K-12 Initiatives 
The K-12 Initiatives spoke focuses on a variety of strategies, efforts, and programs that will better prepare Utah girls and young women to successfully complete high school, transition to college, and become healthy, positive, and contributing members of society. Initiatives may focus on improving confidence and resilience, increasing aspirations to attend and complete college, raising interest in nontraditional fields, and boosting math scores by eighth grade. With the newly released CDC data, initiatives could also focus on strengthening mental health more broadly through decreasing rates of sexual violence among youth, partnering with other entities to reduce suicide ideation, and other critical elements. Raising aspirations among girls and young women to become leaders is also crucial to positive outcomes as well. To learn more, check out the resource box below.
Deanie Wimmer
Community Leader, TV Anchor
Instagram Profile
Deanie Wimmer anchors the 6:00, 6:30, and 10:00pm news on KSL-TV and covers education issues. She is passionate about helping all Utahns reach their potential through education.
Mindy Layton
K-12 Educator, USBE
LinkedIn Profile
Mindy L. Layton, Ed.D, is a 4th generation Utah Educator currently serving as a Multilingual Learner Academic Coach. She has a passion for creating access and opportunity for students and their families here in Utah. 
Sara Jones
Director, Gov. Relations, UEA
LinkedIn Profile
Sara Jones, Ph.D. is the Director of Government Relations at the Utah Education Association where she has worked to advocate for effective education policy with the Utah legislature, the Utah Governor’s office, and the Utah State Board of Education. 
Bold Vision & Goals
To make Utah a place where more girls and women can thrive, the K-12 Initiatives spoke leaders and partners have crafted the vision and goals below.
Vision: Provide access and opportunities for all Utah girls and young women to successfully complete high school, be college and career ready, and become healthy, positive, and contributing members of society.
Goals:
- Increase high school graduation to at least 95% (currently 88%), college and career ready, in high schools across Utah, with a focus on girls and underrepresented groups (in collaboration with the Higher Education Attainment Spoke). [Metric Dashboard]
- Increase the percentage of all Utah students with proficient math skills, with a focus on girls and other underrepresented groups.
- Close any significant achievement gaps between boys and girls as measured by Acadience Math in grades K through 3. [Metric Dashboard]
- Close any significant achievement gaps between boys and girls as measured by RISE Math tests in grades 3 through 8. [Metric Dashboard]
- Close any significant achievement gaps [between boys and girls as measured by NAEP Math 8 tests. [Metric Dashboard]
- Change Utahns’ agreement (understanding and perceptions) in the following areas: [Metric Dashboard]
- It is important for girls in K-12 to have strong math skills for their future career and life. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
- It is important for girls to complete Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways in high school. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
- It is as important for girls as it is for boys to take advanced coursework in high school that prepares students for postsecondary opportunities and careers. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
- It is concerning that The Nation’s Report Card math scores for 4th and 8th grade in Utah are lower for girls than they are for boys. [Increase agreement by 5% by 2026 and 10% by 2030]
Note: Parent and family engagement strategies are woven into each goal.
Thriving Statement: Women and girls thrive when they have the access and opportunity to successfully complete high school and be college and career ready.
- What Utahns Need to Know
- Informational Video
- Spoke Introduction Podcast
- Living Room Conversation Guide
- K-12 Initiatives Instagram
- Math Matters Campaign Submission Form
Partners
Working Group Leaders
- Early Numeracy: Kelly Noorda (Lead Network Director, Promise Partnership) & Emily Carr (Network Director, Promise Partnership)
- Family Engagement: Angelee Aedo (Family Life Commissioner, Utah PTA) & Susie Estrada (Student Support Parent and Family Engagement Specialist, Utah State Board of Education)
- Graduation: Amy Ahrens Terpstra (Chief Impact Officer, Promise Partnership) & Promise Partnership Team
- Secondary Math: Cindy Nagasawa-Cruz (Education & Workforce Development Enthusiast)
- Understanding Perceptions: Katie Garrett (Associate Director of Media Services, Utah Education Network) & Brooke Anderson (Data Scientist, Jordan School District)
What You Can Do
Talk to at least 5 people per month in your area to raise awareness that girls can and should do well in math. Dispel the myths among all stakeholders and share ways that girls are getting the message that they are not good at math.
Reach out to local and state K-12 leaders to share information about A Bolder Way Forward. Invite school board members, school administrators, educators, PTA members, and others to join county coalitions and statewide working groups.
Encourage school administrators and other local and state organizations to implement reputable mentorship programs for high school students to increase graduation rates. Share a good example, such as the Roy Cone Project implemented at Roy High School.
Get Engaged: Ways to get engaged include joining a working group that focuses on a variety of areas related to girls, young women, and education; creating school and community partnerships by sharing educational resources and opportunities across organizations; volunteering at your local school and participating in school and district events; and engaging in school and district policy by providing public feedback, serving on community councils, attending school board meetings, etc. Thank you for your interest!
Laney Benedict
Spoke Coordinator
LinkedIn Profile
laneysconnection@gmail.com