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Carmen Nesbitt

Education Reporter

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Daren Lentz, a seventh grade math teacher at South Cache Middle School, is honored as Utah's 2027 Teacher of the Year during a meeting of the Utah Board of Education in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026.

After Utah’s 2027 Teacher of the Year died unexpectedly, state officials have named a new one

By Carmen Nesbitt | November 5, 2026, 7:40 p.m.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Board of Education of the Salt Lake City School District meet at the Salt Lake City School District Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.

Here’s what early returns show for Salt Lake City school board races

By Carmen Nesbitt | November 4, 2026, 5:15 a.m.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah State Board of Education Building in Salt Lake City, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026.

Early returns show Democrats may flip three seats on the Utah state school board

By Carmen Nesbitt | November 4, 2026, 6:46 a.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A data center, being built by QTS, begins to take shape west to the Meta facility in Eagle Mountain on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

Utah’s largest school district is splitting into three. A long-term tax deal with a data center won’t benefit them equally.

By Carmen Nesbitt | November 2, 2026, 1:00 p.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Riley Elementary School, which was closed in June 2024, has been designated to be the home of Salt Lake City School District's new Career and Technical Center.

Some Salt Lake City school board members rebuke $34 million plan for closed elementary school

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 27, 2026, 6:25 p.m.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Board of Education of the Salt Lake City School District meets at the Salt Lake City School District Administration Building on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025.

Most Salt Lake City school board seats are up for grabs. Here’s a rundown of all 4 races.

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 24, 2026, 4:20 p.m.

(Sandra4SLCSchools) Sandra Buendia, a former Salt Lake City School District administrator, is running for a seat on the district's school board, representing Precinct 5. She is running against the incumbent, Annie Romano.

She was fired from SLC School District, and her license suspended. She calls the move ‘egregious,’ and is running for school board.

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 23, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jared Wright visits with supporters after testifying before the Legislature's Rules Review and General Oversight Committee on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025.

Former West High principal who accused Salt Lake City School District of ‘retaliation’ runs for school board

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 23, 2026, 7:22 p.m.

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) American Preparatory Academy CEO Carolyn Sharette, right, speaks to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon as they observe a third grade classroom during McMahon's visit to American Preparatory Academy in West Valley City on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.

Trump school chief praises Utah charter school that’s under investigation for financial secrets

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 21, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Tom Gallo | GH Prime Media) Author Jodi Picoult, center, headlined the Salt Lake Book Festival with a talk at West High School on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Attendees hold a copy of "Hollow Bones," her new novel. Picoult also surprised the crowd with free copies of "Nineteen Minutes," her novel banned from all Utah public schools.

Author Jodi Picoult came to Utah with a surprise: 600 free copies of her bestselling novel banned from public schools

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 18, 2026, 5:30 p.m.

(Andy Kropa | Invision/AP) Author Jodi Picoult in 2025 in New York.

She was ‘furious’ when Utah banned her novel from public schools. Now, she’s headlining the first-ever Salt Lake Book Festival.

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 17, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah State Board of Education Building in Salt Lake City. Eight different Utah state school board seats are up for grabs this November, but four races have already been decided.

Utah State Board of Education election 2026: What you need to know about all 8 state school board races

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 14, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Members of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation train for the upcoming season in Emigration Canyon during drizzly weather on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026.

How long will the rain last? Here’s a look at Salt Lake City’s sweater-weather forecast.

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 13, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah State Board of Education Building in Salt Lake City. Republican Tracy Nuttall and Democrat Lacey Peterson, both newcomers, face off for the District 11 state school board seat.

Utah State Board of Education District 11: Tracy Nuttall faces off with Lacey Peterson

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m.

(Campaign photos) Nicole McDermott, left, and Araueni Olivares, candidates for the 2026 Utah State Board of Education District 8 race.

Utah State Board of Education District 8: Nicole McDermott faces off with Araueni Olivares

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m.

(Campaign photos) Erin Longacre, left, and James Martin, candidates for the 2026 Utah State Board of Education District 7 race.

Utah State Board of Education District 7: Incumbent Erin Longacre faces off with James Martin

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m.

(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Utah State Board of Education Building in Salt Lake City. Incumbent Republican Jennie Earl faces off against Democrat challenger Cathy Callow-Heusser for the District 1 state school board seat.

Utah State Board of Education District 1: Jennie Earl faces off against Cathy Callow-Heusser

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 12, 2026, 8:00 a.m.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) The library at West High School in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Utah banned seven more books from all public schools in the state, bringing the total to 44 prohibited titles.

Utah just banned 7 new books — at once — from all public schools in the state. Here’s what the novels are about.

By Carmen Nesbitt | October 1, 2026, 5:02 p.m.

(Illustration by Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) How did Utah families spend the roughly $94 million allocated in the state voucher program's second year? Here's what the latest spending report shows.

Utah voucher spending: Two years into the program, here’s how Utah Fits All recipients spent their latest checks

By Carmen Nesbitt | September 29, 2026, 12:00 p.m.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Davis School District in Farmington, on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026.

For this Utah school board, book ban decisions are now considered ‘routine’ business — no public discussion necessary

By Carmen Nesbitt | September 28, 2026, 12:00 p.m.