Elevating Education Magazine 2026

2026

‘TEACHER TALK’

WITH FIRST LADY ABBY COX & SANDI HENDRY

Both women reflect on the lasting impact educators have on their students’ futures

HALF OF UTAH’S THIRD GRADERS STRUGGLE WITH READING Almost all children can learn to read with effective data-driven support

FIRST LADY ABBY COX DISCUSSES CHALLENGES FACING UTAH KIDS The role of technology in distracting students from reading is a growing concern

BRIDGING RESEARCH, POLICY, & PRACTICE The Utah Education Policy Center empowers educators, policymakers, and leaders to make research actionable and impactful across early childhood, K-12, and higher education. We offer research, evaluation, professional learning, and technical assistance and capacity building services tailored to the needs of our partners, and designed to support innovation, transformation, and sustainable progress.

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EXIT TO LEAD Abraham Rodriguez ‘24 First-Generation College Student Huntsman Scholar USUSA Student Body President Statewide Student Advocate Analyst

8

About half of Utah’s third graders struggle with reading — so what can be done?

INDEX

14

First lady Abby Cox discusses challenges facing Utah kids with diverse panel of educators and business leaders

20

‘Teacher Talk’ with former Utah first lady Abby Cox and Minky Couture founder Sandi Hendry

26

Why have Utah’s high school dropout rates been sliced in half ?

32

Study looks at impact of screen time on school test scores

CONTRIBUTORS

38

What’s going right in Utah schools

44

Chronic absenteeism: Lawmakers pledge to get Utah kids back in class

48

Utah high schoolers earning college credit in record numbers

54

Ensign College offering 3-year programs for all its bachelor’s degrees

Editor: Abby Cox Assistant Editor: Sarah Allred Design And Layout: Serina Nelson, Allen Muy Cover And Opposite Page Photography: Melissa Majchrzak Additional Contributors:

Sandi Hendry, Jason Swensen, Emma Neff, Lois M. Collins, Scott G Winterton, Tess Crowley, Eliza Anderson, Laura Seitz Our Work Elevating Education Would Not Be Possible Without Generous Support From Our Sponsors.

Show Up For Teachers Presenting Sponsor:

Honors In Education Presenting Sponsor:

4 ELEVATING EDUCATION

LETTER FROM THE FIRST LADY As one of ten children growing up on a ranch in Sanpete County, I didn’t have many material possessions. What I did have were parents who worked hard and deeply valued education and books. I remember long days with my sister spraying for weeds, one of us working while the other sat in the truck, taking turns reading Pride and Prejudice. Books were more than a way to learn.

They were a haven, an escape, and a delight. I want every child in Utah to have access to that same relationship with books.

Over the last year, we have turned our attention to literacy in Utah. With the passage of SB127, led by Senator Ann Milner, our state made a commitment to improve third-grade literacy. Since then, educators across Utah have worked tirelessly to train in the science of reading. We are beginning to see progress, but this is not a challenge for educators to solve alone.

Literacy is a shared community responsibility. Businesses, nonprofits, government, and families all have a role to play. If we truly prioritize literacy for our children, we must tackle this challenge together. The conversation has already started, and I am confident that as we rally and pool our collective efforts, we will see meaningful change. Utah can be number one in the nation for literacy, ensuring every child has access to the opportunities and the world that only books can provide.

-Abby Cox First Lady of Utah

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ABOUT HALF OF UTAH’S THIRD GRADERS STRUGGLE WITH READING — SO WHAT CAN BE DONE? Almost all children can learn to read with effective data-driven support, according to Gardner Institute analysis

By Jason Swensen

L

iteracy is fundamental in determining a child’s educational success and academic future.

And when young students are lacking their “ABC” skills, it’s all but certain they will struggle with other aspects of their education and future career opportunities.

Almost half of Utah’s third graders are not “reading proficient” — they are not meeting grade-level reading expectations. That sobering figure is reported in a Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis released Jan. 5.

And it’s a trend stretching beyond the Beehive State.

National assessments from the United States reveal plunging reading scores for American primary and secondary students.

“Early childhood literacy is not just an academic benchmark; it is the cornerstone of a child’s future success,” said Andrea Thomas Brandley, senior education analyst at the Gardner Institute and lead author of the report, in a Gardner release.

“The ability to read proficiently by third grade profoundly impacts a student’s entire educational journey, their economic opportunities, and their capacity to engage fully in civic life.”

But the analysis includes hopeful news. Research shows that students struggling with reading are sharpening their reading skills when they receive “systematic, evidence-based instruction and targeted interventions.”

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Utah’s early literacy challenges The Gardner report reveals many Utah students are entering upper elementary grades without meeting grade-level expectations.

“Literacy development begins well before children enter school and continues across the early grades,” the report noted. “Once in school, reading outcomes reflect conditions shaped by families, classrooms, school leadership, districts, educator preparation programs, and state and community supports.”

In Utah in 2025, 53.3% of kindergartners, 48.2% of first graders, 48.7% of second graders, and 50.3% of third graders met grade-level expectations, according to the analysis. These rates indicate that roughly half of Utah students progress through the early grades without reaching expected reading proficiency.

The Gardner report did note that Utah’s kindergarten proficiency increased from 37.7% in 2021 to the 53.3% figure in 2025 — perhaps a reflection of the expansion of full-day kindergarten.

There are also early literacy variations across the state’s districts and student groups. For example, less than 30% of third graders in Utah’s Piute School District were reading at grade level. Over 70% of their counterparts in the more affluent Park City School District reached proficiency benchmarks.

Meanwhile, according to the analysis, only 18% of Utah third graders with “limited English-

First lady Abby Cox reads a book to the kids as she and Gov. Spencer Cox welcome kids from Polk Elementary in Ogden into the Governor's Mansion in Salt Lake City on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, to decorate a Christmas tree and mantel. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

language proficiency” and 35.2% of “economically disadvantaged” students met grade level expectations.

But the report added a critical caveat: Among Utah schools where most students are economically disadvantaged, reading proficiency ranges from below 20% to above 70% — “showing that some schools serving students with greater needs achieve substantially higher outcomes.”

State leaders have taken notice of the reading challenges — and taken action — including the passage of 2022’s Senate Bill 127, which enhances and aligns strategies to boost early literacy.

The ‘Mississippi Miracle’ literacy story The Gardner report includes an assurance: Nearly all children can learn to read.

“Peer-reviewed studies of early interventions for struggling readers find that only 1–3% of students continue to experience severe reading difficulty when they receive consistent, evidence-based support,” the report noted.

“Student demographics or background characteristics did not predict who succeeded in these interventions. This indicates that a child’s circumstances do not limit their capacity to become a proficient reader when instruction is well-designed and delivered effectively.”

The report cites encouraging early literacy data out of Mississippi — the state with the country’s largest share of economically disadvantaged children.

