In most job sectors providing an income sufficient to meet the basic needs of a family, an education beyond high school is a minimum requirement. As a result of the relationship between educational attainment and employment, one's success in adulthood is connected to academic achievement. In order to ensure that children experiencing intergenerational poverty have the opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, they progress in their academic careers. This forward progress will ensure high school graduation and later success in post-secondary education or training.

The educational data is reported based on the school year in which the data is reported. Additionally, in 2014 Utah began using a new criterion reference test. In that year, it began using the SAGE test. As a result, proficiency scores are only comparable for the years beginning in School Year 2014. Additionally, there is no academic data reported for the School Year, 2015. This gap is due to the state's transition from the Utah Data Alliance to the Utah Data Research Center.