The results of a feasibility study into the possibility of an east-west split in the Granite School District contained no surprises. Dividing the district in two would help the east and hurt the west.

But this first of two such studies (this one was commissioned by leaders of Holladay, South Salt Lake and Salt Lake County and released last week) did put the split into some meaningful perspective. East-siders would end up with more taxes per student than they currently get, and they would get this without worrying about a tax increase. West-siders would have to approve huge tax increases to keep up with growth.

This is because the west side of the district comprises 75 percent of the school district's students but contributes only 47 percent of the taxes.

Perhaps the most alarming figure in the report concerns the 23 new schools the district is projected to need by 2020. All would be on the west side.

State lawmakers in recent years passed laws allowing cities to carve smaller districts out of the larger ones that now encompass many cities. The idea behind this movement is sound. Smaller districts allow parents greater input into curriculum and other aspects of public education than do larger districts. But as a practical matter, the plan could create huge problems in Salt Lake County — problems that likely would lead to inequities in the quality of education. This is particularly troubling considering the growing minority population in many west-side neighborhoods.

East-side residents are naturally concerned about decisions to close some of their schools as enrollments dwindle. But those concerns pale in comparison to the need for new school construction.

Perhaps the fairest solution would be to require all voters in the district to approve a split, not just the voters in the east-side neighborhoods that wish to break away.

A second report is expected to be released next month. That one was commissioned by cities in the Jordan District. We expect a similar result. At the least, political leaders need to find ways to make any eventual split fair for all concerned. In truth, however, there likely is no way to split east from west fairly.