Committee approves amendments to Carson Smith scholarship to restore disability‑based eligibility

The House Education Standing Committee voted unanimously on Feb. 26 to recommend favorably Senate Bill 54, which amends the Carson Smith Opportunity Scholarship Program to emphasize disability‑based eligibility and align program definitions with the Utah Fits All framework.

Senator Fillmore, the bill sponsor, said the Carson Smith scholarship — established in the 2000s to support students with disabilities — had been altered in later legislation to include income limits that undermined the program’s original purpose. "This kind of takes us back to the status quo ante of funding students based on the severity of their disability rather than family income," the sponsor said.

Ronnie Daniel, executive director of Children First Education Fund, which administers the scholarship program, told the committee the program is growing quickly: 357 recipients in 2023, 775 in 2024 and 1,403 in the current year, with more than 200 students on a waiting list. Daniel said the program has awarded over $13 million in scholarships this school year and that state law requires at least 92% of funds raised to go to scholarships, with limits on administrative and marketing expenses.

Cheryl Smith, the mother whose son inspired the program, urged lawmakers to restore the original disability‑focused approach. "It was never based on income. It was always based on disability because every kid with a disability deserves to have the help they need," she told the committee.

Committee members praised the program and the sponsor’s technical amendments. Representative Peck moved to recommend SB54 favorably; the committee approved the motion unanimously.