The Granite School District is hitting pause on plans to close two elementary schools, after board members said they needed more time and an “independent study” to better inform their decision.
The move capped months of conflict between district officials and families determined to save their schools.
“My community is tired,” Julie Jackson, one of the board members, before Tuesday’s unanimous vote to “indefinitely suspend” any school closure considerations. ”And if we are going to spend our time continuing to engage on this, we want our time effectively and efficiently spent.”
The schools targeted for closure were Eastwood Elementary in Millcreek and Morningside Elementary in Holladay. District officials recommended the schools in September, after an internal population study showed declining enrollment in both.
Had the board moved forward with the proposal, Eastwood would have shuttered entirely, and its students sent to Oakridge Elementary, a few miles south.
Morningside would have closed to traditional students, but its two specialized programs would have continued in the building, according to the district’s website. The school hosts a K-5 French dual language program and a gifted program that the district refers to as an “Advanced Learning Center.”
On Tuesday, however, board members agreed that the approaching December deadline for a final decision was too soon and that a more comprehensive independent study was needed.
“This is the wrong time to be closing schools,” Nicole McDermott, the board’s president, said. “It’s so hard to decide what to do for schools that is right by kids. And right now, we feel like our kids are getting a quality education.”
Shortly after the decision, district officials sent an email to parents and students.
“There will be no school closures, programmatic changes, or boundary adjustments for the foreseeable future,” the email read.
It noted the decision was influenced by several factors, including “perceptions that our process is biased and unfair,” community distrust in the process and concerns that the “limitations of the current recommendations that do not address the comprehensive needs and nuances of this study.”
Board warns: Eastwood and Morningside could still face future closure
Sighs of relief echoed through the boardroom, but board members quickly reminded attendees that declining enrollment in Granite School District remained a pressing reality.
“The facts are, we are an aging district,” McDermott said. “We are declining enrollment. These issues are not going to go away.”
It’s unclear when the district will be able to commission the independent study, board members said, warning that such a study could result in more schools shutting down.
“We cannot lose sight of the reality of the situation that we are in,” said Clarke Nelson, another board member. “We have to direct the process to get to the greatest common good. And that has a reality to it that will be painful, at some point, for certain schools, for certain neighborhoods, that I don’t see going away in the near future.”
The Granite School District, which serves much of northern Salt Lake County, began studying the populations of its 10 easternmost elementary schools in February, looking at enrollment drops and other shifting demographics.
All sit within “Area 5” of the district’s current boundaries — neighborhoods roughly beyond 1300 East, including portions of Emigration Canyon.
The study was spearheaded by the district’s Population Analysis Committee, which handles annual school-boundary reviews and gathers community feedback.
Board members Tuesday commended the committee’s work but said they still needed a “full picture,” especially regarding best practices when it comes to specialized programs.
“I want to be clear about my expectations of this study,” Jackson said. ”I expect a thorough Community Engagement Plan, but one that is completely different from what we’ve done in this study. … I expect a full report with data to back up recommendations. I expect board and district leaders to be completely distant from the process."
It’s unclear whether the study will focus on “Area 5” schools or the entire district. For now, though, Eastwood and Morningside families can rest easy.