Third-grade reading proficiency in San Juan School District increased significantly during the 2025–2026 school year, according to the Utah State Board of Education’s latest Reading on Grade Level report.
The percentage of district third graders reading on grade level rose from 61.4% in 2025 to 68.9% in 2026. That is an increase of 7.5 percentage points in one year.
The district has recorded steady growth during the past three years:
• 2024: 59.4%
• 2025: 61.4%
• 2026: 68.9%
Since 2024, third-grade reading proficiency in the district has increased by 9.5 percentage points. The district’s 2026 rate is also approaching the statewide average of 71%.
Reading on grade level by the end of third grade is an important academic milestone. During the early grades, students develop foundational reading skills. In later grades, they increasingly rely on those skills to learn material in subjects such as science, mathematics and social studies.
San Juan School District has focused on classroom instruction, targeted support for students and teacher training based on the Science of Reading. To date, 78% of the district’s kindergarten through third-grade teachers have completed Science of Reading training.
The district will continue building on this progress as Utah works toward its statewide goal of having 80% of third graders reading on grade level by 2030.
The San Juan School District Board of Education congratulates the teachers, literacy specialists, administrators and support staff whose work contributed to these gains. The board also recognizes the students and families whose effort and support helped make this progress possible.