From Kindergarten to higher education, Utah’s educational institutions have developed practical and innovative approaches to educating and training the state’s growing workforce. Utah consistently ranks among the nation’s leading states for the percentage of its population 25 years and older who have completed high school. In 2000, the state ranked fourth, at 90.7 percent. Utah is committed to bringing the benefits of technology into the classroom. According to the Utah Education Network and the U.S. Department of Commerce, 93 percent of Utah schools have classroom Internet access, compared with the national average of 84.2 percent. Sourcebook 2003 attests to the state’s commitment to higher education: Utah ranks second in the nation for per capita higher education funding.
EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS
Utah ranks fourth in the U.S. in the percentage of persons 25-years and older who have completed high school (90.7 percent). Utah has ten public and three private universities and colleges. A variety of quality Custom Fit training programs serve Utah companies. Utah ranks second in the U.S. for higher education spending.
Utah’s network of public and private K-12 schools offers quality primary and secondary education to students in the state. Some of the programs in Utah’s schools include: kindergarten; special education and gifted and talented curricula; a variety of vocational courses of study, including agriculture, business marketing, entrepreneurship, applied technology, economics and work-based learning; early graduation; distance- and computer-based learning; and adult education. Nearly one half million students receive instruction from more than 25,000 licensed district educators in the state’s 804 public schools. During the 1998-1999 and 2001-2002 school seasons, the pupil-teacher ratio gradually decreased from 21.15 to 20.51. Utah’s 92 private and parochial schools, spread throughout 19 of the state’s 40 school districts, provide a variety of quality educational options for the approximately 14,000 students attending these schools. In addition to the fine public and private schools, Utah parents can opt to send their children to one of the state’s innovative charter schools. Charter schools are non-sectarian public schools that are open to all students and require no tuition. Utah’s charter schools offer a variety of courses of study geared to students of different ages and interests in locations throughout the state. Some of Utah’s innovative charter schools include science and technology high schools, schools for fine arts, performing arts, early college coursework and other areas.
8 UTAHFACTS 2004
Photograph by Frank Jensen, courtesy of Utah Travel Council
K-12 EDUCATION