Check out a few of Envision Utah’s education tools below to learn more about our research and our education projects.
EDUCATION REPORTS
Barriers to Higher Education →
Envision Utah surveyed more than 7,600 Utah high school students about their educational experiences and plans after high school. This report outlines those findings and focuses on the barriers that Utah students face when pursuing higher education.
In 2016, Envision Utah surveyed the general public to gain a greater understanding of how Utahns think about and value education in our society. This report outlines those findings.
Vision for Teacher Excellence Webinar
We understood that the events of 2020 were likely to make Utah’s teacher shortage even worse and have heightened the need for world-class teachers in every classroom.
That’s why in October of 2020, we hosted a webinar to hear from our staff and two members of the group that generated the Vision for Teacher Excellence: Derek Miller, President & CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber, and Dr. Sydnee Dickson, State Superintendent of Public Instructions.
Check out the webinar to learn more, or visit our Teacher Vision page for greater detail.
Envision Utah Education Blogs
TEACHER PAY IS ABOUT STUDENT SUCCESS
Education | February 2021 | Nain Christopherson
Teacher pay is not just about teachers. Of course, it starts out being about teachers. Like all other professionals, educators deserve to be compensated for their skills and expertise. They should have the resources they need to be successful in their jobs. But the benefits of improving teacher pay extend far beyond teachers’ own finances—all the way to students’ academic performance and even their attitudes about education. If we raise teacher pay, more people—and, importantly, more highly qualified people—will want to become teachers. From there, classroom instruction will improve, and since teachers are the single most impactful factor in a child’s school experience, so will student outcomes.
SOLVING THE TEACHER SHORTAGE WHEN THE WORLD IS ON FIRE
Education | January 2021 | Nain Christopherson
Utah has already been grappling with a teacher shortage for over a decade—but, as with almost everything else, the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the problem. As K–12 schools navigate coronavirus testing, hybrid teaching and learning, and the stress of a global health crisis, teachers are leaving the classroom in even greater numbers than they have in previous years. And with all this stress and uncertainty, it’s likely that fewer and fewer college students might decide to pursue careers in education. At the same time, though, it has become even more critical that our classrooms are led by the best, brightest, and most adaptable people our stateUtah has to offer.
RAISING UTAH TEACHER SALARIES WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING
Education | March 2020 | Nain Christopherson & Jason Brown
In the fall of 2019, Envision Utah released a set of recommended changes to our school system aimed at ending the teacher shortage and improving student outcomes statewide. The report – “A Vision for Teacher Excellence” – received substantial media coverage, was recommended for inclusion in the governor’s 2020 budget by the Education Excellence Commission and factored into tax reform discussions on Capitol Hill. Its most notable suggestion was that all Utah teacher salaries be raised to an average starting pay of $60,000 and grow to $110,000 by retirement.
Your Utah, Your Future Podcast Education Series
EPISODE #14: “EDUCATION (PART 1)”
Tune in for part one of our series on education in Utah! In this series we’re looking at the importance of education, the challenges our education system is facing, and what the future of education can look like in Utah.
In our first episode, we sit down with the experts to lay the groundwork for everything a Utahn needs to know about our state’s education system and the impacts it has on our communities.
Thank you to our expert guests for joining us in this episode including, Brittney Cummins, Senior Advisor of Education to Governor Spencer Cox, Theresa Foxley, former President and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, Dr. Sydnee Dickson, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Dr. Richard Nye, Superintendent of Granite School District.
LISTEN ON
