Education

United Way of Treasure Valley Community Assessment 2014

Written by: Shawn Teigen

In 2013 the United Way of Treasure Valley retained Utah Foundation to perform a Community Assessment of the United Way’s three-county service area. Work was completed in 2014. The Community Assessment is seen as a foundation to achieve community goals. For the assessment, Utah Foundation analyzed community data as indicators of community success, barriers to reveal hindrances to community success, and opportunities as potential solutions to barriers. To inform the assessment, Utah Foundation held focus … Continued

Developing Writers: Interviews and Analysis of Writing Practices in Post-Secondary Education

Written by: Mallory Bateman

There has long been debate as to the purpose of higher education. Some – particularly those in the liberal arts – assert that the purpose is to prepare minds for productivity through character development. Others believe that career development is more important. Students may pursue higher education for one, neither, or both of these goals. Regardless of the goal, Utah’s Governor is looking to increase the number of Utah graduates. He has put forth an … Continued

A Snapshot of 2050: An Analysis of Projected Population Change in Utah

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Utah has been one of the fastest growing states in the nation for the past six years. Several Utah counties were among the top ten fastest growing counties in the nation between 2012 and 2013. This rapid growth is projected to continue, though the rate of this growth is up for debate. Projections range from one million to two-and-a-half million new Utahns by 2050. Utah in the future will likely feature an older, more diverse … Continued

Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index: 2013 Edition Shows Concerns About Jobs, K-12 Education and Air Quality

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Produced in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare, the Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index is updated every two years to track how Utahns perceive changes in quality of life and the reasons for those changes. The second biennial Utah Quality of Life Index stands at 78.2 out of a possible 100 points, up one point from 2011. Although Utah’s quality of life rating improved, several of the issues most important to Utahns – public schools, job … Continued

Elevating Student Achievement: Successful Education Policies and Practices in Utah’s Peer States

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In 2010, Utah Foundation published research on the educational performance of Utah and its demographic and economic peer states. That study showed Utah lagging in student achievement over time while peer states were continuing to rank highly on national test scores. This new study is a response to frequent requests for more information about education policies and practices in Utah’s peer states. The peer states—Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota—were selected based on their … Continued

Inspirations and Aspirations: A Survey of 2013 Utah High School Graduates

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Utah Foundation collaborated with Salt Lake Community College to survey high school students graduating in 2013 about their post-high school intentions. The survey was designed to query graduates’ attitudes, knowledge, and motivation about attending higher education, their influences towards pursuing higher education, and their understanding of financial feasibility. These results are set in the context of raising the number of post-secondary degrees or certificates among Utah’s workforce to 66% in 2020 from 43% today.

Climbing Toward the American Dream: A Second Analysis of Economic Mobility in Utah

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

Financial inequality between the rich and the poor has been rising in the United States and in Utah over the past few decades. While such inequality has been connected to societal challenges, these challenges may be mitigated by economic mobility, or the ability of people to move up and down the economic ladder. Following an earlier analysis in 2010, this report examines the American Dream, with a focus on economic mobility in Utah by looking … Continued

Sagebrush Rebellion Part II: Analysis of the Public Lands Debate in Utah

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The federal government owns around 635 million acres, or 28% of the land comprising the United States. Within Utah, nearly 67% of the state’s total acreage, or 35 million acres, is owned by the federal government. Throughout the nation’s history, groups have debated who should control this land and how it should be managed. In 2012, the Utah State Legislature passed the Transfer of Public Lands Act (TPLA), which demands the United States transfer an … Continued

Reaching for Educational Equity: An Evaluation of Utah’s Rural Schools

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

The vast majority of Utah is rural, though only a small portion of Utahns live and work in rural parts of the state. Rural schools educate about 15% of Utah’s students, spread over a wide and varied geography. Utah’s rural educators – concerned about the challenges facing their schools – requested that Utah Foundation analyze educational inputs and outputs to determine whether students in these areas are receiving opportunities for success comparable to non-rural students.

Utah Priorities 2012, Issue #2: K-12 Education

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

In 2012, voters listed K-12 education as the 2nd most important priority in the election year. Utah voters have ranked K-12 education as one of their top three concerns in each of the Utah Priorities Project surveys dating back to 2004. Voters list the top three issues within K-12 education as funding, student preparation for college and career, and teacher quality. This report addresses those funding challenges, as well as recent budgetary and policy developments. … Continued