KSL+

Minority-majority schools in Utah up as Latino population grows

Oct 22, 2024, 1:33 PM | Updated: Oct 31, 2024, 5:58 pm

Graduation at Ben Lomond School in Ogden on May 22. Ogden School District is the only system in Uta...

Graduation at Ben Lomond School in Ogden on May 22. Ogden School District is the only system in Utah with a Hispanic-majority population, according to new state data. (Ogden School District)

(Ogden School District)

SALT LAKE CITY — Reflecting the gradual demographic shift across Utah, the state has more minority-majority schools and more Hispanic-majority schools, according to the enrollment data for the 2024-25 school year, released last Friday.

The number of public schools, not including charter schools, with minority-majority populations totals 144 for the current school year, up from 126 in the 2019-20 school year. The minority population includes Native Americans, Black, Asian, Hispanic, multiple race and Pacific Islander students. The number of schools with Hispanic-majority populations, a subset of the broader minority-majority category, now totals 75, up from 53 in 2019-20.

To be sure, non-Hispanic whites still account for the vast majority of students in public, non-charter schools statewide, 412,296 of the 585,979 total K-12 population, or 70.3%. But that’s down from 432,568 of the 580,652 students in 2019-20, or 74.5% of the total, according to the data from the Utah State Board of Education.

Latinos, in particular, have been a key motor to Utah’s growth, same as in the United States as a whole, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in June. That same trend shows up in school figures. The number of Hispanic students in public, non-charter schools increased from 99,399 in 2019-20 to 121,088 in 2024-25, up 21.8%. The number of other students of color — Native American, Black, Asian, multiple races, and Pacific Island students — went from 48,685 to 52,595 in the span, up 8%, while the number of non-Hispanic white students fell from 432,568 to 412,296, down 4.7%.

In fact, while the overall number of students in Utah’s public schools, including charter schools, fell from 672,662 in 2023-2024 to 667,789, mainly due to a decline of about 15,000 in non-Hispanic white students, Hispanic student numbers increased by about 10,000, tempering the overall dip.

Granite, Salt Lake, and Ogden school districts top the list

Of the 144 schools currently with minority-majority populations, 58 are in Granite School District followed by 21 in Salt Lake School District and 12 in Ogden School District. Next come Canyon and Provo school districts, with eight minority-majority schools each, and San Juan School District, which has a heavy population of Native American students, with seven schools. The Utah State Board of Education data identifies 882 public, non-charter K-12 schools in the state in all.

Of the 75 schools with Hispanic majorities this school year, 31 are in Granite School District followed by the Salt Lake system with 15 and the Ogden system with 10.

Four school districts have minority-majority populations. Those systems and the respective minority population shares are San Juan, 64.2%; Salt Lake, 60.6%; Ogden, 59.2%; and Granite, 55.7%. The Ogden system, with a 51.4% Latino population, is the only one in Utah with a Hispanic-majority population.

As for English-language learners, a measure of immigrants and other newcomers, the numbers have edged up slightly since 2019-20. The current figures identify 53,772 students learning the language statewide, 9.2% of the public, non-charter school population, up from 45,509 or 7.8% of the total five years ago. Currently, English-language learners account for 10% or more of the population in 274 public, non-charter schools, up from 233 in 2019-2020.

KSL 5 TV Live

KSL+

Board-certified music therapist Rachel Lighty helps a student play the guitar during a music therap...

Ivy Farguheson, KSL.com

Creative arts therapy classes at the U. help those interested in the field

University of Utah President Taylor Randall has called on his faculty and staff to create more opportunities for community engagement, provide the community with what it asks for, and meet the community where it is.

13 hours ago

Police say they have identified another victim of a man already facing more than 30 felony charges ...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

Police identify another alleged abuse victim of formal school counselor

Police have identified another alleged victim of a former middle school counselor and Boy Scout leader already facing numerous counts of sexually abusing young boys.

3 days ago

Two men were arrested near Nephi on Wednesday after Utah Highway Patrol troopers say they found dru...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

Drugs wrapped like gifts found during traffic stop, UHP says

Two men pulled over for allegedly going over 100 mph in Juab County had items wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper in their vehicle.

3 days ago

FILE - A man working in a food truck has been arrested and accused of abusing a woman he invited in...

Collin Leonard, KSL.com

2 men charged in September killing of Ogden man on front porch

Two men have been charged in connection with the killing of a 45-year-old Ogden man who was shot multiple times in front of his house last month.

5 days ago

Alex Gabriel Barajas, 22, of St. George, was charged Tuesday in 5th District Court with three count...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

Man accused of sneaking into student housing, sexually assaulting students

A former Utah Tech University student is accused of entering student housing on campus and sexually assaulting three female students in 45 minutes.

5 days ago

Engineers at Brigham Young University and the Japanese vehicle-manufacturing giant Toyota. (Jaren W...

Cassidy Wixom, KSL.com

BYU, Toyota develop new welding technique for minivan doors

An unlikely partnership is developing the future of minivans: engineers at Brigham Young University and the Japanese vehicle-manufacturing giant Toyota.

7 days ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Minority-majority schools in Utah up as Latino population grows