Gov. Spencer Cox wants a renewed focus on improving literacy. To do so, he said Utah needs a policy to hold young students back if they’re not reading at grade level.
About half of Utah’s third-graders are hitting the benchmark, says a new Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute report. That’s a far cry from the ambitious goal of 70% by 2027, which the state has been working on since 2022.
Experts say that after third-grade, students switch from learning to read to reading to learn. That means if students can’t read in fourth grade, they’ll struggle in every subject.
Cox told a Jan. 6 symposium in Ogden with educators, policymakers and community members that he read an article that called illiteracy “a policy choice.” That stuck with him and changed his mindset.
This isn’t just a Utah problem. The state performs above the national average in reading scores but is following national trends, the institute’s report notes. Like most others, Utah’s fourth-grade scores have dropped over the past decade. Additionally, there’s been a widening gap between high- and low-performing students.
Cox frequently mentioned what has been heralded as the “Mississippi Miracle.” While other states saw their fourth-grade literacy scores drop after 2013, Mississippi transformed from one of the worst reading states in the nation to ninth by 2024.
“We've implemented most of what Mississippi did. But one of the things that Mississippi has in place is a retention policy,” Cox told reporters. “If you're not reading, we're not going to move you forward because you're not going to progress the way you need to. So we're going to keep you and help you be able to read.”
Utah has spent millions trying to reach its 70% goal, including training teachers on the science of reading.
Ahead of the 2026 legislative session, policymakers are still discussing what the state’s retention policy would look like. Should students be held back in third grade, or should it happen in kindergarten or first grade?
“It's easier to correct problems or help problems at an earlier age. And so those are all on the table,” Cox said. “We're not sure exactly what that looks like, but we know we need to do something instead of just advancing kids who aren't ready to move forward.”
Cox recognizes there’s a stigma around holding a student back. But he hopes that having the threat as a possibility motivates parents, teachers and principals to intervene. The institute’s report says that, according to research, holding students back isn’t the main driver of improved student outcomes. But when students are flagged for possible retention, in other states, they often get more support, which makes a meaningful difference.
Republican Sen. Ann Millner, who sponsored the 2022 literacy goal legislation, agreed that Utah is at a point where it needs to accelerate its early literacy efforts.
No bill text is available for the proposed retention policy and the Utah State Board of Education hasn’t taken a stance on the idea yet.
Julie Clark, the P-12 English language arts coordinator for the state board, told KUER that retention policies can keep schools accountable for student outcomes and make early literacy a higher priority. She thinks it also sends a statement that since lawmakers put the 2022 goals in place and aren’t yet seeing the outcomes they want, they’re going a step further.
At the same time, Clark is not surprised the state hasn’t seen more growth in its reading numbers because change doesn’t happen overnight. For example, Clark said many schools are in their first year of implementing a new curriculum.
“We do have to realize that this is going to take time,” Clark said.
Additionally, as a part of Cox’s proposed budget, he said schools need more support to move the needle, like money for more paraprofessionals in the classroom.
“We need more help in our schools. This is not a failure of our teachers. We know what they need, and we need more resources there,” Cox said.
The governor also emphasized that this is not just an education issue; it is a community issue that will take the whole state’s involvement. The institute’s report says a child’s literacy development starts before they enter kindergarten. His proposed budget also includes a literacy campaign, encouraging things like families reading with their kids.
Cox highlighted that according to the research, which was summarized in the institute report, almost every child is capable of learning how to read. They just need the right resources and support.
