Voters must decide whether huge Alpine school district should be split – Deseret News

With Election Day 2024 just a couple of weeks away and mail-in ballots already distributed, Utahns are making the final decisions on how they will use their vote.

While federal elections such as the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and, of course, the U.S. Presidential election are covered every minute, voters in several northern Utah County communities are also being asked to decide on the creation of a new school district. .

Proposition 11 asks voters in these communities to answer the question “Yes” or “No”: “Shall a new school district be created out of the Alpine School District that would include the boundaries of the cities of Lehi, American Fork, Highland, Alpine, Cedar Hills, the portion of Draper located in Utah County and parts of unincorporated Utah County?

This is a historic decision. The Alpine School District was formed more than a century ago and today serves more than 84,000 students—the largest in the state.

Ahead of the Nov. 5 general election, the Utah County Elections Department recently sent out a voter information pamphlet to communities likely to be affected in the Alpine School District.

The informational brochure included arguments for and against Proposition 11, the creation of a new school district that would change the district. Arguments on both sides were articulated by various elected leaders, local educators and local residents.

Here are some highlights included in the voter information guide:

Highlights of “The Case for Proposition 11”

Tax savings and financial stability

“Creating a new district provides significant tax savings compared to remaining in the Alpine School District,” states the brochure’s pro argument.

“With spending shortfalls outside our region, staying together could result in higher taxes, project delays, school closures, service cuts and financial strain on employees.”

Adaptive View

The authors of the arguments in favor wrote that creating a new district is “critical” to meeting the needs of affected communities.

“The sheer size of the Alpine School District and its varying stages of growth make it difficult to align educational priorities, as evidenced by the failure of the 2022 bond. Our district currently has just two board members, each representing more than 56,000 residents. A yes vote will expand our region’s representation to seven members, ensuring decisions are made by leaders who understand and prioritize our schools.”

Balanced resources and support for teachers

According to the pro argument included in the voter information pamphlet, the new district that would be created if Proposition 11 passes would have 35,000 registered students.

“Our new district will be the sixth largest in Utah and will benefit from economies of scale and offer customized solutions. Similar-sized districts in Utah already have smaller class sizes compared to ASD, which has the second-highest student-teacher ratio in the state. Targeted support will improve student achievement by attracting and retaining top-level teachers with the best resources and leadership opportunities.”

Highlights of the “Argument Against Proposition 11”

Dividing the district means higher taxes and lower services.

“Dividing the Alpine School District may seem feasible, but it is detrimental to students, teachers and the community. A financially burdensome, academically risky, and destructive split would needlessly dismantle one of Utah’s most successful districts.”

Financial burden

“Dividing the Alpine School District will be costly. Education funding in Utah is already insufficient, and whether the district remains intact or splits, costs will rise. Keeping the district intact would allow the 14 cities to share these costs rather than burdening 2-3 smaller schools.

Academic risks

“The division of the district also creates academic risks. The district’s strong performance is largely due to pooling money and resources to create innovative solutions that improve student learning. They may be at risk. Student success may also be at risk as new school boards undermine long-standing educational initiatives aligned with the ASD Vision for Learning.

Community Partnership

“A larger group of communities working together are better prepared to withstand changing demographics and inevitable economic fluctuations.”

Rebutting Arguments

The voter information pamphlet regarding Proposition 11 also included rebuttals to the Pros and Cons arguments included in the pamphlet.

“A vote for Proposition 11 is a vote to split the Alpine School District into three parts,” noted “Rebutting the Argument for Proposition 11.” “This option is the most expensive for taxpayers, the most disruptive to student learning, the most harmful to vulnerable populations, and the least desirable by voters.”

Keeping the Alpine School District united, according to “Rebutting the Argument for Proposition 11,” is the best choice for Utah County’s impacted communities.

“As a large, multi-community district, Alpine School District has proven it can handle challenges ranging from economic changes to political and academic pressures. … There is no academic or financial benefit to the separation at this time.”

Meanwhile, the pamphlet, “Rebutting the Argument Against Proposition 11,” says arguments against separation “are based on fears and assumptions while ignoring the financial and academic challenges our communities face by remaining in the Alpine School District.”

The claim that larger districts save money is “misleading,” the “Rebutting the Argument Against Proposition 11” argues.

“In fact, when districts get too large, inefficiency increases. The Alpine School District does not have the lowest administrative costs in Utah; nine other districts spend less per student. Spreading resources across 14 cities forces us to pay more for fewer benefits.”

“Arguments for Proposition 11,” as well as rebuttals to the arguments against, were presented by Lehi City Councilwoman Heather Newall, American Fork City Councilmember Clark Taylor, Highland City Mayor Kurt Ostler, Cedar Hills Mayor Denise Andersen and the Alpine School District. Board of Education Member Stacy Bateman.

The “Argument Against Proposition 11” pamphlet and rebuttals to the arguments in favor were presented by Kate Ross, a Lehi resident and principal of Oak Canyon High School in the Alpine School District; Sam Beeson, American Fork resident and American Fork High School teacher; Reed Hodson, Highland resident and former principal of Highland Elementary School; Joseph Jensen, American Fork resident and director of administrative development for the school district; and Kevin Thomas, a Cedar Hills resident and the school district’s human resources director.