Enrolled Copy H.B. 508
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School Data Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Matt MacPherson
Senate Sponsor: Lincoln Fillmore
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill requires the State Board of Education (state board) to study and make
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recommendations regarding local education agency (LEA) data collection, retention, student
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information systems, and reporting requirements.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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▸ defines terms;
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▸ creates a Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee;
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▸ requires the state board to study LEA practices for collection and retention of student
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personally identifiable information;
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▸ requires analysis of LEA student information system costs and capabilities;
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▸ requires examination of LEA reporting requirements and potential sunset provisions;
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▸ establishes requirements for stakeholder input and coordination;
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▸ requires the state board to report findings and recommendations to the Education Interim
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Committee; and
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▸ requires legislative review of recommendations.
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Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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None
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Other Special Clauses:
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None
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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ENACTS:
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53E-3-526, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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H.B. 508 Enrolled Copy
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. Section 53E-3-526 is enacted to read:
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53E-3-526 . Student data systems and reporting study.
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(1) As used in this section:
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(a) "Advisory committee" means the Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee
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created in Subsection (3).
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(b) "Data retention schedule" means a schedule for maintaining and disposing of student
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data in accordance with Section 63G-2-604.
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(c) "Legacy system" means a student information system that:
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(i) was implemented before May 1, 2025; and
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(ii) may require manual data transmission to the state board in varying formats.
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(d) "Manual data transmission" means a process that requires LEA staff to:
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(i) extract data from a student information system;
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(ii) modify the data format; or
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(iii) manually enter data into a separate system.
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(e) "Reporting requirement" means any obligation that requires an LEA to submit data
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or information to the state board or another governmental entity established in:
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(i) statute;
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(ii) state board rule; or
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(iii) state board policy.
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(f) "Student information system" means a computer database that:
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(i) provides the functions described in Section 53E-3-518; and
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(ii) maintains student records and data over time.
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(g) "Student personally identifiable information" means student data that:
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(i) identifies a student; or
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(ii) is used by the holder to identify a student as defined in Section 53E-9-301.
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(h) "System modification" means a change to a student information system required or
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caused by:
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(i) statutory amendments;
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(ii) administrative rule changes; or
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(iii) state board policy updates.
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(2) The state board shall:
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(a) conduct a comprehensive study of LEA data practices, systems, and reporting;
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(b) coordinate with the advisory committee throughout the study process;
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(c) seek input from relevant stakeholders, including:
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(i) school district superintendents;
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(ii) charter school administrators;
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(iii) LEA technology directors;
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(iv) LEA student data managers;
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(v) the Utah School Boards Association;
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(vi) the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools;
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(vii) student information system vendors; and
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(viii) other parties the state board determines necessary; and
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(d) establish working groups as needed to examine specific study components.
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(3) The state board shall create a Data Systems and Reporting Advisory Committee that:
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(a) includes representatives from:
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(i) urban school districts;
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(ii) rural school districts;
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(iii) charter schools;
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(iv) the state board;
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(v) the Department of Administrative Services with expertise in regulations related to
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government records; and
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(vi) other stakeholders as determined by the state board;
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(b) provides guidance on study scope and methodology;
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(c) reviews preliminary findings and recommendations;
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(d) meets at least quarterly during the study period; and
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(e) assists in preparing the final report.
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(4) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student data retention examines:
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(a) types of student personally identifiable information collected by LEAs, including:
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(i) information required by federal law;
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(ii) information required by state law;
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(iii) information required by administrative rule;
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(iv) optional information collected by an LEA; and
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(v) retention requirements for each type;
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(b) methods used by LEAs to:
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(i) store student personally identifiable information;
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(ii) secure stored data;
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(iii) control access to data;
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(iv) maintain data quality;
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(v) track data retention schedules; and
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(vi) dispose of outdated data;
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(c) compliance with:
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(i) retention schedules under Section 63G-2-604;
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(ii) privacy requirements under Chapter 9, Student Privacy and Data Protection;
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(iii) security standards established by the state board; and
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(iv) federal privacy laws;
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(d) potential requirements for:
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(i) annual data audits;
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(ii) regular purging of non-essential data;
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(iii) standardized retention schedules; and
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(iv) data disposal verification; and
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(e) fiscal and operational impacts of recommended changes.
