H.B. 22

1

SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE
2 2000 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Sponsor: David N. Cox
5 AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE STATE BOARD OF
6 EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND MAKE A REPORT ON WHETHER THERE
7 SHOULD BE AN OPTIMUM SIZE FOR h SCHOOLS AND h SCHOOL DISTRICTS BASED ON
7a STUDENT
8 POPULATION.
9 This act enacts uncodified material.
10 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
11 Section 1. School h and school h district size study -- Report.
12 (1) The State Board of Education shall conduct a study during the year 2000 interim to
13 determine:
14 (a) if there should be an optimum size for h SCHOOLS AND h school districts within the
14a state's public
15 education system, based upon student population;
16 (b) whether smaller h OR LARGER SCHOOLS AND h school districts, in terms of student
16a population, would better promote
17 the mission and maintain the characteristics of the state's public education system detailed in
18 Sections 53A-1a-103 and 53A-1a-104 ; and
19 (c) whether a ceiling or range on the size of h SCHOOLS AND h school districts, in terms of
19a student population,
20 should be established in statute.
21 (2) The board shall include consideration of the following issues in its study:
22 (a) the benefits to students and their parents associated with having smaller h OR LARGER
22a SCHOOLS AND h school
23 districts;
24 (b) economies of scale in terms of administrative and support costs associated with having

25 smaller h SCHOOLS AND h districts and how those costs if increased by having smaller districts
25a could be mitigated;
26 (c) the acquisition, transfer, construction, and maintenance of capital facilities associated
27 with creating smaller h OR LARGER h school districts; and
27a h (d) SPACE SHARING WITH BUSINESS AND SCHOOL MODELS WITH LONG-RANGE
27b COMMUNITY NEEDS. h

28 (d) the process by which:
29 (i) larger districts could be divided into smaller districts; h [ an d]
29a (ii) SMALLER DISTRICTS CONSOLIDATED INTO LARGER DISTRICTS; AN D h
30 h [ (ii) ] (iii) h new districts would be created as the state's student population continues to
30a grow.
31 (3) In conducting its study, the board shall seek input from:
32 (a) local school boards and local school superintendents;
33 (b) public school administrators, educators, and classified personnel;
34 (c) higher education personnel from the state's colleges of education;
35 (d) students and parents of students;
36 (e) the business community; and
37 (f) the general public.
38 (4) (a) The board may establish a task force or use a subcommittee of the board to facilitate
39 the study.
40 (b) The board shall make a report of its findings, together with any recommendations for
41 proposed legislation, to the Education Interim Committee and the Strategic Planning for Public and
42 Higher Education Committee prior to November 30, 2000.




Legislative Review Note
as of 12-9-99 11:22 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel