Salt Lake Metropolis Faculty District could nix concept for brand new west-side highschool after land search

SALT LAKE CITY — It seems a brand new highschool is probably not on the horizon for Salt Lake Metropolis’s west facet after a examine offered to the Salt Lake Metropolis Faculty District board on Tuesday shed doubt on the likelihood.

The outcomes of the feasibility examine spotlight a projected decline in pupil enrollment over the subsequent decade and the challenges of securing loads massive sufficient for a brand new highschool on the west facet.

Salt Lake Metropolis Faculty District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant has “heard from group members about the opportunity of constructing a complete highschool west of I-15,” the college district mentioned in a report following the assembly.

“She needs them to know that the district has heard them and understands their considerations, however proper now we do not see a approach ahead on this subject. Nevertheless, the considerations she has heard will spur the district to have a look at the adjustments we are able to make in our faculties to verify all college students, regardless of the place they dwell in our district, really feel welcome and are profitable,” the district mentioned on its web site.

The district has three excessive faculties — East Excessive Faculty, West Excessive Faculty and Highland Excessive Faculty — all positioned on the east facet of I-15.

Declining enrollment

About 47% of in-district Okay-12 college students dwell west of I-15. Moreover, a geographic distribution within the report exhibits a number of areas west of I-15 had the very best ranges of enrollment density, particularly within the neighborhoods between I-15 and I-215, close to the airport and in west Salt Lake Metropolis.

The report exhibits the district’s school-age inhabitants of kids age 5 to 17 dropped from 15% in 2010 to 12% in 2023. The common inhabitants per family declined by 6% since 2010, making it roughly 2.34 folks per family, and it’s projected to drop to 2.28 by 2034.

Statewide, faculties have been experiencing record-low enrollment charges. Salt Lake Metropolis Faculty District’s enrollment has declined nearly 18.5% over the previous eight years.

Regardless of extra housing being constructed, the inhabitants has solely grown about half a p.c within the final 5 years. The report additionally mentioned the brand new development is principally residences or similar-type housing that is not designed or marketed to households, so the affect on future enrollment is anticipated to be minimal.

Enrollment for center college boundary areas is projected to say no by about 80 college students over the subsequent 10 years, and highschool space enrollment is estimated to say no by 700 college students, based on the report.

If the district’s enrollment-to-population ratio continues to fall over the subsequent decade, the district anticipates in-district pupil enrollment within the 2033/2034 college 12 months might be abut 16% lower than this 12 months’s enrollment. The report’s evaluation exhibits a majority of subsections within the district have skilled loss in enrollment and are projected to lower extra.

Problem find property to construct

Dialogue with directors and athletic administrators held through the feasibility examine revolved round bettering proximity to colleges for college kids, the affect of decrease common pupil enrollment and the way to make sure all college students have entry to actions and sports activities, based on the report. The dialogue ended with questions on how one can make a faculty that meets college students’ wants for achievement, if decrease enrollment means fewer packages, and the place a faculty may presumably be constructed.

The district mentioned it could want loads with 30 acres for a brand new college. Properties the district owns west of the freeway embrace varied faculties, with the 2 largest heaps being Newman Elementary Faculty at 17.69 acres and the property of Glendale Center Faculty and Mountain View Elementary Faculty totaling 23.37 acres.

The district additionally regarded into properties adjoining to Riley Elementary Faculty and Backman Elementary Faculty as potential areas. The district mentioned all potential properties exist in reasonably priced housing neighborhoods, which suggests growth would require buying non-public properties, and infrastructure may add massive obstacles.

The district’s govt director of auxiliary companies “sought a plot of about 30 acres, sufficient land to deal with a highschool, its parking heaps, athletic fields, and different wants. He talked with metropolis, county, and state planners and leaders. Nevertheless, out there land isn’t large enough, has already been developed, or will quickly be used for an additional objective,” the district added on its web site.