Growth wave is buffeting schools

Some areas grew by 10 percent and required an elementary school boundary change, new hires, emergency portable classrooms and changes in school start times for lack of busing and qualified drivers to handle the influx, Topham said.

"What it means to us . . . is, we'll be building, in some years, three new school buildings a year in the foreseeable future," Topham said.

Voters last month approved a $99 million bond to build eight schools and expand another in growing areas.

"We're stretched . . . but it's been really good to see schools work together to deal with this issue," Topham said. "From my perspective, it's been positive."

Jordan took in 955 new students, a 1.3 percent growth rate. Nebo grew by 987 (4.1 percent); Tooele by 531 (5.1 percent) and Davis by 581 (1 percent).

Just under half of Utah's 40 school districts lost enrollment, from one student in Wayne District to 504, or a 0.7 percent decrease, in Granite, which used to be the state's largest district.

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