Carol Barlow Lear
3rd term, re-elected in 2024
Biography
Carol Barlow Lear has advocated for public education for five decades in multiple roles. She grew up
in the East Mill Creek area and graduated from Olympus High School and the University
of Utah. She is now a mother and grandmother with three opinionated children and nine
rambunctious grandchildren. When her children were in local schools, she served on
Community Councils and worked with PTA.
Carol was a high school English teacher for five years. She graduated from the S.J. Quinney
College of Law in 1982, worked briefly for the Law-Related Education Program and then was 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
Program for 20 years.
She practiced education law with Lear & Lear for nine years and represented many school districts, charter schools and parents.
She is finally retired from the practice of law.
Carol Lear was first elected to the USBE in 2016, re-elected in 2020, 2022 and 2024. While on
the Board she has served on the Professional Practices task force, the School Fees
task force, the Student Data Privacy and Governance Committee, the Teacher of the
Year Committee, the initial school bullying rule writing committee, the NASBE whole
child subcommittee, and as a chair and member of the USBE Law and Licensing Committee. She plans to work with parents, teachers and policymakers
to strengthen public education for the next four years.
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