Education after high school is complex, expensive, important, and sometimes controversial. It also has numerous goals that are naturally in conflict. Four of the most important are completion, quality, affordability, and access. The Utah Board of Higher Education is tasked with addressing these goals with the help of various tools highlighted in this report. These include performance funding, program reviews, budget alignment, and student support services. The right balance among quality, affordability, access, and completion … Continued

In response to continued high prices in the US healthcare system, a bipartisan effort has led to increased price transparency. For many stakeholders, the goal of this transparency is to make it easier for the average person to find healthcare prices. The Utah Foundation’s report, X-Raying Healthcare, takes a deep dive into healthcare price transparency. Report Highlights Datasets generated by federal price transparency rules have granted researchers, employers, journalists, and other observers unprecedented oversight of the … Continued

Each state has a unique college governing structure. Utah’s is perhaps one of the most unique. In 2023, the Utah Legislature introduced a new board structure to govern public post-secondary education. However, the subsequent replacement of the existing board and the Commissioner’s resignation led to a swift change – and perhaps an opportunity. In addition, post-secondary education may be at a crossroads. Enrollment is expected to stagnate and even decrease in the coming years while … Continued

It has been quite a year. Our Annual Report is the place to learn all about what we accomplished in 2024, with a focus on our outreach, output, and new opportunities going forward.The year can be summed up “by the numbers.” We owe it all to you. Thank you for your support. Without you, our Board of Trustees, our members and sponsors, and other great Utahns, we would not be able to do what we … Continued

Transgender rights and access was among the least important of 17 issues surveyed among Utah voters as part of the 2024 Utah Priorities Project. At the same time, each of these priorities represented the 17 top issues from an initial list of 51 issues suggested by Utah voters. The initial survey also took place early in the year, when there was much attention given to transgender rights and access, as two bills were being discussed … Continued

The Great Salt Lake is a substantial part of Utah’s culture, economy, and ecosystem. That said, it was among the least important of 17 items prioritized by Utah voters in early 2024. It is not clear if its low priority is because the Great Salt Lake is seen as a regional issue, or if the issue was considered resolved after the critically low water levels in 2022 were – at least temporarily – abated. Human … Continued