Contact: Sara Sanchez, Research Analyst
(801) 288-1838, ext. 121
sara@utahfoundation.org

UTAHNS ARE NOT CHOOSING PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR THEIR CHILDREN

Utah Foundation has released its research report on private schools in Utah. The report is entitled "The Status of Private Schools in Utah." The report should accompany this release; if not, it may be obtained at http://www.utahfoundation.org/reports.html. Key highlights of this report are:

• Utah has the second largest percentage of school age population in the United States.
• Utah has the second smallest percent of children educated by private schools.
• Private school students outperform their public school counterparts on all standardized measures of achievement.
• Additionally, private school students participate at a higher rate in Advanced Placement classes and SAT tests, as well as ACT tests.
• Utah's private schools are concentrated along the Wasatch Front in more affluent areas.
• Regarding income and the availability of private schools, the report found that while having a low income may be a barrier to utilizing the private school system, the presence of a high median household income in a state is not related to the number of students who attend private school.

"It is difficult to know if private schools' strong performance on test scores is related to higher quality instruction and curriculum or simply the kind of students who attend private schools," Research Analyst Sara Sanchez said. Fewer minority students attend private schools, and these schools tend to have a more wealthy student body. Both of these factors have been shown to influence student performance.

Utah mimics its Western neighbors in having a low private school population, relative to Eastern and Southern states. Historical and social factors unique to Utah, such as religion, have contributed to a small private school population.

Sara Sanchez said, regarding religion and private school education, "Over 80 percent of private schools nationwide have a religious affiliation. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints' support of the public education system since this state was first settled has decreased the demand for private schools relative to other states."

Utah Foundation is a nonprofit, non-advocacy research organization. Our mission is to encourage informed public policy making and to serve as Utah's trusted source for independent, objective research on crucial public policy issues.