The first question most Salt Lake parents ask about Utah Fits All is whether their school takes it. The answer is in a list Odyssey publishes: "Approved 26/27 UFA Private Schools," last updated in July 2026. The list has 162 names and no addresses, so on its own it does not tell a Murray or Grantsville family which approved schools are nearby. We matched it by name to federal school records and state lists for Salt Lake and Tooele counties. Here is what that match shows and how to use it.
The overall picture
Our directory covers 82 private schools and early-learning programs in the two counties. Thirty of them matched the approved 2026-27 list. Because the list gives names only, a school whose name differs between sources may be missed; a few statewide names on the list could not be placed by city at all. Treat the match as a strong starting point, then confirm with the school.
The $8,000 private-school award only reaches a school on the approved list. To receive it, a parent selects the school in the Odyssey portal and the school confirms enrollment. Approval requires full-time instruction at least three days a week, one comprehensive tuition, and a public website showing tuition, fees and refund policy. Accreditation is optional.
Catholic schools
The clearest pattern is among the Diocese of Salt Lake City's schools. All twelve Diocese of Salt Lake City schools in our two-county directory matched the approved list. That includes the two Catholic high schools, Judge Memorial in Salt Lake City and Juan Diego in Draper, and parish schools from The Madeleine Choir School and J.E. Cosgriff in Salt Lake City to St. Andrew in Riverton, St. Francis Xavier in Kearns and St. Marguerite in Tooele. The full set is on our Catholic schools page, with each school's list status.
Christian and other faith-based schools
Several Christian schools matched, including Intermountain Christian School, the Lutheran schools Grace (Sandy), Redeemer and Prince of Peace, Hilltop Christian, Children's Christian School in West Valley City and Summit Christian Academy. St. Sophia, the Greek Orthodox school, and Iqra Academy of Utah also appear. Other Christian programs in the valley did not match, so check the table rather than assuming that every church school participates.
Independent schools
The independent picture is mixed. Smaller academies such as Elizabeth Academy and Mount Vernon Academy matched the list, as did Pinyon Montessori and both Dancing Moose Montessori campuses. Three of the best-known independent schools in the valley, Rowland Hall, The McGillis School and The Waterford School, did not appear on the 2026-27 list we checked. Each school decides whether to apply, and the list is renewed every year, so the only reliable answer for a given year is the current list and the school itself.
Tooele County
West of the Oquirrhs the choice is small, so the list matters more. St. Marguerite Catholic School and Foundation Christian Academy both matched the approved 2026-27 list. Our Tooele County funding guide covers those schools and the home-based option for families farther out.
The other list: Carson Smith
USBE publishes a separate list of private schools eligible for the Carson Smith scholarships for students with disabilities, revised August 31, 2026. In our directory, 41 schools appear on it. The two lists overlap heavily among Catholic schools, but the Carson Smith list also includes schools that did not match Utah Fits All, among them McGillis, Rowland Hall and several autism and learning-differences programs in Draper, West Jordan and Midvale. For a child with an IEP, being on the Carson Smith list can make a school reachable even when it is not on the Utah Fits All list. A child can hold only one of the programs at a time.
How to read a school's status
- On the Utah Fits All list. The school can receive the $8,000 private-school award once you select it and it confirms enrollment. Ask how it bills and whether fees are included in tuition.
- Not found on the list. Ask the school directly. A different name on the list, a new approval, or a plan to apply in the spring window could all change the answer.
- On the Carson Smith list only. The school can take a Carson Smith scholarship for an eligible child but cannot receive the Utah Fits All private-school amount unless it is approved.
Why the list changes each spring
Schools applied to Odyssey for 2026-27 approval between May 1 and June 1, and families had to select a school by June 15. A school that was not on this year's list can appear on next year's, and the reverse can happen too. 2026 HB 467, as reported, also changed school approval by dropping the accreditation requirement and adding an alternative test based on items like published tuition, at least 17 students and two years in operation. That may bring more small schools and microschools onto the list in future years.
Every school page in our Salt Lake and Tooele directory shows its Utah Fits All and Carson Smith status as of October 2026, along with federal enrollment data and questions to ask on a visit. If a school's status here does not match what the school tells you, the school and Odyssey are the authority, and we would like to hear about it so we can correct the listing.