.S. history. The requirements include at least one unit each in American constitutional government and citizenship, and U.S. history. Students may not repeat the same semester course to meet either requirement. The requirements take effect July 1, 2026.
The state board must ensure history and government instruction includes the context and influence of founding documents. The instruction includes religious and philosophical influences on founding documents and the development of religious liberty. The state board decides which grades from 3 through 12 receive this instruction and how often. Instruction about religious texts must focus on their literary form, history, and documented influence, rather than theology or doctrine, and must acknowledge differing interpretations. This instruction begins in the 2028–2029 school year.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 25Governor Spencer Cox SignedBecame Law
- Mar 12House/ to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 12House/ received enrolled bill from PrintingMinor
- Mar 11House/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill Returned to House or SenateMinor
- Mar 10Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
- Mar 10Bill Received from House for EnrollingMinor
- Mar 6House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrollingMajor
- Vote recorded House Conference Committee - Final Passage. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate Conference Committee - Final Passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 6Senate/ to House
- Mar 6Senate/ signed by President/ returned to HouseMajor
- Mar 6Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 6House/ to Senate
- Mar 6House Conference Committee - Final Passage [Senate President]Major
- Mar 6House Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt [Conference Committee]
- Mar 6House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 6LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S06
- Mar 6Senate/ to House
- Mar 6Senate Conference Committee - Final Passage [Conference Committee]Major
- Mar 6Senate Motion to Adopt Joint Conference Comm Rpt [Conference Committee]
- Mar 6Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Mar 6LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S06
- Mar 5Conference Committee Report [Conference Committee]
- Vote recorded Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Bill Substituted by Conference Committee [Conference Committee]Major
- Mar 5LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S06
- Mar 5LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S06
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House Conference Committee Appointed [Conference Committee]Minor
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House
- Mar 5Senate Conference Committee Appointed [Conference Committee]Minor
- Mar 5Senate/ refused to recede from Senate amendments
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House/ refuse to concur with Senate amendment
- Mar 5House/ to Senate
- Mar 5House/ refuse to concur with Senate amendment
- Mar 5House/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 5House/ received from SenateMinor
- Mar 5Senate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 5Senate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionPassed Senate
- Mar 5Senate/ substituted
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspensionMinor
- Mar 5LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S05
- Mar 5LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S05
- Mar 5Senate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 5Senate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules [Senate Rules Committee]Minor
- Mar 5LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S04
- Mar 4LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S05
- Mar 4LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S05
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S04
- Mar 4LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S04
- Mar 4LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S04
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S03
- Mar 4LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S03
- Mar 3Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 3Senate/ committee report favorable [Senate Education Committee]Minor
- Mar 3Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation [Senate Education Committee]Minor
- Mar 2LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S03
- Mar 2LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S03
- Feb 24Senate/ to standing committee [Senate Education Committee]Minor
- Feb 23Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Feb 21Senate/ received from HouseMinor
- Vote recorded House/ passed 3rd reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 21House/ to Senate
- Feb 21House/ passed 3rd readingPassed House
- Feb 21House/ 3rd readingMinor
- Feb 18LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S02
- Feb 17LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S02
- Feb 13House/ 2nd readingMinor
- Feb 13House/ comm rpt/ substituted/ amended [House Education Committee]Major
- Feb 13House Comm - Favorable Recommendation [House Education Committee]Minor
- Feb 13House Comm - Amendment Recommendation [House Education Committee]Minor
- Feb 13House Comm - Substitute Recommendation [House Education Committee]Major
- Feb 12LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S02
- Feb 12LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S02
- Feb 11LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312S01
- Feb 6LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312S01
- Feb 4House Comm - Held [House Education Committee]
- Feb 4LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312S01
- Feb 4LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312S01
- Jan 28House/ to standing committee [House Education Committee]Minor
- Jan 26House/ received fiscal note from Fiscal AnalystMinor
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0312
- Jan 23LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0312
- Jan 22House/ 1st reading (Introduced)Minor
- Jan 22House/ received bill from Legislative ResearchMinor
- Jan 21LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0312
- Jan 21LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0312
- Jan 21Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Jan 21Bill Numbered but not DistributedIntroduced
Education