Most Utah students aren’t meeting state standards in math, English language arts and science.
That’s according to recently published statewide assessment results for the 2025-26 school year.
Each spring, grades 3-8 across the state take the Readiness Improvement Success Empowerment, or RISE, test; ninth and tenth graders take the Utah Aspire Plus test. Both assess student proficiency in three core subjects.
Almost 46% of Utah students are proficient in English, 43% in math and 50% in science.
South Summit School District, performed at or below state averages. About 39% of students were proficient in English, 43% in math and almost 47% in science.
During a Board of Education meeting Monday, Superintendent Greg Maughan said the district’s scores have dipped each time the state implements a new testing system. South Summit Director of Teaching and Learning Shelley Halverson said the district has added three instructional coaches for teachers — for a total of four — to help bring scores up.
“We've pointed to it as a systemic issue,” she said. “Just like an athlete, whether you've been a coach or an athlete, or I was a piano student, I can't get better if I don't have support.”
Other Wasatch Back school districts performed better than state averages.
Park City School District led with 68% of students proficient in English, 61% in math and 73% in science.
Over 59% of Wasatch School District students were proficient in English, almost 57% in math and 61% in science. In North Summit School District, almost 53% of students met English benchmarks, 55% in math and 63% in science.
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