Even as national reading proficiency numbers decline, the Magnolia State has achieved “sustained improvement” in fourth grade reading scores over the past decade.

Mississippi ranked 49th nationally in reading proficiency in 2013 and then rose to 29th in 2019.

By 2024, it had reached a top-10 national ranking, according to the Gardner analysis.

So how did it happen?

“Mississippi’s progress reflects a long-term, comprehensive effort rather than a single policy change,” the report explained. “Over roughly ten years, the state aligned curriculum, expanded

ELEVATING EDUCATION 9

”

Results typically emerge from a combination of coordinated strategies — high-quality early learning experiences, preparation and support for educators, evidence-aligned classroom instruction, and targeted interventions — and from the contributions of families, schools, and communities working together.

statewide coaching, provided sustained professional learning, strengthened early screening and intervention, implemented third-grade retention, and invested in early learning supports.”

Laying foundations for literacy development Monday’s Gardner report emphasized that early literacy development is not limited to the K-3 classroom.

A child experiences rapid brain growth during his or her first five years of life.

And a preschooler exposed to everyday language interactions with caregivers builds a firm reading foundation.

“These early experiences can help build children’s vocabulary, oral language development, and readiness to learn to read,” according to the report.

The analysis also noted that when preschoolers have opportunities for daily reading, storytelling and “conversational back-and-forth,” they simultaneously enjoy vocabulary and oral language growth.

“One study estimates that children who are read to frequently in early childhood may hear over 1.4 million more words from shared storybook reading by kindergarten than children who are rarely or never read to,” the report noted.

Meanwhile, access to “enriching early learning environments” such as pre-K programs can supplement critical literacy skills.

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Should struggling readers be held back?

The Gardner report also examines the impact of requiring students who do not meet minimum proficiency reading standards to remain in third grade, rather than be promoted to the next grade, to receive additional instruction.

Many states, including Mississippi, have incorporated third grade reading retention policies — and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is proposing his own retention policy to hold back more students who don’t read at grade level.

In recent years, Utah Legislature has implemented new teacher trainings and resources to achieve the goal of 70% of third graders reading on grade level. But reading scores haven’t budged, remaining around 48% in recent years.

This convinced Cox that the state should implement a retention policy that makes students repeat the third grade if they don’t pass a reading comprehension test.

“I know that’s kind of unpopular,” Cox told the Deseret News editorial board in December. “It turns out that that is a really important incentive, a motivator for parents and kids, and teachers and just everyone.”

Research on such test-based retention policies, according to the Gardner report, show that most retained students experience reading gains — though longterm outcomes are mixed.

”

The report adds that more recent evaluations occurred in states that provide extensive supports alongside retention. That makes disentanglement of reading retention and intensive interventions difficult.

“The strongest evidence suggests that the supports students receive when flagged for retention — not retention alone — primarily drive the improvement,” according to the report.

What else improves early literacy outcomes?

Nearly all children can learn to read if they have the benefit of “effective instruction and timely support,” the Gardner report concluded.

“Results typically emerge from a combination of coordinated strategies — high-quality early learning experiences, preparation and support for educators, evidence-aligned classroom instruction, and targeted interventions — and from the contributions of families, schools, and communities working together.”

Utah, the report added, has already taken key steps to strengthen the foundations of early literacy.

“As the state continues to implement its policies, the experiences of states that have significantly improved early reading outcomes highlight the importance of coherent systems and sustained implementation over time,” according to the report.

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Doug Wilks, executive editor of the Deseret News, left, listens as Utah first lady Abby Cox speaks during a Deseret News editorial roundtable discussing education in Utah at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

EDUCATION ROUNDATABLE: FIRST LADY ABBY COX DISCUSSES CHALLENGES FACING UTAH KIDS WITH DIVERSE PANEL OF EDUCATORS AND BUSINESS LEADERS The role of technology in distracting students from reading is a growing concern

By Jason Swensen

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I

t’s a crucial moment in Utah for K-12 education.

Literacy, technology in the classroom, social media and parental involvement are just a few items on an evolving list of challenges facing the Beehive State’s students, educators, parents and policymakers.

Deseret News Executive Editor Doug Wilks sat down with Utah first lady Abby Cox and a diverse collection of educators, policymakers, parents, writers, mental health professionals and business leaders for a roundtable discussion on education — and what needs to happen to best serve Utah kids.

(This story has been edited for length and clarity.)

Doug Wilks: A recent Gardner Policy Institute report identified education challenges, particularly with K-12 literacy and reading. Where do we go from here? What do we need to do?

Abby Cox: I had a conversation with Sen. Ann Milner following last year’s Deseret News education roundtable discussion. She said to me that if you really want to do something on education, something meaningful, you really need to start thinking about third grade literacy.

How can we really make sure that that comes to fruition? How can that be implemented to help teachers?

This is not a failure of education and educators.

This is a community problem. We see this across the nation. Our educators are working tirelessly. But as a community, we’ve got to step in and help.

We’re trying to get the attention of parents who maybe don’t know how to get their kids ready to read. We can help. Maybe there are opportunities for businesses to volunteer.

Wilks: Why are half of Utah third graders not reading at a proficiency level?

Molly Hart, Utah State superintendent of public instruction: It’s not that they can’t read. That’s important to know. Sometimes we oversimplify some statistics and the ways we measure things.

If you go into a third grade classroom, you are not going to find 60% of the students as illiterate. That’s not what 40% reading on grade level means. So we have to do a better job in education of communicating what the message and what the metrics are.

But that is not to minimize the challenges that we have. We need to do better. There isn’t a single student that should leave third grade without the skills to move forward.

It’s important that we are transparent about what our students can and can’t do and what they need to be able to do to keep the most number of doors open for them — whether it’s college, career, military, or whatever they want to do to support their families in the future and to build healthy families and healthy communities.

Wilks: Tyler, what are you observing with students?

How do we get them reading?

Tyler Howe, assistant superintendent Granite School District: There is so much that is enticing and pulling our students attention elsewhere.

We’ve talked about devices and social media, and I love devices. There’s a lot about them that’s so powerful.

But we’re competing with something that is really hard to compete with.

When we can find a reading niche — whether it’s graphic novels, or whether it’s a reading series or whether it’s recording.

The alternative is that students just choose something else, and then the (reading) gap grows larger.

Cox: I learned about Escalante High School students in Garfield County, where there has been a low literacy rate.

The 12th grade seniors are going to the elementary schools and reading to the kids. And what they are seeing is shocking. The reading levels for the 12th graders reading levels were increasing in crazy numbers.

They were reading children’s books to kindergartners — and it was the seniors that were actually getting a huge benefit with their own reading.

Brooke Romney, author and motivational speaker: One of the things that we’re really missing out on is when kids are done with their work at school, they used to bring out a book. It used to be the only option.

