From Deseret News archives:
New school district ahead?
Lehi legislator, teacher clears 2 hurdles in quest
That's OK with him. He's surprised he got over the first two hurdles.
First, the state legislator worked for three years to pass a new law that created a way to split school districts. Then, based on that law, he needed 1,122 residents living in Lehi, Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain a number equal to 15 percent of people from those cities who voted in the 2000 gubernatorial election to sign a petition saying they wanted to split off from the Alpine School District.
The effort rounded up 1,602 signatures, and 1,208 were certified by the county elections office, said Kris Swensen, election coordinator.
Now Cox, a fifth-grade teacher at Sego Lily Elementary in the Alpine district, will submit a proposal this morning to the Utah County Commission that, by law, it must accept: Form a committee to study the feasibility of a split.
Today's county commission decision is a formality. Cox won't even attend the meeting because he needs to be in class. Representatives will hand over his proposal, patterned after the Declaration of Independence.
Cox argues that research shows school districts fare better when they are smaller.
"Smaller school districts have produced significantly better student outcomes, with lower per-pupil expenditures nationwide," he said. "They are more likely to unite local residents with their neighborhood schools. This improves the district, which raises community pride, and even real estate values. Citizens in community districts are more likely to support bond issues, etc., because they are for their own community."
Alpine officials welcome the feasibility study.
"We believe we're cost-efficient," district spokeswoman Jerrilyn Mortensen said. "For districts larger than 20,000 students, we're ranked fourth in the nation in efficiency of dollar use. There isn't a district in the state of Utah in the range of 8,000 to 12,000 like the one Mr. Cox is proposing that doesn't have a higher operating cost per pupil than we do."
Alpine superintendent Vern Henshaw hopes the study answers a vast range of questions.
Comments
- King Kong figurine sold in UK 1:01 p.m.
- Turkey tips from experts 12:59 p.m.
- 6.8-magnitude quake rattles Tonga 12:57 p.m.
- Police increase presence at Skyline 12:40 p.m.
- Shuttle, crews ready departure 12:37 p.m.
- CPSC: Swift action after crib recall 12:36 p.m.
- Pujols wins 2nd straight NL MVP 12:33 p.m.
- Stocks retreat on reports 12:17 p.m.
- Americans gloomy as holidays begin 12:16 p.m.
- Reports signal modest rebound 12:14 p.m.
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- Utah, BYU are top choices for bowls
- BYU's Lamb, Jorgensen reprimanded
- BYU would like friendlier rivalry
- Best prep football games of 2009
- KSL: Prostitution in Utah County
- Man trapped in own body for 23 yrs
- Kirilenko climbing blocks list
- 'Dancing' will fill out finale
- Fans greet returning Real Salt Lake
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
220 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
201 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
153 - BYU would like friendlier rivalry
152 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
136 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
134 - BYU records with win
132 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
103
We visited the Reagan Presidential Library this past spring in California,and...
They had tough games, but all the talk of an all Region 4 final and possibly...
Re: Too Close for Comfort The park & ride lots / busing Paul Gilbert...
Drugs are killing our society. The porn industry is making a killing feeding...
Human's controlling the Earth's atmosphere is laughable and a left energy...
On my first post above I misstated that the committee were appointed for...
You've never bought tickets through TicketMaster, have you? $10.00...
@Miles You said... "If CJ is playing defense on an outside player, he is...
Of course the percentages are up. Any time you disagree with the gay...
This sad. It will also be sad when the DN reports how mnay LDS people were...




You can be the first to comment on this story.