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The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute says early literacy is critical in ensuring a child’s academic success. But a new institute report found only about 50% of Utah’s Kindergarten through third graders reached reading proficiency in 2025.
The proficiency rate drops even lower among various student groups, including English-language learners, students with disabilities, Hispanic and Latino students and economically disadvantaged students.
Park City School District had the best literacy rate in the state in 2025, with about 70% of third graders proficient in reading.
Jill Thompson teaches third grade at McPolin Elementary. She said it’s the greatest feeling to see her students succeed under these programs.
“Their trajectory just gets better and better,” she said. “Third grade is a big turning point. That's when kids shift from learning to read to reading to learn, so being able to read and truly understand what they're reading becomes crucial for their future success.”
The other Summit County school districts are also performing well. According to the data, almost 60% of North Summit School District third graders and over 60% of South Summit School District third graders scored above reading benchmarks last year.
On the other hand, less than 50% of Wasatch County School District third graders scored above reading assessment benchmarks.
Wasatch joins other Utah districts where about half of third graders are not reading on grade level. The report’s findings have prompted Gov. Spencer Cox to consider implementing legislation to improve literacy rates.
According to KUER, Cox said during a recent symposium that Utah might adopt a retention policy like Mississippi’s, which would hold students back in third grade if their reading scores aren’t where they should be.
Cox said Utah has already embraced other Mississippi strategies that helped it transform from one of the worst reading states in the nation in 2013 to ninth by 2024. But Thompson said holding students back could have other negative effects.
“There's a stigma attached to kids when they get held back, and it's kind of detrimental to their future growth,” she said.
She said schools should focus on implementing programs to ensure students are successful and don’t need to be held back — and she said Park City schools have the tools to do just that.
According to Thompson, Park City students are performing well because of training programs for teachers.
“All of the educators, Kinder through third grade, have been trained in the letters program, which is a program that teaches strategies for teaching reading according to the science of reading,” she said.
The district also implemented new reading programs to help students: 95 Percent Group’s Tier 1, 2, & 3 and Wit and Wisdom.
Thompson said 95 Percent Group’s program provides a strong literacy foundation while Wit and Wisdom builds student knowledge through meaningful discussion, reading and writing instruction and supporting speaking and listening skills.
“When you put Wit and Wisdom and 95 Percent together, students get both the decoding skills they need and the language comprehension that helps them truly understand what they're reading,” she said.
According to KUER, the Utah State Board of Education says retention policies could help keep schools accountable for students outcomes by make early literacy a higher priority.
At the same time, implementing new reading curriculum requires an adjustment period.