So even if they weren’t reading at home, even if they didn’t have a parent that was forcing that, they had to read at school because there was nothing else to do.

And now they can play Minecraft on their computer.

And what boy is going to choose reading his book over Minecraft?

One thing that we could do is offer more opportunities to read as the only option in schools. And the same thing goes for home. Homes that read create kids that read.

Hart: Parents have rights. They are their children’s first teachers. But with rights come responsibilities.

What’s even better than kids reading for an hour before bed is the entire family reading for an hour before bed — and turning off the devices and turning off the TV.

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Tyler Howe, assistant superintendent for Granite School District, center, listens during a Deseret News editorial roundtable discussing education in Utah at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

Wilks: Are Utah K-12 kids well-prepared for college and higher education? Are there worries? Is there hope?

Janet Randall, wife of University of Utah President Taylor Randall: There’s hope, but there are also concerns.

Kids are entering college at a much lower level than they used to. Maturity is just very different. I think social media and devices have taken that away. The expected reading level in college is higher, and a lot of students struggle to keep up.

It’s important to show that reading — and reading with your children and just reading for yourself — is not a chore. It’s a joy.

Wilks: Does the business community have a role in child reading and literacy?

Mary Catherine Perry, Salt Lake Chamber: There is a real opportunity for communities and business leaders to say: ‘How am I supporting my employees?

How am I supporting them and their families? Am I supporting a flexible work schedule? Am I allowing them to have time with their families?’

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Maybe we need more shared safe community spaces for afterschool programs and things where we can support working families.

Derek Miller, Salt Lake Chamber: People are the inputs for business. You can’t do it otherwise. And if we don’t have people who are educated, then our economy won’t just suffer, it will stop.

Hope Eccles, business owner: The business community needs to step forward and be talking to their employees, saying, “We’re concerned about this reading level. These are your children. They’re our future employees. This isn’t acceptable, and we need to start saying so.”

We need to be able to step forward so the business community can lead out.

Employers, in their places of business, ought to be helping the parents and supporting parents.

Christine Ivory, president of The Ivory Foundation: Maybe the third grade reading issues are going to force us to sit still for a minute and reassess and look at ourselves honestly and say: “What is it

that we need to change structurally? What needs to change?”

We’ve got to sit down and assess and say, “Why is the relationship between parents and teachers so adversarial?” Because it is.

“Why do we not understand how things have been organized and evaluated? Why aren’t we understanding this better? So I think that is something that needs to happen.

Amy Garff, Garff for Good Foundation: Our company’s been involved in reading programs and things like that in the schools for about 25 years.

If we really want to see traction, it’s got to be many different people coming together. It is about the parents and the family and the teachers and the administration, the school, the community and the Legislature.

It’s everybody coming together to get many feet on the ground — to get things rolling together.

McKinley Withers, Health and Wellness, Jordan School District: Our third graders are not just leverage for us to raise our scores so that we feel better about doing something about this problem. They also are just third graders who are trying to make it through the day.

We have a lot to learn from our kids — not just teach to our kids. Our systems are not really designed to support thriving, and that is an issue that we need to address.

It would be nice to sit down and read a book, but our systems are not always allowing our people to do that — to live a lifestyle that is actually in line with human well-being.

Hopefully we can come together to address this critical issue; that we can take into account the individual story of each person and their actual experience.

Stephanie Stokes, consultant, Strategic Research, Intermountain Health: Books change our biology.

They change our stress management and change our responses. They change our genetics.

As we’ve started to explore this, (teachers are telling me) that we don’t have a third grade reading problem — we have a kindergarten problem. And that’s where they really see the greatest opportunities.

Third grade is a very critical transition in an education space. But really, the opportunities for intervention need to start earlier.

Hart: Reading is a process that starts at birth.

In the third grade, you go from learning to read — to reading to learn. That’s why third grade is that benchmark. But just like dropping out of school is a process that starts when a student is in the sixth grade, reading is a process that starts in preschool and earlier.

Julie Cluff, Utah PTA president: I am saddened when parents and teachers aren’t partners.

It’s sad to me that less than 30% of parents are going to parent teacher conferences in the fall, and it’s even less in the spring. If your kids are doing great, then teachers often don’t hear from you. But they need to hear from you. You need to be an active partner.

Cox: I hope that parents in the state know how much we love their children. And as educators, how much we love their children.

This is a partnership. There is no blaming and no shaming — just all of us working together to do the best we can for our children.

Molly Hart, Utah state superintendent of public instruction, speaks during a Deseret News editorial roundtable discussing education in Utah at the Triad Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Tess Crowley, Deseret News

ELEVATING EDUCATION 17

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‘TEACHER TALK’ WITH UTAH FIRST LADY ABBY COX AND MINKY COUTURE FOUNDER SANDI HENDRY — BOTH FORMER TEACHERS Both women reflect on the lasting impact educators have on their students’ futures

By Jason Swensen

A

t first glance, you wouldn’t expect to find similarities between Abby Cox’s and Sandi Hendry’s current and former professional lives.

Cox, of course, is Utah’s first lady and the driving force behind her service/ connection-oriented “Show Up” initiative.

Hendry’s the founder and owner of Minky Couture — the Utah company that produces those plush, uber-cozy blankets now found across legions of homes and dormrooms.

But before Cox and Hendry were, respectively, a public servant/civic leader and industry maven they were both school teachers — educating, elevating and empowering kids in relative anonymity.

They stepped away from day-to-day duties of the classroom years ago. But their “teacher sensibilities” remain.

And yes, the lessons they learned while caring and instructing kids are serving them well today.

“A lot of what I learned as a teacher has translated into my Minky career and being a business owner and managing people,” Hendry said.

20 ELEVATING EDUCATION

“It’s about finding what people are good at — and what their joys are and what makes them tick. If you put someone in a job that they love, that they’re going to excel and flourish and love every day.”

During Hendry’s three decades in public elementary education, she discovered that everyone needs “to feel valued and loved and in a place where they wanted to be and feel safe.”

Now working alongside her husband, Gov. Spencer Cox, the first lady champions efforts to connect and see each and every person as a valued human being.

And when disagreements arise, then disagree better.

“Those are things that you learn in a classroom — that emotional intelligence and those skills that you learned in school.

“As a teacher, you’re telling your students every day: ‘Don’t say mean things.’

‘Keep your hands to yourself.’ ‘Don’t say something about someone you wouldn’t want said about you’.

“These are things that, as a society, we could go back and learn again.

Kindness matters.’”

Teaching: A family legacy When Hendry was a student at Brigham Young University in the mid-1970s, she teetered between pursuing teaching or a business career.

“My dad discouraged me from going into the business world,” she said, smiling at the irony.

“He owned a newspaper — and told me, ’Don’t go into that world. It’s a brutal world.

It won’t protect you.”

There were teachers in her family, so she opted to follow their lead and use her BYU degree to jump into elementary education.

