Salt Lake School District to release list of schools facing closure
Jul 11, 2023, 2:08 PM | Updated: 5:19 pm
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City School District meets Tuesday night and may release the list of elementary schools that could be closed.
Over the last eight years, the Salt Lake City School District has seen an almost 30% drop in student enrollment.
“Over that same time period we still have the same number of schools,” said Yandary Chatwin spokesperson for Salt Lake City School District. “And that has an impact on the quality of education we can deliver.”
For months now, a committee has been studying enrollment and boundaries of elementary schools – and meeting with the community.
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The committee will offer its recommendations on which schools should close Tuesday evening.
“And the recommendation will be to further study these schools for possible closure or boundary change,” Chatwin said.
Parents will still be able to comment.
The move comes as a legislative audit revealed the district used 57% of the available space in its elementary schools and spent $15,000 to educate students – well above the state average of $12,000.
Some parents worry the process won’t factor in special programs a school offers and their child may lose out on that learning. But Chatwin said the committee looks at those considerations.
She encourages the public to speak up and be part of the process.
“They can study data all day long until we know how, but until we know how a particular decision may impact you and your neighborhood, the board won’t have the full breath of what they need to make that decision,” Chatwin said. “In one of the committee meetings, I remember there was a gentleman when he said that his neighborhood for learning, but it was the only green space in that neighborhood. That’s the sort of thing that the board won’t know unless the public shares that with them.”
The board may make a final vote in December or January.
Last December the Granite School District Board of Education voted to close Millcreek, Twin Peaks, and Spring Lane elementary schools.
A committee conducted a study with the goal of creating elementary schools with an optimal enrollment of at least three teachers per grade level to “best serve our students and families.”
It originally had three closure options, but ultimately decided the best option would be to close Millcreek, Twin Peaks, and Spring Lane Elementary.
The Salt Lake District will let parents know when it will hold future meetings where they can weigh in.
Tuesday’s virtual meeting starts at 5 p.m.
You can watch it live here or on the KSL Facebook page.
