Canyons School District is building a $17.2 million career-education center that will serve students at Brighton High and other district schools as national satisfaction with K-12 education falls to a 27-year low.
A Gallup poll released Monday, Sept. 7, found that 32% of Americans are satisfied with K-12 education quality. That is the lowest figure in the poll's 27-year history and an 11-point drop over the past two years. Two-thirds of respondents said they were completely or somewhat dissatisfied.
Parents with children in school were more positive: 66% reported satisfaction with their oldest child's education. But that figure is still nearly 10 points below last year's parental rate. Gallup surveyed 1,200 adults in August across all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
"People have a general negative vibe about everything in the country right now," Gallup senior education researcher Zach Hrynowski told The Associated Press, as reported by the Deseret News. He said the frustration extends beyond schools to institutions broadly.
Utah superintendent responds
Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction Molly Hart said in a statement Tuesday, Sept. 8, that the national data underscores a reality: trust in education must be continuously earned.
Hart said Utah education leaders need to address the poll's concerns about critical thinking and workforce alignment. She outlined three priorities for the Utah State Board of Education (USBE): equipping teachers to help students use AI and emerging technology ethically, building standards that emphasize critical thinking over rote memorization, and expanding career and technical education (CTE) pathways through industry partnerships.
Hart added that confidence in education is rebuilt locally by supporting teachers, partnering with families and focusing on student outcomes.
What it means for Canyons families
One example of the career-pathway work Hart described is already taking shape locally. The district is converting the former eBay regional headquarters in Draper into the Canyons Innovation Center, a CTE facility expected to open in fall 2027. It will replace the current CTEC campus in Sandy.
USBE awarded Canyons the $17.2 million Catalyst Center Implementation Grant to fund the project, according to the Cottonwood Heights Journal. The center can serve up to 3,000 students. Officials anticipate 1,800 will participate in its first year while still attending their home high schools, including Brighton High in Cottonwood Heights.
Programs include certified nursing assistant, cybersecurity, cosmetology, animation, culinary arts, engineering and manufacturing. A 25-member advisory committee representing healthcare, aerospace, defense and technology is guiding the curriculum. CTEC also launched its first AI concurrent enrollment course in 2026 through a partnership with Utah Valley University.
What's ahead
A separate Gallup online survey in August found respondents gave low marks for critical-thinking and problem-solving instruction, even as they were more positive about schools' technology adaptation and college preparation.
Canyons families can attend the Innovation Center Open House on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2027, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Canyons board meeting summary. The application window opens Friday, Jan. 8, 2027. USBE must deliver a model technology-use policy for school districts by Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, under Utah Senate Bill 88. Canyons plans to adopt its own balanced technology policy before Thursday, July 1, 2027, with updates going to families through ParentSquare.
