"My gut feeling is this is not that big of a deal and is a huge red herring," Mariotti said. "If kids on the west raised $39 more, would they be going out of state? ... To me, the more significant detail is where they're going and to what event. Is the richer educational experience, and I'm being slightly facetious to make a point, going to San Diego for a cheer competition ... or driving 15 minutes to hear the Utah Symphony perform?"

Newbold said trips, which are optional, are not within his control. Communities come up with and raise funds for them, often with benefactors stepping in. And in those cases, what's the district supposed to do?

"I don't feel responsible to control how people give and whether they give or not," Newbold said. "I don't expend public dollars to send kids on trips. These are all extracurricular."

Myths may fuel district splits

The long-standing myths may fuel the movement to split the districts. In that vein, Granite's Linda Mariotti hopes the information contained in this report will better inform the public, move districts to act where needed and "quell some of the conversations that have steam without substance."

But the myths also are about equity, perceived or real. Probably every community has felt it has not been treated fairly at some point, regardless of location, Newbold said.

"Do we provide a quality education for every student in a safe, well-maintained environment? Absolutely," Jordan's Barry Newbold said.

"If defined based on programs and services, I think you would find that they are available — you have to have a certain number of kids to carry a course ... but can we help someone find that course? We absolutely can. Unless I have a neighborhood school my children can walk to and begins and ends at a time I like (for everyone) ... I don't know how to resolve those issues of inequity."

East-side cities join forces in effort to form 2 smaller school districts

Cities east of the Jordan River have joined forces in both Granite and Jordan school districts in an effort to form two new, smaller school districts.

In Jordan, Cottonwood Heights, Alta, Sandy, Draper, Midvale and some parts of unincorporated Salt Lake County together want to become their own entity. In Granite, South Salt Lake, Holladay, East Millcreek Township and Salt Lake County are considering smaller breakaway districts.

The groups have commissioned studies on the feasibility of a district split. They found a split would be tough, if not just temporarily, on the west side, particularly in Granite. That's because the east is where the tax base is and growing numbers of kids are not.