Hendry was just 21 when she accepted her first job teaching sixth grade in Utah’s Alpine School District. She would spend most of her educational career in the Weber County School District.

“I loved, loved, loved it,” she said. “You could see the challenges of being a teacher. … But I could also see the impact of a teacher and a mentor and having somebody to look up to — and how it could affect people’s lives and the choices that they make.”

Like Hendry, Cox is part of a Utah family teaching legacy. Her mother was a teacher.

Her grandmother was a teacher.

Growing up in rural Sanpete County, young Abby became acquainted with people in her neighborhood and church congregation that had Down syndrome.

Those friendships, she said, “really influenced my thinking about going into education — but also specifically special education.”

Cox earned a degree at Utah State University in special education, with a dual emphasis in early childhood and severe disabilities.

The first lady appreciates the trust that parents and caregivers extend to their children’s teachers every day as they send the kids off to school. It’s a sacred partnership.

“During my short time in the classroom as a teacher, I had an opportunity to see it from the other side,” said Cox, who worked with special needs children.

She recites a quote she memorized years ago: “I wasn’t prepared as a parent,

for how much I would love the people that love my children.”

Working with children with intellectual disabilities also taught Cox the power of inclusion.

“I will preach this from the rooftops: Inclusion of everyone,” she said.

“To me, that’s what our society should look like. It should be inclusion. It should be people finding joy with each other — and looking for each other’s strengths and what they bring to the world.”

The first lady’s duties often place her in front of a classroom of Utah kids. Her team, she joked, has a hard time getting her out of the classroom.

She makes it a point to remind the students of their teachers’ love and dedication. “I love to give students that opportunity to think about that.”

Hendry’s days are now replete with business meetings, mentoring employees and charting the future of a burgeoning company.

Abby Cox and Sandi Hendry pose for portraits at the Governor’s Mansion | Melissa Majchrzak

ELEVATING EDUCATION 21

Sandi Hendry pose for portraits at the Governor’s Mansion | Melissa Majchrzak

But she admits that she misses the classroom each fall when football season begins, the apples ripen and the kids return to school.

“And the second thing I miss,” she said, laughing,”is walking into work each morning and saying ‘Good morning’ — and everyone runs up and hugs me like my sixth graders would.

“I don’t get that from the adults.”

Parents and teachers: A sacred partnership Both Cox and Hendry agree that teachers and parents must work together as teams to ensure that every child realizes his or her optimal potential in the classroom.

While cellphones in school are typically seen as negative for students, that same device can be a valuable communication tool for teachers, said Hendry. A quick call or a text to a parent can be used to salute daily victories — while navigating challenges just as they are developing.

22 ELEVATING EDUCATION

“I would encourage teachers to take the moment to celebrate the children more often. Make it a goal.

Find something great that, say, happened to five kids today.” she said.

Cox remembers sitting down with one of her son’s third grade teachers several years ago.

The boy was doing fine academically. He wasn’t disruptive or disrespectful. But his desk was “a complete disaster” and he could be a bit disorganized.

Cox recognized that the teacher was nervous.

She wasn’t sure how the mother would react to her concerns.

“And I just said to her, “Thank you so much for this. What can I do at home to reinforce what you’re trying to do here?’

“And by just asking that question, I saw this whole wall almost physically crumble in-between us.”

The best teacher-parent relationships occur, Cox added, “when a teacher knows that a parent is a partner with them.”

Dreams begin in the classroom As an educator-turned-entrepreneur, Hendry believes more than ever that Utah teachers play pivotal roles in every child’s future.

“Education is where it all starts to become, say, the governor, or the first lady or anything,” she said.

“Whatever your dream is, it starts in the classroom. It starts with kindergarten all the way up. It’s where you will learn skills and how to work with people.

“But you also need people who show you grace. And when you don’t get it right, (a teacher) will be there to say, ‘It’s OK.’” Cox has a message for Utah teachers performing a tough job at a tough moment: “Hang in there. We love you. We see you. We will never be able to replace what a teacher gives a student.

“No matter how the world changes, a teacher’s influence on a student is lifelong and powerful. So hang in there.”

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24 ELEVATING EDUCATION

ELEVATING EDUCATION 25

WHY HAVE UTAH’S HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATES BEEN SLICED IN HALF? School board report: Graduation rates are up in student groups ‘that have historically faced barriers’

By Jason Swensen

A

lmost 90% of Utahns are leaving high school with a diploma in hand.

And on the flip side, the state’s dropout rate has been sliced in half in recent years, from 16.2% to 8.5%, according to a report released by the Utah State Board of Education.

The report revealed that Utah’s overall four-year cohort graduation rate has risen to 89.9% for the 2025 cohort — up from 88.8% for the 2024 cohort.

Statistically, a one-percentage point increase might not seem significant — but that point represents hundreds of Utah youth now better equipped with job skills, increased earning potential and a path to higher education.

Such long-term trends, according to USBE, reflect the collective efforts of schools, educators, families and communities all partnering to help students stay on track and earn a high school diploma.

“Utah’s students, families, and educators continue to demonstrate what is possible when high expectations are paired with strong support,” said State Superintendent

26 ELEVATING EDUCATION

of Public Instruction Molly Hart in a USBE release.

“We are especially encouraged to see meaningful gains for student groups that have historically faced barriers to graduation, alongside continued reductions in dropout rates statewide.”

The reported graduation rates for the 2025 cohort includes all students who started ninth grade in the 2021-22 school year, students with severe cognitive disabilities who have had their cohort reassigned to 2025, and students who transferred into the Utah public education system after ninth grade.

The “graduate” category includes students who have earned a basic high school diploma, an “Alternate Diploma” for students with a significant cognitive disability, or an adult education high school diploma by Sept. 30 following the end of their cohort school year.”

The “dropout” category includes students who have not completed graduation requirements after with drawing from school or being expelled.

Graduation: Breaking down the rates by Utah’s communities White students in Utah had the highest high school completion rate in 2025, with 92.1% meeting graduation requirements.

Meanwhile, Black students in Utah achieved the largest bump in high school graduation rates, going from 80.6% in 2024 to 83.9% in 2025.

Pacific Islander and American Indian students also recorded graduation rate improvements. Pacific Islander rates increased from 81.9% to 85%, while American Indian graduation rates rose from 77.5% to 80.1%.

American Indian and Black students had the largest dropout percentage decline in 2025.

Hispanic/Latino students — the school system’s largest minority group — also notched a slight graduation uptick in 2025, increasing from 81.8% to 83.2%.

And Utah high school students classified as “English learners” have improved their graduation rate by more than 12% since 2017, hitting almost 80% for the 2025 cohort.

For the first time, USBE is reporting graduation and dropout rates for Utah students in foster care, students experiencing homelessness and military-connected students.

Ninety-seven percent of militaryconnected students in Utah are graduating from high school.

Graduation rates are less encouraging among foster care and homeless youth: 62.8% and 72.8%, respectively.

Confronting Utah’s growing reading crisis While encouraged by rising high school graduation rates, Utah educators also face well-documented challenges.

According to the most recent Nation’s Report Card, Utah students are generally outperforming their peers across the country. But reading scores among the state’s eighth graders continue to decline.

According to data released by the National Assessment of Education Progress earlier this year, Beehive State students performed “significantly higher” in math than the national public average for both fourth and eighth graders in 2024.

Utah’s fourth and eighth graders also outperformed their national counterparts, on average, in reading.

Payson High School's class of 2004 line up for commencement ceremonies at the Marriott Center in Provo on Tuesday, May 25, 2004. | Jason Olson, Deseret News

Students walk through Skyline High School in Millcreek on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

But while the average reading score of eighth grade students in Utah was higher than the average reading score for students in the nation, eighth graders in Utah are reading at lower levels than in earlier years.

In a recent Deseret News opinion column, Utah education advocate Christine Ivory noted that less than half of Utah’s third grade students (48%) are reading grade level.

“This quiet reading crisis in our state and across the nation will eventually explode into unskilled workers faced with limited possibilities. National data shows that only 31% of students are reading at or above grade level,” wrote Ivory.

A public policy focusing on improving reading rates for third graders is essential to Utah’s strength and position, she added.

28 ELEVATING EDUCATION

“The complexities involved in creating a sound, rigorous education system for our state will depend on a united effort to find solutions.”

Meanwhile, a legislative audit released late last year revealed a “statewide gap between the performance of students who are in a group that traditionally struggles with academic proficiency, and those who aren’t.”

The audit classified “underperforming student groups” as those who have a higher than typical chance of performing below proficiency “and who are economically disadvantaged, learning English, or racial or ethnic minorities.”

Such “underperforming student groups” frequently need the most growth and support, the report added.

USBE has signaled commitment to identifying the causes of declining reading scores — while implementing “targeted efforts” and proven strategies.

“Our focus is on ensuring measurable improvements in reading outcomes by working with schools to equip educators and students with tools and targeted training,” said Darin Nielsen, deputy superintendent of student learning, in a state board report released earlier this year.

“We are committed to implementing evidence-based programs that address reading challenges early, providing intensive support where it’s needed most, and tracking progress to make sure every student has the opportunity to improve and succeed.”

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STUDY LOOKS AT IMPACT OF SCREEN TIME ON SCHOOL TEST SCORES When young children spend time with screens, standardized test scores are lower years later

By Lois M. Collins

P

Eliza Anderson, Deseret News

arents concerned about the academic achievement of their children have yet another reason to curb excessive screen time. A new study published Oct. 10 in JAMA Network Open finds an inverse relationship between screen time when young and academic achievement later.

The more time young children spend on screens, the lower their scores on academic tests, according to research from Ontario, Canada.

The findings are part of the TARGet Kids!

Collaborative research network led by Dr. Catherine Birken at The Hospital for Sick Children and Dr. Jonathon Maguire at Unity Health Toronto’s St. Michael’s Hospital.

The findings are no surprise to Jean Twenge, author of “10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World,” who was not involved in the study.

“We’ve known for a while that excessive screen time was linked to emotional and behavioral issues among kids and teens, and now research is also finding that there are links to attention deficits and learning issues,” she told Deseret News by email.

“When kids are spending more time on screens, they are usually spending less time playing, reading and interacting faceto-face, which can negatively impact their learning and knowledge. Electronic devices can also interfere with sleep, and kids who don’t get enough quality sleep won’t learn as much the next day.”

Screen time has been an issue of concern for Utah policymakers for some time.

“Experts agree that children ages 2-5 should only have one hour of screen time per day and should watch with a parent or sibling. This one hour includes TV, iPads, phones, or any other type of screen,” said Aimee Winder Newton, a senior adviser to Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and director of the Utah Office of Families.

“I understand how hard this is for parents. Children are drawn to screens and continuous play functions on apps can keep kids watching for longer than you may realize. Sometimes it may seem easier to hand a child a screen to pacify them. But screens are not a good substitute for real life play. Young children who get too much screen time may not learn important skills or reach developmental milestones as quickly,” she said.

Winder Newton said that face-to-face interactions build language, improve recognition of emotions and help children learn important social skills. “We worry that in this busy world with so many demands on parents, many are allowing their children to use screens excessively.

What may seem like an easier way to parent will end up being so much harder on parents in the long run. Children will do so much better if you teach them to self-regulate without screens at an earlier age,” she said.

ELEVATING EDUCATION 33

Study spans years to see outcomes The researchers tracked more than 3,000 local children from 2008 to 2023, linking parent-reported screen time data collected during those early childhood years to the child’s later achievement on standardized testing conducted in third grade reading and math and sixth grade math. The standardized tests are administered by the Education Quality and Accountability Office.

They found “consistent associations” between screen time and less achievement in reading and math. Writing achievement showed more limited impact.

“Screen time is a part of everyday life for most families, and high levels of exposure, particularly to TV and digital media, may have a measurable impact on children’s academic outcomes,” Birken, senior author, staff pediatrician and senior scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program, said in a written statement.

“This underscores the importance of developing early interventions for young children and their families that promote healthy screen habits.”

Dr. Jennifer Hove, collaborator and director of data and reporting at the education association, said linking the data helped deepen understanding of factors “that shape student outcomes,” providing information that can help parents, educators and families help students succeed.

About the study findings The study was observational, based on how accurately parents reported screen time, but it is one of the first long-term examinations of the relationship between early childhood screen time and academics.

The researchers looked at the grade three data over an average of 5.5 years, noting about 1.6 hours of daily screen time. The grade six data was collected

34 ELEVATING EDUCATION

over an average of 7.5 years and the average screen time was 1.8 hours daily.

Among other findings, TV/digital media time — television, computers and handheld devices like smartphones — was associated with lower reading and math scores for both boys and girls.

But there were some differences.

Video game use was linked to lower grade three achievement in reading and math for girls, compared to boys. But just 20% of parents reported their girls played video games.

What’s next?

The researchers said more study is needed to figure out what the findings mean.

In the future, they said they hope to explore different types of screen time and what kind of content children are exposed to, with the goal of understanding how context and content influence educational achievement. They also hope to go beyond test scores to look at report cards and attendance.

Per the release, “The team emphasised that any interventions should be codeveloped with health care providers, educators, policymakers and children and their families to support healthy screen use habits and improve academic outcomes.”

The Office of Families in Utah recommends that to age 18 months, children have zero screen time. From 18 months to two years, no screen time alone should be allowed and only educational material is OK. From 2 to 5, the office says children can be allowed an hour a day, as long as they are co-viewing with a parent or sibling. At 6 and older, screen time should be limited to two hours max.