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(5) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of student information systems examines:
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(a) current LEA expenditures for:
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(i) system licensing;
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(ii) hosting services;
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(iii) technical support;
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(iv) staff training;
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(v) data extraction;
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(vi) custom programming; and
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(vii) system modifications;
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(b) staff time required for:
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(i) manual data transmission;
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(ii) data validation;
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(iii) error correction;
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(iv) report generation; and
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(v) system maintenance;
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(c) frequency and cost of system modifications required by:
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(i) legislative changes;
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(ii) rule updates; and
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(iii) new data requests;
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(d) capabilities and limitations of:
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(i) current LEA systems;
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(ii) the state board system under Section 53E-3-518; and
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(iii) potential alternative solutions;
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(e) examples of statewide student information systems in other states;
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(f) analysis of:
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(i) total statewide spending on individual LEA systems;
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(ii) projected costs of a single statewide system;
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(iii) potential savings from consolidation;
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(iv) implementation challenges; and
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(v) transition requirements; and
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(g) recommendations for improving system efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
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(6) The advisory committee shall ensure the study of reporting requirements examines:
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(a) existing reporting obligations, including:
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(i) statutory reports;
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(ii) administrative rule reports;
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(iii) grant-required reports;
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(iv) federal reports; and
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(v) other regular data submissions;
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(b) for each identified requirement:
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(i) legal basis;
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(ii) intended purpose;
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(iii) current uses;
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(iv) submission frequency;
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(v) required data elements;
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(vi) collection burden; and
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(vii) continued relevance;
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(c) potential criteria for:
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(i) evaluating reporting necessity;
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(ii) consolidating similar reports;
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(iii) eliminating obsolete requirements; and
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(iv) sunsetting provisions;
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(d) methods to:
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(i) track reporting obligations;
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(ii) evaluate requirement impacts;
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(iii) coordinate review processes; and
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(iv) implement sunset procedures;
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(e) processes for:
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(i) annual reporting review;
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(ii) sunset recommendations;
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(iii) requirement reauthorization; and
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(iv) stakeholder input; and
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(f) proposed structures for:
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(i) managing reporting requirements;
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(ii) implementing sunset provisions; and
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(iii) maintaining transparency.
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(7) On or before September 15, 2025, the state board shall:
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(a) prepare a report that includes:
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(i) study findings related to student information systems as described in Subsection
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(5);
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(ii) stakeholder input related to student information systems;
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(iii) fiscal impacts;
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(iv) implementation considerations; and
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(v) specific recommendations for:
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(A) student information system improvements;
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(B) statutory changes related to student information systems;
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(C) rule modifications related to student information systems; and
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(D) implementation timelines; and
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(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.
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(8) On or before September 15, 2026, the state board shall:
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(a) prepare a report that includes:
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(i) study findings related to:
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(A) student data retention as described in Subsection (4); and
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(B) reporting requirements as described in Subsection (6);
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(ii) stakeholder input related to these components;
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(iii) fiscal impacts;
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(iv) implementation considerations; and
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(v) specific recommendations for:
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(A) data retention policies;
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(B) reporting requirement management;
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(C) statutory changes related to these components;
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(D) rule modifications related to these components; and
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(E) implementation timelines; and
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(b) present the report to the Education Interim Committee.
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(9) The Education Interim Committee shall:
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(a) review the state board reports described in Subsections (7) and (8);
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(b) accept public testimony on the recommendations;
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(c) evaluate implementation requirements; and
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(d) consider whether to recommend legislation for:
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(i) the 2026 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (7); and
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(ii) the 2027 General Session based on the report described in Subsection (8).
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Section 2. Effective Date.
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This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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