OREM — Building a strong economy may be incoming Utah Gov. Gary Herbert's No. 1 priority, but education is like unto it.

Herbert told a combined group of State Board of Education and Board of Regents members, who met on Thursday at Utah Valley University, that education, as a gateway to building a strong economy in the Beehive State, is "my top priority."

"We cannot have sustainable economic growth or be competitive in the global marketplace if we don't have that educational component in place," he said, adding that Utah has unique challenges but also unique advantages.

"Our best days are ahead of us," Herbert said.

During his administration, Herbert said he plans to "raise the bar" for education, perhaps including higher standards for high school graduation, which could then pave the way for a more seamless transition to higher education.

The soon-to-be leader of the state emphasized that educational responsibility lies with the parents and families of students, who must foster a learning environment in all of Utah's homes, regardless of ethnicity or income level. He said his administration aims to make education a priority for everyone.

According to Herbert, nearly 75 percent of Utahns currently filing for unemployment are people who have obtained a high school diploma as their highest academic achievement, while 13 percent hold college degrees.

"One of the practical aspects of education is that you can support your family," said Herbert, who hopes to emphasize better relationships between education leaders and government officials.

State leaders in education encouraged Herbert to muster up the political will to ask people to do harder things and take on more difficult tasks in order to help the state succeed.

"There's never been a bigger connection between income and how much you can make depending on education levels of completion," said Regent Robert Marquardt, adding that the only way to markedly increase family incomes is to complete post-secondary education.

Herbert acknowledged that the economic recession has made things hard for everyone, but the only way to balance declining revenues along with increasing costs is to "either grow the economy, raise taxes or cut programs," he said.

"We need to avoid chaos if we can," Herbert said. "It sometimes means a sacrifice of our own territorial interests, offering a compromise for the greater good."

e-mail: wleonard@desnews.com