Utah public school enrollment declines slightly statewide
Feb 12, 2025, 9:00 AM
Students walk to their buses following school at Rose Springs Elementary in Erda, Tooele County, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020. Photo credit: Steve Griffin, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah public school enrollment numbers show the number of students in the state has dropped ever-so-slightly in the last four years, according to data from the Utah State Board of Education.
Utah enrollment: By the numbers
According to the numbers on the state school board’s website, Utah public school enrollment peaked in 2021, with 743,407 students enrolled. By the end of the 2023-2024 school year, 739,793 students were enrolled in Utah public schools, representing a decline of 0.49%.
Recent reporting on growing pains in districts like the Alpine School District helps paint a more nuanced picture. Over ten years, Alpine has grown more than 16%. However, those gains have slowed down in the last four years, with an approximate 4.83% increase from 2021 – 2024.
Other districts posted even larger enrollment gains. Over those four years, the Garfield County School District grew from 1,081 students to 1,710 students or 58.19%. Iron County enrollment increased by 36.73%. Enrollment in the Nebo District grew by 17.78%.
However, far more districts lost students between 2021 and 2024. 13 districts lost at least five percent of their student bodies during that time. The steepest decline came from the Tooele County School District, which lost 33.52% of its student body. Ogden School District enrollment declined by about 14%; Uintah County schools reported nearly 11% of students enrolled.
A graph made from Utah State Board of Education data displays the statewide trendline over the past ten years.
More analysis needed on Utah public school enrollment
The numbers can’t tell us why students come or go, or where they go when they leave. There are several contributing factors, such as birth rates, in-migration, and out-migration.
The Utah State Board of Education voted last week to ask its internal audit staff to analyze the enrollment data collected by its finance committee and spot trends.
In the meantime, anyone can see the data for themselves. Click here to see the numbers. To see district-specific information, choose your school district from the dropdown menu on the right-hand side of the page.
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