Smaller Schools and Districts

Author: Seth Cox

  • David N. Cox – Teacher, Legislator, Statesman

    David N. Cox – Teacher, Legislator, Statesman

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    Seth Cox

    My dad was into splitting the district before it was cool. 😎 I say that in jest, but with the recent news that several communities are going to be studying ballot initiatives to split Alpine School District into 2 or 3 new districts, I would like to take a moment to reflect on how we…

  • ASD Board Meeting 4/30/2024

    ASD Board Meeting 4/30/2024

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    Seth Cox

    Alpine School District had a special meeting early today. Here are my notes as the meeting proceeded: District administrative staff predictably recommended staying together. This is not surprising. The district will never support a split. Board member Lincoln expressed excellent thoughts about how ASD has not been able to keep up with growth over the…

  • Interlocal Agreements Created

    Interlocal Agreements Created

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    Seth Cox

    The Daily Herald reported today that several cities are taking steps to potentially put a district split question to voters. Essentially, this would be Option 4 from the ASD/MGT presentation. Key takeaways:

  • ASD MGT Study Final Slides

    ASD MGT Study Final Slides

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    Seth Cox

    After reviewing the slides of the MGT report, here are some thoughts to consider: Overall, the MGT study has been a major disappointment. It misleadingly compared a $200 million bond in Option 1 with a $600 million bond in Option 4, making it appear much more financially beneficial to stay as one district. The survey…

  • Big District = Big Admin Costs

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    Seth Cox

    One of the common arguments for proponents of large districts is that if you split, you have to double the administration. While there certainly would be a duplication of certain positions, not all positions would have to be copied to smaller districts, and certainly not at the same pay scale. The Lehi Free Press recently…

  • Alpine School District published MGT report

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    Seth Cox

     Alpine School District has uploaded the MGT report online for the public to view and has requested feedback in the form of a survey link. The division would be made according to state law. Key points and takeaways: ASD currently has 92 schools: 60 elementary, 15 middle/junior highs, 10 high schools, & 7 special program…

  • Legislature Updates District Division Process

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    Seth Cox

     The Lehi Free Press reported that the Utah Legislature has updated the process for a district division. Key points in the article: “The bill requires a feasibility study, public notice and public comment with at least two open houses. If a new district(s) is passed, the formation of new school district boards, asset allocation, and…

  • Alpine School District Reconfiguration

    Alpine School District Reconfiguration

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    Seth Cox

     The Alpine School District Board has begun a study to explore possible reconfigurations. Here are some of the latest articles about this effort: MGT and the school district board have presented six options: It is the opinion of SmallerSchools.org that the best option on the table for all communities would be Option 4. This would…