Winder Newton suggested parents who need ideas on things to do with young children to help them learn visit vroom. org or download the Vroom or “Sparkler: Play for Parenting” apps.

Screen time is a part of everyday life for most families, and high levels of exposure, particularly to TV and digital media, may have a measurable impact on children’s academic outcomes.

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A teacher returns an exam at Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

WHAT’S GOING RIGHT IN UTAH SCHOOLS From test scores to teamwork, students are finding success across the board

By Emma Neff

W

hile challenges in education remain, there is also plenty going on in Utah classrooms to celebrate.

Across the state, schools are seeing real wins — from rising graduation rates to top test scores in the nation, expanding career pathways and thriving extracurricular programs.

Conversations about education often focus on what isn’t working. But the reality in Utah schools is there is a lot to be hopeful about.

Here’s a closer look at what’s going right in Utah classrooms.

38 ELEVATING EDUCATION

Utah graduation rates reach highest in nearly a decade One indicator of educational success is high school graduation rates, and in 2025, Utah reached its highest level in nearly a decade.

Graduation rates have been steadily climbing since 2017. According to a December press release from the Utah State Board of Education, 89.8% of the 2025 cohort graduated, up from 88.8% in 2024.

There were 49,442 graduates who earned diplomas from Utah high schools, per the board of education.

The rise in graduation rates coincides with a sharp decline in dropout rates, which fell from 16.2% to 8.5% in 2025.

“Utah’s students, families and educators continue to demonstrate what is possible when high expectations are paired with strong support,” said Molly Hart, state superintendent of public instruction.

“We are especially encouraged to see meaningful gains for student groups that have historically faced barriers to graduation, alongside continued reduction in dropout rates statewide.”

The Utah State Board of Education credited the progress to collaborative effort from local education agencies, educators, families and community partners, all working to keep students on track.

Utah schools excel on the ACT Utah students are also standing out nationally on the ACT, a college entrance exam that measures readiness in English, math, reading and science.

Nationwide, 1.38 million students took the ACT in 2025. Among the 15 states where at least 90% of graduates took the exam, Utah ranked first in average composite score, according to a press release from the state board of education.

The composite score measures the average score across all four academic areas tested.

“Utah continues to stand out nationally for maintaining both high participation and strong performance,” said Hart. “We are proud of the consistency shown by Utah students, teachers and schools as we work to prepare every student for success after high school.”

More than 45,000 Utah students — about 91% of the graduating class of 2025 — took the ACT. The state’s average composite score was 20, unchanged from 2024 and above the national average of 19.4.

Hart emphasized the test is about more than scores.

“Our goal isn’t just to compare scores,” Hart said. “It’s to make sure every Utah student has the opportunity to measure their college readiness and use that information to plan their future, whether that’s at a university, a technical program or in the workforce.”

Career and technical education prepares students for the real world

We are especially encouraged to see meaningful gains for student groups that have historically faced barriers to graduation, alongside continued reduction in dropout rates statewide.

Utah schools continue to expand career and technical education, which prepares students not only for college but for realworld careers. According to the Utah State Board of Education, career and technical education plays a vital role in Utah’s educational system and the state’s ability to compete in a global economy.

Career and technical education programs focus on practical skills, academic knowledge and career readiness, helping students increase their earning potential while still in high school.

Utah’s career and technical education pathways are organized in 14 career clusters, including agriculture, business management and entrepreneurship, construction, digital technology, financial services and marketing.

During the 2023-24 school year, enrollment in career and technical education courses increased by 1.25%, according to the 2025 Utah State Board of Education Annual Report. Additionally, 77 students received career and technical education scholarships and tuition awards to continue their education in their chosen fields after graduation.

The goal of career and technical education, the board of education notes, is to “provide opportunities for each student to follow their passion and to access, feel welcome in, fully participate in and successfully complete a high-quality CTE program of study.”

ELEVATING EDUCATION 39

Success outside the classroom Learning in Utah doesn’t stop when the bell rings. Schools across the state offer a wide range of extracurricular activities that help students build teamwork, responsibility, confidence and a sense of belonging in their school communities.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, participation in extracurriculars is linked to benefits both inside and outside the classroom. In Utah, 157 high schools offer at least one form of an organized extracurricular activity during the 2025-26 school year.

Athletics remain popular across the board. Boys basketball leads the list, offered by 146 schools, followed closely by boys wrestling and girls volleyball, each offered by 143 schools.

Other widely available activities include football, soccer, track and field, swimming, tennis and golf.

Nonathletic offerings such as music, speech and debate, theater and esports are also drawing attention.

Arts programs thrive The arts play a significant role in Utah schools, with music offered at 117 schools, speech and debate at 124, and theater at 94.

Aspiring artists also have the unique opportunity to showcase their work at the Springville Museum of Art, a tradition that has lasted more than 50 years. Each year, 350 pieces are selected from more than 1,000 submissions representing 109 high schools statewide.

More than $30,000 in cash awards and scholarships are presented to the winning student artists through sponsorships and some works are chosen to represent Utah’s congressional districts in Washington, D.C., according to a press release shared with the Deseret News.

“It is a tradition that Utah should be proud of,” art teacher Camille Grimshaw said. “We are privileged to have a state wide event that celebrates our talented high school art students.”

Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

40 ELEVATING EDUCATION

Esports find a place in Utah schools Esports, competitive video gaming, is gaining traction in Utah schools, offering a new way for students to collaborate, build confidence and find community.

Traditionally stereotyped as a solitary activity, esports mirror traditional sports through emphasizing teamwork, communication and shared goals. The activity is currently offered at 89 Utah schools.

Educators say esports can help students feel connected and engaged, especially those who may not gravitate toward traditional athletics. Like other extracurriculars, participation often encourages students to stay involved academically so they can stay eligible to compete.

Provo High School’s esports team ranked 14th nationally in the USA Today Sports/PlayVS Super 25 esports rankings.

The school reported its varsity teams won about 77% of their matches during the season in a range of different gaming titles.

In the release, the school said the team has “proven that a public high school in Utah can beat teams from tech hubs and big cities across the country” and has “built a community where every student feels welcome to plug in and play.”

While there is always room for improvement, Utah schools are seeing success across multiple areas, from graduation rates and test performance to career readiness, arts participation and extracurricular engagement.

Timpview Thunderbirds Roman Viveiros (3), right, goes for the ball against the Orem Tigers during a high school basketball game at Orem High School in Orem on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.

Tess Crowley, Deseret News

ELEVATING EDUCATION 41

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CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM: LAWMAKERS PLEDGE TO GET UTAH KIDS BACK IN CLASS Proposed law would require Utah’s education board to boost data collection practices — while finding solutions to chronic absenteeism

By Jason Swensen

A

sk any Utah teacher, principal or school counselor to blurt out a short list of the biggest challenges found in today’s K-12 classrooms.

