In a press release slated for release today the School and Institutional Trust Funds Office, or SITFO, announced that the Trust Lands Permanent Funds will distribute $134 million to public schools across the state for the 2026-27 school year — a 20% increase from $111 million distributed last year.

“The increase reflects strong financial performance from trust land management and the Permanent School Fund investment portfolio, along with the first-year impact of Amendment B, the voter-approved measure that raised the annual distribution cap from 4% to 5%,” the release said. “Without Amendment B, schools would have received an estimated $118 million for the 2026-27 school year rather than $134 million.”

According to the release, funds go toward “academic intervention and innovation, help reduce class sizes, expand access to technology, and enhance professional development.”

The release further adds that area districts will be receiving the following amounts along with how they compare to last year:

• Davis School District — $12.6 million ($2 million more than last year)
• Weber School District — $5.9 million ($950,500 more than last year)
• Ogden School District — $2.1 million ($331,500 more than last year)

The Standard-Examiner reached out to representatives of all three districts but did not receive a formal response by press time.

“Utah’s School LAND Trust program is vital for local schools,” State Rep. Ryan Wilcox, chair of the Utah School Security Task Force, said in the press release. “Having served on school community councils and foundation boards, I’ve seen firsthand how trust funds allow our schools to tailor solutions to address what students need most. Whether through reading interventions, math materials, or music programs, we are all better off when parents, teachers, and principals are empowered to make practical decisions that directly support student success.”

The release further notes that School LAND Trust funds supplement rather than replace traditional funding sources.

“School trust funds are generated from trust lands granted at statehood to support public education and other state institutions,” the release said. “Revenue from leases, sales, and development is deposited into the Permanent Funds and invested to provide ongoing support.

“In addition to public schools, trust beneficiaries, including higher education and other designated state institutions, are also receiving increased distributions through their respective permanent funds. Since 1994, the combined permanent funds have grown from $50 million to $4.1 billion.”