School-district splits debated

DRAPER — As three east-side cities agreed Tuesday night to move forward with a split from Jordan School District, a handful of state legislators were furiously working on a bill that would allow students in Draper's Suncrest neighborhood to continue attending schools in Utah County.

The unanimous votes in Cottonwood Heights and Midvale, and the 4-1 vote in Draper, were significant steps toward a possible November ballot item. If Alta, Sandy and Salt Lake County also give the green light to a southeast valley school district, the issue will go before voters on Election Day.

Out of all the cities debating the Jordan split, Draper has experienced the most resistance from residents.

"My fear is if we delay this any more, it will unfortunately give an opportunity for those who don't want to see this go forward to get another bite of the apple and kill this in the legislative session," said Draper Councilman Jeff Stenquist, who voted in favor of the split. "Ultimately, the decision we're making tonight is to let the citizens vote on this."

But Councilman Bill Colbert, a State School Board member, said cities should wait on such a dramatic split until legislation can be cleaned up.

"I don't see any change for Draper residents if we go forward with this. I don't see any new schools," he said, adding Draper will continue to have a small voice in a new district. "If this goes on the ballot, the communities at large will decide the outcome. And Draper has a population base around 35,000. You look at the other cities around us — Sandy, Cottonwood Heights — they'll decide that."

Draper's City Hall on Tuesday was filled with a standing-room-only crowd as dozens of concerned residents, most from Suncrest, flooded the room.

The growing mountaintop neighborhood straddles both Salt Lake and Utah counties, splitting residents into two school districts. Many on the Utah County side send their children to the Alpine School District, which is closer and provides bus service on the mountain roads.

But according to the district split law approved by the Utah Legislature this year, if a split were to occur, new school boundaries would be drawn along city lines. More than 100 Draper students go to Alpine schools — but that number could increase to 1,500 by 2012, said DeLaina Tonks, a leader of the group betterboundaries.org.

"We don't have a guarantee from one year to the next that our children can remain in the same school," Tonks said. "One of the promises being touted is year-round schools will be phased out and smaller class sizes. That won't happen if we're included."