Utah Thrives — Proposals for Full-Day Kindergarten

Written by: Dan Bammes

The Utah Foundation Research Report Lessons from Our Neighbor: Learning from Colorado’s Educational Success pointed out much broader participation in full-day kindergarten in Colorado. In Utah, 13% of five-year olds attend full-day kindergarten. In Colorado, that number is 74%. Data from Colorado’s Department of Education show the boost kids get from participating in high-quality preschool and full-day kindergarten programs continues into high school. Here in Utah, there have been a number of steps toward implementing … Continued

2015 Top Ten – Transportation Funding & Traffic Safety

Written by: Dan Bammes

The Utah Foundation Board of Trustees determined the issue of transportation funding was the top research finding of the year in our published reports. Highway safety is a related issue, and the question of using mobile phones while driving was ranked eighth among the top ten.   Transportation Funding   The Utah Foundation research report The Roads Less Traveled: Survey Analysis and Research Regarding Utah’s Local Roads included a survey of local government officials from … Continued

Utah Thrives — Legislative Action on Air Quality

Written by: Dan Bammes

With the legislative session set to begin in a few days, air quality will once again be a concern for Utah’s state senators and representatives. Whether it has the same political urgency as it has in past years may depend on just how polluted the air gets – and the view from Capitol Hill. Utah Foundation’s Dan Bammes talks with two members of Utah’s Legislature, Democratic Representative Patrice Arent and Republican Representative Steve Eliason, about … Continued

2015 Top Ten — Quality of Life and Voting

Written by: Dan Bammes

In this post, we’ll look at four of 2015’s top ten research findings identified by the Utah Foundation Board of Trustees. Quality of Life Two items from the biennial Utah Foundation Quality of Life Index made the list:      7. The Utah Foundation Quality of Life index decreased primarily due to quality decreases in traffic conditions, safety and security from crime and having family nearby.      9. Non-Wasatch Front respondents and respondents with … Continued