SALT LAKE CITY – In addition to helping to re-elect former President Donald Trump, Utah voters also approved a change to annual distributions from the state’s school fund endowment during the Nov. 5 general election.
Dubbed Amendment B on the state ballot, that change to the State Constitution was overwhelmingly okayed by Utahns, with 70 percent of voters signaling their approval compared to 30 percent that opposed the change.
“Utah schools will now see an increase in distributions from 4 percent to 5 percent from the endowment beginning in the 2026-2027 school year,” according to Paula Plant, director of the School LAND Trust Section at the Utah State Board of Education.
The School Learning and Nurturing Development (LAND) Trust program dates back to the achievement of statehood by Utah in 1896.
That program is funded by Utah Trust Lands and provides millions of dollars to public K-12 schools. These funds support academic achievement for students across the state.
Over the years, the size of the LAND Trust endowment has grown rapidly. For example, the endowment’s balance has increased from $50 million in the 1990s to $3.3 billion nowadays, necessitating a readjustment of annual distributions.
While the language of Amendment B specifically mentions Utah’s public schools, the endowment’s beneficiaries also include state hospitals, universities and teaching programs, according to Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams (R-Woods Cross).
Among state officials who supported Amendment B was Utah Treasurer Marlo Oaks, who was handily re-elected in the Nov. 5 balloting.
“Amendment B,” Oaks emphasizes, “which raises the (endowment) cap by 1 percent, provides (the State LAND Trust Section) with the flexibility to responsibility balance funding between current and future students.”
Plant explains that state law requires distribution from the School LAND Trust to be set a year in advance, which allows school councils time to plan effectively. The distribution funds for the 2025-2026 school year have already been determined.
Utah voters also approved Amendment C to the Utah Constitution by a vote of 82.35 percent in favor versus 17.65 percent against.
That measure will enshrine the election of Utah county sheriffs by popular vote into the state’s constitution.