Jun. 17, 9:00 AM
The Education Interim Committee of the State Legislature holds a public meeting.
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Feb. 23 - Mar. 22
Comcast Newsmakers interviews Robyn Bagley about www.Utah-EducationFacts.com
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Mar. 12
The 2009 Legislative Session concluded on Thursday, March 12th at midnight
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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the landmark report, A Nation at Risk.
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In the 2007-08 school year, Utah spent $8,224 per public school student.
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Charter schools are independent public schools run by parents or non-profits.
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The average class size in Utah is 22.2
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High school students can graduate with an associate's degree and a scholarship worth 75% of college tuition.
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Get the Facts Graduation & College
Did you know?
|  | ||
In this section... | |||
| > | Graduation Rates | ||
| > | Graduation Standards | ||
| > | Graduation Exam - Utah Basic Skills & Competency Test | ||
| > | Graduation Achievement Gap | ||
| > | The Costs of Dropping Out | ||
| > | College Readiness | ||
| > | College Attainment | ||
According to Education Week's most recent report, Utah's Class of 2006 had the 26th best graduation rate in the nation at 72.2%. The national average was 69.2%.
Graduation Rates, Class of 2006
Education Week
Utah (%) | U.S. (%) | |
| ALL STUDENTS | 72.2 | 69.2 |
*Graduation rates by demographic were not available for the class of 2006.
Graduation Rates by Demographic, Class of 2005
Education Week
Utah (%) | U.S. (%) | |
| ALL STUDENTS | 78.6 | 70.6 |
BY GENDER | ||
| Male | 76.1 | 67.8 |
| Female | 85.2 | 75.3 |
BY RACE & ETHNICITY | ||
| Native American | 50.6 | 50.6 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 76.9 | 81.3 |
| Hispanic | 53.6 | 57.8 |
| Black | 58.2 | 55.3 |
| White | 84.0 | 77.6 |
Below is a list of Utah's high school graduation requirements compared to the rest of the nation.
Graduation Requirements in Utah & the U.S.1,2
| Graduation Policies | Utah | Nation | |
| Through 2009-10 | Begins 2010-11 | ||
| High School Completion Credentials | # of states | ||
| Standard diploma options offered by state | standard | - | 48 |
| Advanced recognition offered for exceeding standard requirements | No | - | 24 |
| Alternative credentials offered for not meeting all standard requirements | Yes | - | 27 |
| Required Credits to Earn a Standard Diploma | National Average | ||
| Mathematics | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| English/Language Arts | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Science | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 |
| History/Social Science | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.8 |
| Other Credits | 5.5 | 5.5 | 8.3 |
| TOTAL REQUIRED CREDITS* | 15.0 | 18.0 | 20.6 |
| Exit Exam Required to Earn a Diploma | # of states | ||
| Exit exam required - Students must pass a statewide assessment to earn a high school diploma | No** | - | 23 |
| Subjects tested (English, Math, Science, History, Technology) | - | - | 9 states test in EMSH |
| Exam tests 10th grade standards or higher | - | - | 19 |
| State finances remediation for students failing the exam | Yes** | - | 15 |
| Appeals process or alternative route offered to students to earn a standard diploma without passing required exam | - | - | 20 |
Graduation rates indicate that a consistent achievement gap exists in Utah between minorities and whites, males and females, and low income students and non-low income students.
All public high school students must pass the Utah Basic Skills & Competency Test (UBSCT) in order to receive a basic high school diploma, although alternative diplomas are given to students who fail the UBSCT. Students first take it in the 10th grade and have a total of 5 attempts to pass all three parts of the exam (math, reading, and writing).
Students who fail the UBSCT on their first attempt in 10th grade can receive a state-funded voucher to pay for tutoring services. Learn more>>
UBSCT Results for Graduating Class of 2008
Utah State Office of Education1
The costs of dropping out of high school to both the dropout and society as a whole are astounding.
The percentage of Utah students earning a Bachelor's Degree or higher has dropped in recent decades. As the graph below displays, older generations of Utahns exceeded the U.S. average in education attainment, but the U.S. average now surpasses Utah.
% of Population with a Bachelor's Degree or Higher
by Age Group, 2007
U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 American Community Survey1,2
In the class of 2008, 68% of Utah graduates took the American College Test or ACT. Of those, 25% were ready for college English, Algebra, Social Science, and Biology.
College Readiness, 2003 to 2008
American College Test1
| Year | % Ready for All Four | % Ready for College English | % Ready for College Algebra | % Ready for College Social Science | % Ready for College Biology | % of Graduates Tested | |||
| 2008 | Utah | 25 | 75 | 44 | 60 | 32 | 68 | ||
| U.S. | 22 | 68 | 43 | 53 | 28 | 43 | |||
| 2007 | Utah | 24 | 74 | 43 | 57 | 30 | 70 | ||
| U.S. | 23 | 69 | 43 | 53 | 28 | 42 | |||
| 2006 | Utah | 24 | 74 | 43 | 60 | 31 | 69 | ||
| U.S. | 21 | 69 | 42 | 53 | 27 | 40 | |||
| 2005 | Utah | 23 | 73 | 43 | 58 | 30 | 68 | ||
| U.S. | 21 | 68 | 41 | 51 | 26 | 40 | |||
| 2004 | Utah | 22 | 72 | 42 | 58 | 29 | 67 | ||
| U.S. | 21 | 68 | 40 | 52 | 26 | 40 | |||
| 2003 | Utah | 22 | 71 | 41 | 57 | 28 | 67 | ||
| U.S. | 20 | 67 | 40 | 52 | 26 | 40 |
