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H.B. 22
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SCHOOL DISTRICT SIZE
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2000 GENERAL SESSION
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STATE OF UTAH
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Sponsor: David N. Cox
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AN ACT RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; REQUIRING THE STATE BOARD OF
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EDUCATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY AND MAKE A REPORT ON WHETHER THERE
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SHOULD BE AN OPTIMUM SIZE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS BASED ON STUDENT
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POPULATION.
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This act enacts uncodified material.
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. School district size study -- Report.
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(1) The State Board of Education shall conduct a study during the year 2000 interim to
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determine:
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(a) if there should be an optimum size for school districts within the state's public
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education system, based upon student population;
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(b) whether smaller school districts, in terms of student population, would better promote
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the mission and maintain the characteristics of the state's public education system detailed in
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Sections
53A-1a-103
and
53A-1a-104
; and
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(c) whether a ceiling or range on the size of school districts, in terms of student population,
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should be established in statute.
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(2) The board shall include consideration of the following issues in its study:
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(a) the benefits to students and their parents associated with having smaller school
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districts;
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(b) economies of scale in terms of administrative and support costs associated with having
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smaller districts and how those costs if increased by having smaller districts could be mitigated;
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(c) the acquisition, transfer, construction, and maintenance of capital facilities associated
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with creating smaller school districts; and
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(d) the process by which:
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(i) larger districts could be divided into smaller districts; and
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(ii) new districts would be created as the state's student population continues to grow.
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(3) In conducting its study, the board shall seek input from:
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(a) local school boards and local school superintendents;
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(b) public school administrators, educators, and classified personnel;
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(c) higher education personnel from the state's colleges of education;
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(d) students and parents of students;
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(e) the business community; and
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(f) the general public.
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(4) (a) The board may establish a task force or use a subcommittee of the board to facilitate
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the study.
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(b) The board shall make a report of its findings, together with any recommendations for
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proposed legislation, to the Education Interim Committee and the Strategic Planning for Public and
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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.