HOW DID UTAH GET THE LANDS?
In 1894, Congress granted 11% of all the federally held land in Utah to a trust to support public schools. This grant was not a gift; it was granted in exchange for Utah not taxing the federal lands. The state of Utah accepted the grant along with the obligation to be the trustee. This responsibility imposed fiduciary duties upon the state including undivided loyalties to the beneficiaries, including public schools.
WHO MANAGES THE LAND?
The School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) manages the school trust lands in the most prudent and profitable manner for the schools. The Trust Lands Administration was created in 1994 and is patterned after a corporate business structure. At that time, the agency was separated from other government agencies to eliminate potential conflicts of interest. There are five business groups at SITLA tasked with land management and revenue production. They are the Mining, Oil and Gas, Surface, Renewable Resources and Development groups. The annual revenue from the land, minus expenses to manage the land, is deposited into the permanent State School Fund.
How Does the Trust Generate Money?
Utah’s school trust lands generate revenue through leases, land sales, mineral production, oil and gas extraction, and real estate development. These revenues are deposited into the Permanent State School Fund, a long‑term investment account that operates like an endowment.
The School and Institutional Trust Fund Office (SITFO) invests the fund under the direction of the SITFO Board of Trustees, chaired by the state treasurer. Investments are structured to:
- Grow the size of the fund over time
- Generate interest and dividends
- Provide a stable annual distribution to Utah’s public schools
The principal is never spent, and capital gains are retained, allowing the fund to grow steadily year after year.
Historical Growth of the Fund
1983: $18 million
2020: $2.5 billion
2026: Approximately $4.1 billion (current reported value)
FY 2027 Distribution
For the 2026–2027 school year (FY 2027), Utah’s public schools will receive a record $134 million from the School LAND Trust Program — the largest distribution in state history.
This increase is driven by:
- Strong trust land revenues
- Strong investment performance
- Implementation of Constitutional Amendment B, which raised the annual distribution cap from 4% to 5%, adding roughly $16 million more for schools
The annual distribution continues to grow as the Permanent State School Fund expands.
HOW DOES THE MONEY IMPROVE PUBLIC EDUCATION?
Since September of 2000, the money distributed from the School LAND Trust program goes directly to each public school in Utah on a percentage and then per pupil basis. The school community council (SCC) determines their school’s greatest academic need and prepares a plan to address that need with school’s portion of the money.
HOW DOES MY SCHOOL BENEFIT? HOW MUCH DOES MY SCHOOL GET THIS YEAR?
School plans are public information. You can look up your school's plan and how much your school received at https://gis.trustlands.utah.gov/applications/PTAApp/index.html
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
Join your School Community Council (SCC). School Community Councils hold elections annually to fill open seats. Local school boards set election timelines, and council elections may be held in the fall, or in the spring before the last week of school. Contact your school to see when you can join.
As a PTA, you can send a member to SCC meetings (which are public meetings) to keep a cohesive working relationship with your school and SCC.
WHAT DO SCHOOL COMMUNITY COUNCILS DO?
See the pdf attached below for a thorough explanation of the role of the SCC's.
WHAT ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOLS?
Every Charter School is required to have a Charter Trust Land Council. A charter school may choose to use its governing board as the Charter Trust Land Council only if the governing board has a two-person majority of parents or grandparents with children currently enrolled at the school. If the governing board does not meet the requirements, or if the board chooses not to serve as the Charter Trust Land Council, the board should determine election procedures to elect council members who are parents or grandparents of students enrolled at the school. Find more information here https://schools.utah.gov/schoollandtrust/schoolcommunitycouncils
WHAT CAN THE MONEY BE USED FOR?
Learn more about appropriate use of School LAND Trust Program Funds in State code R277-477-4
Also see the "Appropriate Expenditures" pdf attached below
HOW CAN I ATTEND TRUST SYSTEM MEETINGS?
Trust Land meetings are public meetings and can be found by searching on the Utah Public Notice website.