The Utah State Board of Education told the Legislature’s public education appropriations subcommittee that it has pared a longer wish list but still seeks targeted money for teacher pay, data and school safety.

Board Chair Matt Hymas told the committee the board is asking for a 1% increase to the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) on top of the 4% inflationary adjustment already expected this year — a combined increase the board says will help local education agencies meet maintenance-of-effort and salary obligations for teachers. He also outlined agency requests for ongoing staff capacity, a reduced-cost statewide reporting system and targeted school-safety funding, and asked the committee to consider a $4 million one-time payment to the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (USDB).

Why it matters: WPU adjustments and new data systems affect how money reaches districts and classrooms statewide. The board said constrained revenue forced it to re‑rank priorities but left intact items it considers essential for schools’ operations and safety.

Hymas told the committee the board met “yesterday” to trim an original list of a dozen-plus priorities and to align the request with current revenue projections. “We know that 4% is coming. We’re asking for an additional 1%,” he said, adding that the board recognizes the state’s fiscal limits. Hymas described the board’s posture plainly: “We’re begging,” he said, then immediately framed that as a candid acknowledgment of scarcity and need.

Key items the board presented:

- WPU increase: The board asks the subcommittee to consider a 1% add-on to the WPU beyond the 4% inflation adjustment lawmakers expect this cycle (board leaders said the extra 1% is targeted to help LEAs cover teacher pay and meet maintenance‑of‑effort requirements). Legislative fiscal staff warned the committee there is a statutory step: equity positions must be funded before any discretionary WPU increase; staff estimated that equity requirement would cost roughly $21.3 million.

- Agency FTEs: The board reaffirmed a request for roughly $1.27 million in ongoing funding to add critical full‑time positions in the state agency; Hymas said the board removed a one‑time FTE ask because one‑time money does not match an ongoing staffing need.

- Statewide reporting system: The board reduced an earlier one‑time ask for statewide reporting from $35 million to $20 million, saying accurate data “drives informed decisions” and that a lower request reflects an effort to be efficient while preserving needed capability.

- School safety: The board outlined a substantial long‑term need for school‑safety infrastructure it estimated at about $500 million. Recognizing the scale, it asked the committee for an initial $50 million one‑time commitment and urged discussion about statewide solutions and potential funding sources beyond the education budget.

- Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind: The board requested $4 million one‑time for the USDB as a bridge to accommodate an expected influx of students while the agency and board continue long‑term planning.

Vice Chair Leanne Wood said the board voted to retain funding for four specific items the Legislative Fiscal Analyst had recommended for preservation: CTE student organizations (DECA, FBLA, FFA), college-and-career awareness for elementary grades, CTE work‑based learning, and grants for professional learning (which support early‑literacy coaches used by a majority of elementary LEAs). Wood noted the board had pulled back from some larger requests that the base budget now partially funds, pointing specifically to a previous ask for expanded professional hours that the base budget now covers at roughly $77 million.

Legislative fiscal staff cautioned the committee that some statutory requirements and base budget commitments affect how discretionary increases would be implemented — notably the equity funding trigger tied to any WPU increase.

Committee members thanked the board for quickly revising its request to reflect tighter revenue estimates and for prioritizing programs that directly affect classroom instruction.

Next steps: Board leaders asked the subcommittee to carry the updated summary into caucus discussions. The committee did not take a final vote on any of the board’s requests during the hearing; staff said the items will be considered along with other agency requests as the subcommittee develops a priority list for final action.