These Grizzlies are anything but average bears! Granite Elementary has once again landed among Utah’s “Best Elementary Schools,” according to the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings.
In all, 22 Canyons School District elementary schools and six middle schools landed among the state’s top 40 percent in the magazine’s 2026 rankings — earning them a right to display celebratory badges on their websites.
Just to be named in the rankings is no small feat, considering there are nearly 600 elementary schools and 200 middle and junior high schools in Utah. The K-8 rankings come on the heels of U.S. News recognizing four of Canyons District’s traditional high schools with the “Best in Utah” status.
U.S. News bases its rankings on state test scores, specifically the share of students who were proficient or above proficient in math and reading. Half of each school’s score takes test scores at face value, while the other half weights them according to the school’s socioeconomic demographics.
In rating schools, the report weighs six factors:
- College Readiness – 30 percent
- State Assessment Proficiency – 20 percent
- State Assessment Proficiency – 20 percent
- Underserved Student Performance – 10 percent
- College Curriculum Breadth – 10 percent
- Graduation Rate – 10 percent
“In other words,” as explained in the methodology, “the top-ranked schools are all high-achieving and have succeeded at educating all their students.”
“Seeing so many of our schools recognized among the top-performing schools in Utah is a testament to our districtwide commitment to academic excellence and student success,” says CSD Superintendent Dr. McKay Robinson. “Being honored across all grade levels demonstrates the strength of the we build for our students from kindergarten through graduation. I want to thank our Board, educators and leaders for their unwavering standards and our parents and students for their incredible dedication.”