Families participating in Utah’s school voucher program, known as Utah Fits All, have spent an impressive $13 million at major retailers in just its first year.
This spending represents nearly 20% of the total funds allocated during the program’s inaugural year, according to data analyzed by The Salt Lake Tribune.
The initiative has provided scholarships of $8,000 to approximately 10,000 students, aimed at supporting a variety of educational expenses.
These expenses range from homeschooling supplies and private school tuition to extracurricular activities.
A comprehensive analysis conducted by the Tribune tracked more than 180,000 transactions that accounted for a total of $61.5 million spent from the program’s budget exceeding $80 million.
One notable finding from this analysis is that a significant portion of the spending was directed towards private schools and academic resources, with Amazon emerging as the most popular retailer.
In total, the online giant along with 19 other major retailers accounted for $13.04 million of the $61.5 million, which is about 20.2% of the funds utilized.
However, many of the transactions lacked specific details on what items were purchased, especially those made at online and large-box stores, due to limited information provided in the summary spreadsheet.
ACE Scholarships, the organization tasked with managing the program for the state, mandates that families submit receipts or invoices for reimbursement.
Unfortunately, the Tribune was not provided access to these documents, leading to gaps in understanding the exact usage of funds.
Here’s a closer look at how families allocated their voucher money across major retailers:
**1. Amazon**
Amount spent: $5,826,965.72
Amazon topped the list with families spending approximately $5.8 million through more than 51,000 transactions.
The purchases ranged widely, from 51 cents to $6,156.14, including items such as audiobooks, pencils, a treadmill, and even Lego sets.
Notably, over 700 transactions exceeded $1,000, indicating significant purchases were made using voucher funds.
**2. Best Buy**
Amount spent: $3,711,798.76
With $3.7 million spent in over 9,500 transactions, Best Buy came in second place for retailer spending.
Some transactions were substantial, with one individual purchase nearly exhausting the entire scholarship amount at $7,367.88.
Details about these purchases remain vague, as many transactions were processed through ClassWallet without specific item mentions.
**3. Costco**
Amount spent: $978,283.91
Families turned to Costco for a total of $978,283.91, spread over 2,507 purchases.
Again, the details of what was bought were largely absent, but some items recorded included an iPad and books.
**4. Apple**
Amount spent: $565,985.37
At Apple, families made 774 transactions totaling close to $566,000, primarily purchasing computers, iPads, and certain software.
**5. Walmart**
Amount spent: $406,773.09
More than 5,000 transactions at Walmart accounted for $406,773.09.
The recorded purchases appear diverse, with noted items like craft supplies and bicycles among the spending.
**6. Staples**
Amount spent: $370,970.09
With 1,892 transactions tallied, Staples saw parents spending approximately $370,970.09, though specifics of the purchases were not disclosed.
**7. IKEA**
Amount spent: $268,239.19
IKEA had nearly 850 transactions, mostly for setting up home workspaces, although only a few noted specific items, such as a bookshelf for $96.51.
**8. Office Depot OfficeMax**
Amount spent: $191,664.06
A total of 977 transactions occurred at Office Depot OfficeMax, with the contents remaining undisclosed.
**9. Target**
Amount spent: $149,098.91
Target attracted nearly $149,000 across almost 1,900 transactions, with a few purchases adding up to over $1,000, including Lego sets and gymnastics outfits.
**10. Dell**
Amount spent: $91,308.97
Dell particularly attracted a spending of $91,308.97 from parents through 69 purchases, primarily involving computer-related items without clear visibility on specifics.
**11. eBay**
Amount spent: $68,019.13
On eBay, over 800 transactions resulted in approximately $68,000 spent, detailing various items like a cello and printer toner among the diverse expenses.
**12. Barnes and Noble**
Amount spent: $64,028.23
Barnes and Noble welcomed families with $64,028.23 in spending across 732 transactions, although many purchases remain undefined.
**13. REI Co-op**
Amount spent: $54,668.73
The REI Co-op gained $54,668.73 from 180 transactions, but only one noted item was recorded—a backpack.
**14. Pottery Barn**
Amount spent: $51,963.10
Pottery Barn attracted around $51,963.10 with 60 transactions, primarily directed towards workspace setup, with minimal purchase details available.
**15. JOANN Fabric and Crafts**
Amount spent: $49,025.25
Families utilized JOANN Fabric and Crafts for a total of $49,025.25 across 641 transactions, yet item specifics remain unrecorded.
**16. Dick’s Sporting Goods**
Amount spent: $48,837.38
A total of 303 transactions at Dick’s Sporting Goods lead to $48,837.38 in spending, yet the details of purchases are unclear.
**17. Facebook Marketplace**
Amount spent: $44,716.23
Facebook Marketplace’s contribution totaled $44,716.23, with purchases believed to involve musical instruments and books among other items in 237 transactions.
**18. Home Depot**
Amount spent: $33,224.75
Families spent around $33,224.75 in 161 transactions at Home Depot, where a significant portion was unspecified aside from a few details concerning cabinets.
**19. Hobby Lobby**
Amount spent: $31,757.64
Hobby Lobby received $31,757.64 in spending from 691 transactions, limited to one noted purchase—a puzzle.
**20. RC Willey**
Amount spent: $29,039.01
Finally, RC Willey garnered $29,039.01 in 36 transactions meant for home workspace supplies, but exact purchase details were not provided.
This analysis illustrates a broad range of educational spending under the Utah Fits All school voucher program, highlighting both academic supplies and creative endeavors amongst families.
image source from：https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2025/06/11/utah-vouchers-amazon-rc-willey-20/