Absenteeism is almost certain to be included.

Last year prior to the current academic year, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) reported that almost a quarter of Utah students were chronically absent during the 2023-2024 school year.

That’s nearly double the rate from just a decade earlier. And it’s happening across every grade level, region and demographic in the state.

The consequences of chronic absenteeism — defined as missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason — are far-reaching: Declines in classroom performance, grade-point averages, graduation rates and opportunities to build social skills and connections with teachers and fellow students.

On Tuesday, January 27, Rep. Andrew Stoddard, D-Sandy, presented to the Legislature’s House Education Committee a bill he’s sponsoring in response to Utah’s chronic absenteeism problem.

If ratified, House Bill 106 would task USBE with gathering and analyzing absenteeism data from each public K-12 school — including the percentage of chronically absent students and specifics about each student struggling to make it to class.

44 ELEVATING EDUCATION

USBE would then be required to publish the aggregated, anonymized chronic absenteeism data — while also analyzing root causes of chronic absenteeism such as socioeconomics, mental health factors, family issues and student disengagement.

And finally, the board would identify interventions and strategies to help get kids back in the classrooms.

Chronic absenteeism, said Stoddard, “is a huge problem for our students. What we know from the data is that kids who aren’t in school are not graduating.”

Stoddard said he and others consulted with school board members, juvenile justice officials, parents’ rights groups and other stakeholders to best tackle chronic absenteeism.

“What they all said is, ’We really need to figure out what is the cause of this chronic absenteeism — and until we understand what the cause is, we can’t really do much about it, because we’re just going to be putting Band-Aids on and keep doing that forever.”

Committee members agreed with Stoddard’s argument: Something needs to be done about kids skipping school. But some called for some additional clarifying language in the bill.

Stoddard said he was not “tied to the language … I’m tied to the issue.” So for now, HB106 is on hold awaiting modifications and collaboration with fellow lawmakers who are also working on the chronic absenteeism issue.

Rows of empty desks are pictured at Crescent Elementary School in Sandy on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

ELEVATING EDUCATION 45

Rep. Andrew Stoddard raises his concerns about HB226 Criminal Amendments with the bill sponsor Rep. Candice Pierucci during a House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Standing Committee meeting in the House building in Salt Lake City on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Calls for bipartisan cooperation to solve chronic absenteeism Rep. Tiara Auxier, R-Morgan, saluted Stoddard’s efforts to find solutions to chronic absenteeism, but noted that the education committee has held similar audits and other studies in recent years.

“So I’m wondering,” she said, “why we need to do another (chronic absenteeism) study when we’ve already spent the time to do a deep dive with an audit.”

Stoddard responded that a key part of his bill is bringing stakeholders together, identifying solutions and utilizing what’s already working in different schools and districts.

“Until we have the groups working on them to know what is working, we’re kind of stuck with just data.”

Rep. Jason Thompson, R-River Heights, said that prior chronic absenteeism studies reveal that schools

46 ELEVATING EDUCATION

and districts measure absenteeism and tardiness in different ways. As a result, the data is inconsistent and unreliable.

Thompson added that he is co-sponsoring a similar school attendance measure, Senate Bill 58, — and he invited Stoddard to work with the sponsors of that legislation.

“There are a lot of things happening around all of us that are working in this space — and we just need to bring it together into one conversation,” said Thompson.

“I’m committed to working with you to make sure that all aspects of this bill are included there. We’re all rowing in the same direction — and I think we’re going to make tremendous progress.”

Stoddard said he’s agreeable to working with the Republican sponsors of the similar Senate bill. “What matters is that we get the policy right — and that we’re doing it in a way that’s going to help students graduate and be successful.”

Davis School District: Your Hometown Choice We know choosing a school for your child isn’t something you take lightly.

You put a lot of time into a decision like that. You visit websites, consider a myriad of statistics, look at test scores, search for graduation rates and drive by the campuses. The hunt for information goes on and on.

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Let us help you make that choice: • Davis School District boasts a high school graduation rate of 93 percent. Clearly your student will thrive.

• Our teacher retention rate is 93 percent. Our teachers love working here.

• We’ve received 47 Best of State Awards since 2019. No other education entity has come close to such recognition. It’s your best of state choice for a truly comprehensive K-12 education.

• We’re recognized by the Sutherland Institute for excelling in fostering transparency and collaboration with parents by providing accessible curriculum links and relevant resources on our website.

• We meet the highest standards for state and local government financial reports. For 41 years in a row, we’ve received Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

• Our Catalyst Center, a magnet high school, offers 17 careerfocused CTE programs with certifications and concurrent enrollment. Serving 784 students, it has 375 on the waitlist—clear evidence it’s a blueprint to follow.

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Braden Metcalf and Brynn Smallwood attend a concurrent enrollment English class at Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

UTAH HIGH SCHOOLERS EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT IN RECORD NUMBERS While many Americans are questioning the value of higher education, legions of Utah kids are blazing paths to college degrees

By Jason Swensen

48 ELEVATING EDUCATION

Peter Newbold helps students in his Math 1030 class, a concurrent enrollment class, at Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

C

oncurrent enrollment offers Utah high school students a long list of benefits: Saving cash and time while earning college credit. Getting an early jump on the higher education experience. Honing key college skills such as time management.

Meanwhile, concurrent enrollment is allowing many Utah teens to finish secondary school with a high school diploma in one hand and an associate degree in the other.

And at a time when the value of higher education is being questioned by many Americans, a record number of Utah high school students are signaling intent to attend college by enrolling in concurrent enrollment.

More than 61,000 Utahns earned college credit while still in high school during the 2024-2025 academic year, according to the Utah System of Higher Education and the Utah State Board of Education.

Utah high school students were reportedly awarded 495,117 college credit hours through concurrent enrollment — saving them $125.2 million in tuition costs.

“Concurrent enrollment plays an important role in helping students begin college with confidence and direction,” said Geoffrey Landward, the state’s higher education commissioner, in a USHE release.

“Strong alignment between high school and college coursework supports student readiness, persistence and long-term success.”

During the 2024-2025 academic year, 218 public, charter and alternative high schools participated in concurrent enrollment — and high school students from 41 school districts and 41 charter schools earned college credit.

In 2024-2025, Utah’s concurrent enrollment jumped 8.3% from the prior academic year. And the number of credit hours earned during that same period increased by almost 12%.

Meanwhile, the vast majority of concurrent enrollment credit hours were earned through face-to-face instruction, rather than via technology.

More than 53% of Utah high schoolers enrolled in concurrent enrollment classes were female — and most of the credit hours earned were in general education courses.

ELEVATING EDUCATION 49

Aubrielle Smith works on graph theory in a Math 1030 class, a concurrent enrollment class, at Jordan High School in Sandy on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Tracking Utah’s Math Competency Initiative In conjunction with the concurrent enrollment data, Utah System of Higher Education released its annual report outlining the state’s progress under Utah’s Math Competency Initiative.

