- Legislative audit examines effectiveness of literacy efforts in Utah's public schools.
- Utah first-graders demonstrated lowest percentage of reading proficiency.
- Better data is needed to measure impact of 'Science of Reading' teacher training programs.
Third grade – it’s that traditional yardstick year for Utah kids and early literacy.
Students in that pivotal academic year are typically transitioning from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” So when a third-grader isn’t reading proficiently, future struggles in the classroom likely await.
But a new legislative audit is calling on Utah school teachers and administrators to focus enhanced attention not only on third-graders, but also on first-graders.
That’s where the data begins spotting early literacy challenges in young students.
“Strengthening first grade reading outcomes could help reduce the number of students who need extra support in second and third grade,” according to the study, which auditors from the Utah Legislative Auditor General’s office presented Tuesday to the Legislative Audit Subcommittee.
Tuesday’s audit was prompted by last October’s request from the subcommittee to review the effectiveness of reading programs in Utah’s public schools — focusing primarily on kindergarten through third grade.
Early literacy has been a legislative priority for over two decades — but added focus on kids and reading was prompted by 2022’s Senate Bill 127, which established a goal of 70% of Utah students reading at grade level by the end of third grade by 2027.
A subsequent education bill passed earlier this year increased the statewide proficiency level goal for third-graders to 80%.
“As a state, we regularly have a high percentage of students leaving third grade meeting grade level reading benchmarks,” the audit noted. “However, we have struggled to see sustained statewide improvement despite legislative focus and investments.”
There’s been a lack of movement, reported auditors.
When they examined grade level reading scores across time and cohorts, legislative auditors found the lowest percentage in first grade.
“A widespread effort,” asserted the report, “is needed to address this gap.”
Reading scores are stagnating
Tuesday’s audit acknowledged that Utah performs well on reading assessment compared to other states — but there’s been no sustained statewide improvement in the percentage of students meeting the benchmark in at least nine years.
“When looking at data grouped by each cohort of students across the state, it is apparent that first grade has the fewest students meeting grade-level reading requirements,” added the audit.
“We believe the gap in performance on first grade reading tests contributes to the state’s lack of movement in third grade, due to more students entering second grade needing interventions”
Auditors recommended districts and schools develop effective data to identify reading gaps — “and be held accountable for addressing them.”
Unfilled gaps, they warned, could undermine the state’s updated goal of 80% of Utah third-graders meeting reading benchmarks by 2030.
“The goal is for Utah students to be proficient readers by the end of third grade,” added the audit. “By addressing lower outcomes in first grade, subsequent teachers can focus interventions on a smaller group of students that are persistently underperforming.”
The state’s auditors also recommended that local education agencies (LEAs) hold their schools accountable for early literacy goal setting and achievement — adding that assessments should happen at least three times a year.
Reading success stories in Utah rural and urban schools
While preparing their report, auditors visited two high-performing LEAs — a charter with multiple schools in the Salt Lake Valley and a school district in rural Utah. Both LEAs have a significant number of “economically disadvantaged” students.
From their visits, auditors found that teamwork across grades and classrooms is essential to positive reading outcomes for young elementary students.
The high-performing rural district was utilizing several “best practices” such as a phonics program and concept alignment between grade levels. The district’s first-grade teachers, for example, worked closely with the kindergarten team to adjust their instruction focus to better align with the requirements of first grade.
Meanwhile, the high-performing urban charter was implementing “direct instruction and consistent teaching strategies” across classrooms.
Examining ‘Science of Reading’ strategies
Any early literacy discussion in 2026 almost always references the “Science of Reading” — that massive, interdisciplinary body of research identifying the most effective practices to teach reading and writing.
Tuesday’s audit noted that the Utah Legislature has sought to boost statewide Science of Reading practices by requiring new teachers to pass the Utah Foundations of Reading Assessment.
Additionally, lawmakers funded the hiring of Science of Reading expert faculty at Utah’s public higher education institutions — while also organizing an expert panel to advise the Utah State Board of Education (USBE).
But the legislative audit found that teacher training programs “appear to have little impact on student literacy scores,” citing data limitations preventing more robust analysis.
“USBE has not established a data infrastructure sufficient to determine whether Science of Reading training requirements are improving student literacy outcomes,” the audit noted.
Meanwhile, schools with state-funded literacy coaches are seeing mixed results for the student assessment scores.
School principals, the audit emphasized, are critical to successful early literacy outcomes. Schools with literacy coaches that have involved school administrators are seeing greater improvement in the percentage of students meeting established benchmarks.
“An effective principal can positively impact a school, and it is the responsibility of each LEA to ensure schools are staffed with effective principals.”
The audit also recommended LEAs establish “clear evidence-based metrics” for determining the effectiveness of a school leader — “and then provide adequate support and accountability.”
Education leaders pledge to fortify reading performances
In her written response to Tuesday’s audit, Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction Molly Hart said the audit recommendation presented opportunities “to strengthen system performance.”
USBE, added Hart, will focus on setting clear statewide expectations for early literacy — while improving data systems/transparency and monitoring statewide literacy progress and outcomes.
“Our job is to ensure that expectations are clear, performance is visible, and outcomes are consistently monitored across the state,” said Hart during Tuesday’s subcommittee hearing.