Much of the focus of this election cycle has been on the areas that are voting on Prop 11 (Lehi, American Fork, Highland, Alpine, Cedar Hills, & Draper-Suncrest) and Prop 14 (Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Cedar Fort, & Fairfield). Many people in these areas are excited about the possibility of creating their own school district and retaining their local tax dollars for use in their local schools.
There are 4 cities that will not be voting this election cycle, but are still affected by the results of the propositions. Lindon, Orem, Vineyard, and Pleasant Grove (LOVPg, as some have termed it) will not be able to vote because the majority of the various city council members did not want to put it on the ballot. If both propositions pass, these cities will be reorganized into a new district in addition to the new districts created by the propositions. Even if one of the propositions pass, it would still trigger the dissolving of Alpine School District (ASD) and new districts for any remaining areas.
Taxes
Let’s make this perfectly clear: regardless of the proposition results, taxes are going to increase. Why? Because the needs of the district are too extensive. Schools need to be built in the west, while other schools need to be maintained in the east. Expenses for employees are also increasing thanks to inflation and healthcare costs. The school board or new boards are the ones who will determine how much taxes will increase and for what reasons.
The current school board has increased taxes 6 times in 10 years, including 2024. And that doesn’t include the bond of 2022 because it failed. If the propositions fail, we are looking at a new bond proposal that will likely be over $800 million. The school board may also increase the tax rate outside of a bond to address other needs.
In new school districts, each area could determine what their needs are and bond independently for them. A LOVPg bond would likely be ~$200 million to address seismic concerns at PG High and the elementaries with seismic issues. They also may need to allocate some funding for district facilities like a bus garage, district offices, etc. (We will discuss some potential options to mitigate those costs further down the page.) But the LOVPg area will not need to raise any taxes to pay for building new schools in Lehi, Eagle Mountain, or Saratoga Springs, or even rebuilding American Fork HS.
It’s also important to note that ~70% of district revenue comes from the state on a per pupil basis (WPU). All of that money would continue to follow the students in whatever district they attend. Special education and Title 1 funding from both the state and federal government are also allocated per student, so those funds will still remain.
School Closures
If one or both of the propositions fail, there will be tough decisions made about the LOVPg area. Currently ASD is studying the potential closure of 2 schools, Lindon and Windsor Elementaries. This also affects the Dual Language Immersion (DLI) and Advanced Learning Labs (ALL) programs at those schools. There have also been other proposals to move other DLI programs in these areas. These schools and programs are currently at risk in ASD.
Closing these schools will not just affect the students and families who attend, but many of the surrounding schools and their communities. Proposals to move students from Lindon to surrounding schools like Rocky Mountain or Aspen would put these schools over their capacities, and would likely necessitate trailers.
Another question that has not been addressed is just how much money was saved when the district closed Valley View and Sharon Elementaries last year. There is no permanent staff allocated to these buildings, but the district has utilized them for special functions and has to keep the power and heat on.
One thing we can be certain if ASD does not split, or only splits in two: more school closures. This is mostly because the needs of other parts of the district necessitate some sense of equality. If schools on the west side are overcrowded, how is it fair that the southeast side schools are so small?
Would a new district require us to close schools? Perhaps, but it is not certain. The difference is only board members from our areas will be making that decision. If new board members and the communities would rather keep schools open, we don’t have to appease other areas. We can even raise our taxes if we feel they are worth the investment.
Assets & Resources
What are some of the things the LOVPg area has going for it?
- Reduced District Administration
- Economies of Scale
- Strong Tax Base
- Properties
Reduced District Administration. Currently, ASD has 5 K-6 administrators and 3 secondary administrators, in addition to secretaries and other middle management positions that create overhead expenses. In a smaller district, many of these positions would not be necessary, saving the district some ongoing expenses.
Economies of Scale. ASD currently benefits from economies of scale, but so do other districts in the top 10 in Utah. A LOVPg district would be the 9th largest in the state, on par with Washington, Tooele, and Weber districts. According to multiple studies, the sweet spot for economies of scale (without additional overhead of being too big) is between 10,000 to 50,000 students. LOVPg would have 25,000 students.
Tax Base. Orem has the 2nd largest tax base in ASD (about 20%), and it grows every year. Pleasant Grove adds another stable 7%. Lindon punches above its weight, contributing the most per student of any city in the district (5% of ASD property tax revenue). Vineyard currently only contributes a small amount, but it also adds areas of growth for adding new students.
Properties. ASD currently has several surplus properties in the LOVPg area that could be repurposed for district functions. These properties include:
- Data Center (Lindon)
- Special Education Building (Lindon)
- Warehouse, purchasing, technology (Lindon)
- Valley View Elementary
- Sharon Elementary
- Land where Geneva Elementary used to be
These properties represent possibilities that could really help us as a new district. We could use one elementary for district offices. Another could be used to replace the Dan Peterson school for students with special needs. ASD used to house it’s buses in Lindon, so we could look at renovating that property or using the Geneva property for a new bus garage. We could also contract with other districts for bussing needs, if we feel that would be more cost effective.
Conclusion
Those who live in the southeast side of ASD have a lot to be excited about with a new school district. There are many possibilities and opportunities to overcome the challenges we are currently facing. Let’s encourage our neighbors in other areas to vote to create their districts so we can create one, too!
Smaller Schools and Districts 
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