PASS OR FAIL: An in-depth report about Utah's classrooms--how do they really stack up?

AuthorFrancom, Sarah Ryther
PositionFocus

Education. It's one of the most highly discussed and debated topics among Utahns. And there's a lot to talk about. From worrisome teacher retention rates to crowded classrooms to low (lowest in the country, actually) per-pupil funding, Utah's education industry is not a bright spot in the state's otherwise very robust economy. But are things really so bad when compared to the rest of the country? We dig through the numbers to see how Utah's classrooms really stack up.

STUDENTS

While Utah's per-pupil funding is the lowest in the country, the state's students and teachers have something to smile about: standardized testing across the country proves that Utah's students are scoring significantly higher than the national average. And the state's high school graduation rates are among the country's best.

TOP PER-PUPIL SPENDERS AMONG THE LARGEST 100 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Boston, MA: $21,552

* New York City, NY: $21,980

* Anchorage, AK: $17,046

* Baltimore, MD: $15,818

* Howard County, MD: $15,714

BOTTOM PER-PUPIL SPENDERS AMONG THE LARGEST 100 SCHOOL DISTRICTS

* Mesa Unified, AZ: $7,533

* Granite, UT: $6,814

* Davis, UT: $6,190

* Jordan, UT: $5,943

* Alpine, UT: $5,724

WHAT IS OUR SCHOOLS NOW?

Organizers are acquiring signatures to place the initiative on the 2018 ballot.

85% Would distribute 85% to K-12 education and 15% to higher education.

$1,000 Would provide each Utah school nearly $1,000 per enrolled student.

.45% Calls for a less than 1/2 of 1 percent (.45%) increase to the state sales tax and a less than 1/2 of 1 percent increase (.45%) to the state personal income tax, which would total $700 million annually.

PER-PUPIL SPENDING (2015) New York 1. $21,206 Alaska 2. %21,172 Idaho 50. $6,923 Utah 51. $6,575 National Average $11,392 Note: Table made from bar graph. REGIONAL PER-PUPIL SPENDING Wyoming $15,700 Colorado $8,647 Nevada $8,399 Arizona $7,208 Idazo $6,791 Utah $6,555 Note: Table made from bar graph. ACHIEVEMENT

84% The national graduation rate is 84%.

40,100 Utah high schools graduated 40,100 students.

No. 9 Utah ranked No. 9 in U.S. News and World Report's "2017 Best States for Education" report.

No. 11 Utah ranked No. 11 in WalletHub's 2017 "Most Educated States" report.

86% Utah's statewide graduation rate was 86% in 2017.

86% Over the past five years, Utah's graduation rate has steadily increased from 81% in 2013 to 86% in 2017.

No. 14 Utah ranked No. 14 in U.S. News and World Report's "2017 Best High Schools" report.

No. 7 Provo...

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