State Report

Utah

Utah is leading the way for high school transformation across 6 policy actions.

State Report

Utah

Utah is leading the way for high school transformation across 6 policy actions.

Overview

For over a decade, Utah has been a national leader in the shift to a personalized, competency-based system of education. At the heart of this work is the state’s robust Personalized, Competency-Based Learning (PCBL) framework. The framework is based on the state’s Portrait of a Graduate, which serves as the foundation for a multitude of educator-facing resources, including a Portrait of a First Year Teacher and accompanying competencies.

In addition, in 2019, Utah launched a grant program providing planning grants to the first cohort of six Utah school districts, including a number of high schools, to support their competency-based efforts. Now known as the Personalized, Competency-Based Learning Grant, this program continues to provide planning and implementation grants to new cohorts of local schools and districts.

Utah is also rethinking transcripts. In 2023, the state launched a pilot program with the Mastery Transcript Consortium to develop new competency-based learning records that align with the state’s Portrait of a Graduate and the state’s PCBL efforts. The program includes a number of districts that have received PCBL grants to support their school redesign efforts.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Highlights from Utah

Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.
Utah’s economy will add an average of 232,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 164,000 (71 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Utah’s 7.1 percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $107 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
In Utah and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 32 percent of Utah seniors graduated ready for college in math and 57 percent did so in English (91 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 35 percent of Utah’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down two percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 31 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Utah workers by $2,187 annually, totaling $43,747 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $4,107 per year, adding up to $82,157 over a 20-year period.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis. Child Development, 82(1), 405–432.

Progress

High school is where America’s future takes shape. Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, and leaders—but our schools are still rooted in a century-old model built for the industrial age. As automation and AI transform the job market, too many students leave high school unprepared for what comes next.

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Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data