Education

Reaching Toward 2050: Education in the Midst of Population Growth

Written by: Shawn Teigen

The prospect of adding 385,000 school-aged Utahns over the next 35 years seems daunting. With this public school growth will come certain challenges, some of which the state has already been facing over the past two decades. Inadequate policy responses to these challenges may have produced a slide in national academic rankings, a decrease in education funding efforts, and an increase in tuition for college students. One way to address growth in the coming decades … Continued

Steps Forward in Higher Ed: Success Measures, Game Changers, and Performance-Based Funding in Utah

Written by: Shawn Teigen

What are the goals of Utah’s colleges and universities? How do these goals align with the goals of the state? This report provides an overview of higher education success measures, the barriers to reaching them, and the costs of failure. The report then analyzes how some of the biggest “game changers” for success are implemented in Utah, with a particular emphasis on performance funding. As opposed to funding higher education based upon enrollment, performance funding … Continued

United Way of Treasure Valley Community Assessment 2014

Written by: Shawn Teigen

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

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

Written by: Mallory Bateman

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

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

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

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

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

Written by: Shawn Teigen

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

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

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

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

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

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

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

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

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

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

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

Written by: Stephen Hershey Kroes

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