Learning from Success: School-Level Factors Supporting Post-Pandemic Student Academic Recovery in Utah Schools

December 30, 2025

The Utah Education Policy Center (UEPC) partnered with the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah Leading through Effective, Actionable, and Dynamic (ULEAD) Education to conduct a mixed-methods study to identify school-level factors contributing to strong post-pandemic student academic recovery among positive outlier schools in Utah. Building on previous USBE-sponsored research, this study examined eight schools across five LEAs that demonstrated strong academic recovery during 2021-22 and 2022-23 through interviews, focus groups, and surveys with school leaders and educators. The analysis presents interrelated key findings and actionable recommendations for school and LEA leaders to advance improvements in student academic recovery across Utah.

Executive summary

Full Report

The UEPC is also sharing school portraits for a subset of participating schools that highlight the key factors school leaders and educators identified as particularly important to their recovery efforts. These portraits reflect the UEPC’s commitment to bridging research and practice through our partnership with the USBE and honoring the time and expertise of the educators who informed this study.

Burch Creek Elementary (Weber School District)

Fox Hollow Elementary (Alpine School District)

pARK lANE Elementary (cANYONS School District)

william Penn eLEMENTARY (gRANITE School District)