A new audit from Utah’s state auditor found that some Utah Fits All families spent scholarship dollars on purchases auditors called “wasteful and extravagant.” What the audit does not measure is why the program exists in the first place. Utah Fits All was built for students who do not fit in the public school system, and it works because it puts the decision in the hands of the people who know those students best: their parents.
As a former public school principal, I worked with these students constantly. Parents would meet with me because they knew something was wrong. While I did what I could to help the students succeed, I was working in one type of system. It was clear to me that some of these students needed something different.
In that first year it was clear to the legislature that the program they passed in 2024 had some problems. Those problems have been shown in a recent report from Utah’s auditor. Expensive computers, mountain bikes, and a large bookshelf system were some of the most egregious spending.
However, most of the spending was on what most people would consider legitimate education expenses. The graph below comes from the auditor’s report. It is clear that most of the money was spent on tuition. Tuition at private schools, microschools, and for individual classes.
Waste and misuse of funds occur in every government program, private charity, and company. It is a human issue that has been happening for a very long time. This type of spending is not limited to Utah Fits All. KUTV reported on public school spending that raised some eyebrows. I am not pointing this out to embarrass or condemn. But when people are spending money that is not theirs, they tend to be very loose with what they purchase. That goes for public schools, private companies, and government programs alike.
But what isn’t being talked about enough is this. The legislature already did something about it.
In 2025, Utah lawmakers added restrictions to the program. They put limits on how some of the funds could be spent. They reduced the amount that homeschoolers would receive. And while Libertas doesn’t agree with all the changes, we understand why they were made. You can read our reaction here. In addition, the Utah State Board of Education changed program managers.
With the updated rules, parents are no longer able to spend money on these kinds of things. Many parents did not like the changes made and pulled their students from the program. And that is the point. Parents are the ones who should be in control of their child’s education.
However, even with the added restrictions, demand for Utah Fits All has increased. Odyssey, the program manager, reports that over 18,700 students will receive the scholarship for the 2026-27 school year and that they have a waitlist of over 8,800 students. The program is doing what it was designed to do. Create opportunities for students and families.
One mom told me about how she spent the scholarship. Her child has dyslexia and has struggled with reading for years. But with the scholarship, she could afford specialized tutoring. As a result her child is thriving, is above grade level in reading, and loves books.
And that is the whole point. Utah Fits All is not a perfect program. But it solves real problems for families across the state.