Established by the Utah Legislature in 2015, the Math Competency Initiative requires college-bound high schoolers to demonstrate college entry-level math proficiency before graduation.

The legislation also provides ongoing funding to support USHE’s efforts to boost the number of students earning college qualitative literacy, or QL, general education credits while in high school.

“Utah does not have a specific high school math requirement for the senior year, presenting an opportunity for college-inclined students to complete their QL requirement through concurrent enrollment,” according to the USHE report.

50 ELEVATING EDUCATION

“The appropriated funds from this initiative bolster access for (concurrent enrollment) across Utah, and especially rural portions of the state, which present additional logistical challenges.”

Efforts under the Math Competency Initiative also include expanding the number of qualified high school instructors, strengthening advising and math pathway guidance, increasing access to courses such as quantitative reasoning and introductory statistics, and supporting student success through tutoring and instructional resources, according to USHE. “By expanding access to aligned math options earlier in a student’s academic journey, Utah’s concurrent enrollment and Math Competency Initiative help remove barriers that can slow progress after high school,” the report said.

“Together, the programs reflect a coordinated statewide effort to strengthen alignment between high school and college coursework and support student preparation for college, career and lifelong learning.”

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ENSIGN COLLEGE OFFERING 3-YEAR PROGRAMS FOR ALL ITS BACHELOR’S DEGREES Church-sponsored school offering accelerated degree paths to help students save cash — and land jobs

By Jason Swensen

I

t’s been a couple of years since Ensign College began offering three-year bachelor’s degrees for a few select programs.

Now the Salt Lake City-based private school — which is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints — is going “all in” on 90- and 96-credit bachelor’s degrees.

Ensign College announced this week that it has redesigned all of its Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, allowing students to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in three years rather than the traditional four years.

The school’s “Every-Bachelor’s-Degree-in-3” option is actually historic. Ensign College is reportedly the first institution in the country to offer the three-year degree format for all bachelor’s programs.

The goal of the accelerated options, according to the school, is simple: Help students enter the workforce earlier — and start earning sooner.

Ensign College President Bruce Kusch said the threeyear degree programs offer students paths to realizing their potentials at a moment when many are anxious about the cost and time exacted by higher education.

“We think this is a wonderful solution for anyone looking to complete a bachelor’s degree and get themselves into the workplace sooner,” Kusch told the Deseret News.

54 ELEVATING EDUCATION

“It’s a great solution for the new student. It’s a great solution for the return missionary. It’s a great solution for someone who wants to come back and finish a degree that they started and maybe didn’t have the opportunity to finish because life got in the way. And it’s a great option for transfer students.”

Claiming a bachelor’s degree, of course, has typically involved four years of study. And some may ask if an accelerated degree comes at the cost of diminished learning, rigor and training. But Kusch emphasized that the three-year bachelor’s degree programs now being offered at Ensign College “are not compromised educational experiences in any way.”

“We are very outcome-focused,” he said. “The process that we went through was employerinformed. It’s fully accredited — and we designed these degrees from the ground up to make sure that the skills that our students are gaining are the skills that will prepare them for the workforce — and skills that employers are looking for.”

The college’s faculty and industry partners collaborated with curriculum developers to redesign every bachelor’s degree. “Instead of squeezing a 120-credit program into three years, they focused on the most important skills and outcomes graduates need for their first job,” noted a school release.

What bachelor’s degrees can Ensign students earn in 3 years?

Known for its low tuition, Ensign College offers a trio of bachelor’s degrees — business management, communication and information technology — across a variety of study areas such as accounting, digital marketing and cybersecurity.

Ensign College began offering accelerated bachelor’s degrees in communications and information technology in 2024. That experience proved invaluable for the school as it prepared to offer three-year degree programs across the board. “What we’ve learned is that the real focus is on skills and outcomes and what students can do,” said Kusch.

The president points to research indicating employers are eager to hire college graduates who are well-trained in their respective fields — while also

possessing timeless “soft skills” such as problemsolving, workplace etiquette and teamwork.

“All those things,” he said “are part of the Ensign College experience.”

The school president added that the college has prioritized integrating with industry to best develop the curriculums found in each of the accelerated degree programs. “It’s very much employer aligned.”

And at a moment when ROI — return on investment — seems included in any higher education debate in the U.S., Kusch said Ensign College checks all the boxes.

“We have a high-quality product for what students pay,” he said. “We’re the most affordable higher education institution in the state of Utah — but that doesn’t mean that just because it costs less our students are getting lower quality.

“Our students are getting really good jobs and they’re well-prepared.”

Entrepreneurship student Rachel Ferguson works with classmates on their business plans at Ensign College in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

ELEVATING EDUCATION 55

Students who think they have limited potential come to recognize that they have found hope where they thought they could not hope — and can dream dreams they had thought were impossible.

Entrepreneurship student Michelle Lawrence, left, is congratulated for her business plan by her professor, Liz Quist, at Ensign College in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News

Blazing local trails for accelerated degrees Ensign College’s three-year bachelor’s degree programs are fully accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, according to the college. And the school has also been something of a policy trailblazer in Utah.

In recent years, state lawmakers have championed accelerated, sub-120 hours bachelor’s degree programs at Utah’s public degree-granting institutions.

“I do think there’s a way to streamline the process

56 ELEVATING EDUCATION

and get a student graduated through the system in three years versus four years; 90 credit hours versus 120 credit hours,” Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz told the Deseret News prior to the 2025 Legislative Session.

Last year, a pair of Utah public schools — Weber State University and Utah Valley University — introduced accelerated bachelor’s degrees to create faster pathways to careers.

Kusch added that he’s gleaned interest in Ensign College’s three-year degree programs from educators outside the state.

Ensign College: An elevated mission transcending classrooms and degrees As an educational institution sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Ensign College has a guiding purpose that goes beyond degree curriculums and industry alignments.

“Everything that we do is focused on our mission of developing capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ — and that is also integral to the experience of our students,” said Kusch. “This is what we live by every single day. We talk about it. It’s mentioned in prayers. It’s mentioned in devotionals. It’s mentioned in everything that we do.

“If we didn’t have that mission, there would be no need for Ensign College.”

When the school president considers all that’s happening at Ensign College — including this week’s three-year degree announcement — he remembers a pair of quotes about the school from Latter-day Saint apostles.

From President Henry B. Eyring, now first counselor in the First Presidency, in 2009: “Students who think they have limited potential come to recognize that they have found hope where they thought they could not hope — and can dream dreams they had thought were impossible.”

And, in 2017, from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, now acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “Ensign College is a place where students come and they are professionally prepared and spiritually nourished and well-grounded to go out and earn a livelihood.”

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