The analysis shows Virginia-born children are the best off in the country, as they're most likely to have educated parents making good money, graduate from high school and pursue college. Other high-ranking states include Connecticut, Minnesota and New Jersey. The lowest-ranking states are Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Arizona, Louisiana and New Mexico.

Utah's parent educational level, employment and English language skills, and students' scores on fourth-grade reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress and high school graduation rate are above national averages, for example. But the state is below average for adults earning more than the national median wage and the percentage of adults working full-time — things Peterson says are out of the education department's control.

On the other end of the education spectrum, the report shows Utah with a not-so-good showing on linking public to higher education.

Utah lacks a definition of college readiness, doesn't require students to take college-prep classes in high school and doesn't align high school requirements with the college system. Student performance on the state's high school exam, the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test, isn't used for college admission, placement or scholarships.

Utah also is slightly below the national average in the percentage of ninth-graders expected to finish high school in four years and head straight to college, and of students getting past the first year of college. Wages for college graduates here also aren't as high as they are elsewhere — they'll make less than $20,000 more than a high school graduate, whereas 32 other states offer higher earnings.

Those rankings come as no surprise to Utah Higher Education Commissioner Rich Kendell, who has been beating the drum of "preparation, participation and completion" for more than a year. A statewide campaign to attract attention to the holes in higher education and a K-16 alliance of public and higher education leaders have already started tackling some of those weak spots, he said.

While the report indicates Utah higher education is falling short, Kendell said the problems start much earlier. Many students are showing up at college doors unprepared, he said, and are more likely to never make it to a degree.

"I'm not criticizing public education, but there are not enough young people who are choosing to get prepared," he said. "Too many kids are hanging back. We do not have robust enrollments."

Measures to up the number of math and science classes students take before college and an effort to more closely align high school graduation requirements with college standards are among the programs the K-16 alliance is reviewing.

Overall, Utah got two of the 15 indicators the magazine was looking for, but no state had more than 12, Peterson notes.