Summary:
ZIP code 84118 has three middle schools serving the Kearns and Taylorsville area: Bennion Junior High for grades 6–9, plus Thomas Jefferson Junior High and Kearns Junior High for grades 6–8. All three are part of Granite District and together enroll about 2,669 students. Bennion is the largest, with 1,022 students, followed by Thomas Jefferson with 915 and Kearns with 732.
Bennion Junior High is the strongest overall choice based on the latest available academic and attendance measures. Its average proficiency across grades 6–8 was about 36.6%, compared with 25.6% at Thomas Jefferson Junior High and 22.9% at Kearns Junior High. Bennion led the other schools in nearly every subject and grade, performed above district results in eight of nine comparisons, and had the highest statewide ranking. Its strongest areas were science and 8th grade, while mathematics was its weakest subject. Thomas Jefferson generally ranked between the other two schools, with its best result in 8th-grade science. Kearns had the lowest academic results, although it reported the lowest student-teacher ratio.
Mathematics is the clearest shared challenge: average proficiency was 29.1% at Bennion, 18.9% at Thomas Jefferson, and 15.0% at Kearns. Across the three schools, 8th grade was generally the strongest tested grade, while 7th-grade science was a recurring weak spot. Attendance also separates the schools: chronic absenteeism was 23.7% at Bennion, 26.4% at Thomas Jefferson, and 30.0% at Kearns. Kearns also serves the highest proportion of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, so families should consider student needs and school context when comparing results. Overall, Bennion stands out for consistent performance, Thomas Jefferson occupies the middle position, and Kearns may warrant the closest attention to attendance and academic support.
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