A new study has found that Utah is getting results when it comes to education.
Consumer Affairs, a non government journal of consumer research, released a report in September ranking state education systems from best to worst. The report examined four areas in each state to determine the final rankings: K-12 performance, school funding, higher education, and school safety. The first three categories were weighted at 30% each, while school safety accounted for 10% of the final score. Utah ranked 39th overall.
In individual categories, the Beehive State ranked 46th in school funding, 43rd in higher education, and 36th in school safety. The fourth figure is one that Utah’s critics often overlook. This data point is a key measure that too often gets ignored in discussions about education funding, yet it should be the highest as it shows what the system is actually producing.The report found that Utah ranked 5th in the nation for K-12 performance.
The K-12 performance ranking was based on four-year graduation rates, average SAT/ACT scores, and NAEP reading and math scores for fourth- and eighth-grade students.
This is a significant achievement for Utah’s hardworking and talented teachers. They are clearly delivering the results that taxpayers expect from our education system. We applaud their efforts and congratulate them on this outstanding recognition.
Several takeaways from the report stand out. First, it reinforces that there is little correlation between dollars spent on education and student outcomes. For example, New York ranked first in overall education funding but only 18th in K-12 performance. Connecticut and Massachusetts placed in the top five for both spending and performance, but Wisconsin—24th in funding—ranked 4th in performance.
The best takeaway from this study is that how the money is spent matters far more than how much is allocated. States that invest in the right priorities consistently outperform those that simply spend more.
Utah, despite lower levels of funding, is proving it can produce strong results. Yes, this is only one report, and others may tell a different story. But it reinforces what we believe in our state: with creativity and innovation, Utah can do more with taxpayer dollars than many other states. This report shows that is exactly what we are doing.
You can read the full report here.