The Utah State Board of Education has announced two finalists to fill the State Superintendent of Public Instruction spot when Sydnee Dickson leaves at the end of June.
The two candidates — L. Ben Dalton and Molly L. Hart — will be publicly interviewed by the full board on Wednesday, from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., a news release from the Utah State Board of Education said. The board will then choose the new superintendent that evening, the release said.
Twenty-two candidates applied for the job, USBE officials told The Salt Lake Tribune Friday. Of those, seven participated in first-round interviews with the board’s selection committee, comprised of board members Matt Hymas, Cole Kelley, Sarah Reale, Jennie Earl, Cindy Davis, Joe Kerry and Emily Green, according to board documents.
The pick will succeed Sydnee Dickson, Utah’s current state superintendent, who announced in January that she plans to resign from her job at the end of June. Dickson has been overseeing Utah’s public K-12 education system for the last nine years.
The new state superintendent will officially begin their duties June 2, allowing for a period of overlap with Dickson to ensure a smooth transition, USBE officials said.
“In selecting the finalists, the board prioritized individuals who have demonstrated a long-standing commitment not only to students, but also to the educators, families and communities who support them,” a USBE spokesperson said.
Dalton is now the superintendent of Kane County School District, a position he has held since 2016. He is a first-generation college graduate from Minersville, the news release said, and has more than 20 years of public education experience. He was named Utah’s Superintendent of the Year in 2022, and has a doctorate in leadership and technology.
(Kane County School District) L. Ben Dalton, superintendent of the Kane County School District. Dalton is one of two finalists to become State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Utah State Board of Education announced on May 16, 2025.
Hart, from Sandy, currently sits on the Utah State Board of Education. She is executive director of Summit Academy, a K-12 charter in Bluffdale, and has more than 20 years of education experience ranging from teacher to principal, the release said. She has a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Valdosta State University, and has been given the Utah PTA Outstanding School Administrator Award.
Hart won her second bid for the District 7 seat — which covers the southeast portion of Salt Lake County — last November. She defeated Democratic challenger John Arthur with 52% of the vote.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Board vice chair Molly Hart, District 7, listens during a 2025 meeting for the Utah State Board of Education in Salt Lake City. Hart is one of two finalists for the job of State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the school board announced on Friday, May 16, 2025.
Should Hart be selected for the position, Gov. Spencer Cox would appoint a successor from the same political party as Hart, according to Utah Code.
As Hart is a Republican, the Republican Party’s state central committee would submit three names for the governor to choose from to fill the vacancy, USBE officals said. That person would serve the remainder of Hart’s term, which runs through 2028.
