K-12
 Utah
ranks second in the nation in the percentage of adults who have
completed high school. Plus, 24 percent of Utahns have four-year
college degrees and higher. In Utah's public school system, average
class size is large when compared to other states, yet excellent
results are achieved. In fact, nearly half of the state's budget
is spent on public education. Every year, Utah adds to its excellent
list of private and parochial schools
More than ten years ago, Utah implemented the Core Curriculum
Program, which played a major role in improving the state's education
system and in raising student ACT scores. The Class of 1998 continued
an upward scoring trend in the ACT with the state exceeding the
national average for a decade now. Utah has 40 public school districts,
55 private/parochial schools, nine public colleges and universities
and ten private institutions of higher education. Of these, three
are major research universities and two have law schools.
Higher Education
 The
University of Utah, which encompasses a medical school, is the
state's flagship institution and is recognized as one of the premier
institutions in the country. The school (enrollment 28,933) is
known nationally for its "technology transfer" program,
which moves state-of-the-art research into practical applications
in the business world. External funding jumped to almost $196
million last year, much of which was designated for research.
Brigham Young University (enrollment 32,202) is a private school
located in Provo. The university is well known for its computer
science program. WordPerfect, Novell and other software firms
have been founded by researchers with BYU and University of Utah
connections. BYU brought in just under $17 million in outside
research grants in 1997.
Utah State University in Logan is best known nationally for space-related
research. The university (enrollment 23,908) secured a record
$107 million in research grants last year, which made it first
among U.S. universities in research dollars per faculty member.
Nearby in Provo is Utah Valley State College (enrollment 23,803),
a four-year institution. Westminster College (enrollment 2,300)
is Utah's only private nondenominational college, which offers
both undergraduate and graduate degrees. U.S. News & World
Report has named Westminster in the top tier of colleges and universities
in the western region for five consecutive years. Salt Lake Community
College (enrollment 20,583) has been named one of the top 100,
two-year colleges in various fields including engineering, computer
and information sciences, business management and administrative
services. To the north of Salt Lake in Ogden is Weber State University
(enrollment 14,000), a four-year institution.
For a directory of the state's schools, including public, private,
parochial and higher education, contact the State Office of Education
(801) 538-7500.
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