Carol Lear

Carol LearCarol Barlow Lear

2nd term, elected in 2016

Biography

Carol Barlow Lear has advocated for public education for five decades in multiple roles. She grew up in the East Millcreek area (Olympus High School and University of Utah) and is now a mother and grandmother with three opinionated children and eight rambunctious grandchildren. When her children were in school she served in PTA and on community councils.

Carol was a high school teacher for five years.

She graduated from the S.J. Quinney College of Law and then worked as the Director of Law and Policy for 27 years at the Utah State Office of Education. She also earned her administrative license in 2000 and was a USU adjunct professor in the Education Leadership Department for 20 years.

Now, in “retirement” and as an attorney in private practice since 2014, Carol represents many school districts, charter schools and parents.

Carol Lear was elected to the Utah State Board of Education in 2016, re-elected in 2020 and while on the Board has served on the Professional Practices Task Force, the School Fees Task Force, the Student Data Privacy and Governance Committee, the Assessment and Accountability Executive Committee, the Teacher of the Year Committee, the school bullying rulewriting committee and the NASBE Whole Child sub-committee.

She is the current chair of the State Board Law and Licensing Committee and hopes to continue working with parents, teachers and policy makers to support public education for many years to come.

Utah State Board of Education Conflict of Interest and Ethics Statement

Carol Barlow Lear
Salt Lake City
Phone: (801) 550-8820 | carol.lear@learlaw.com