School board members — for years — have ignored the need to close schools and instead raised property taxes to cover their spending deficits, a damning audit says.
, expensive new housing in the city that’s pushing low-income families out, and the opening of several charter schools.
Now, all 27 elementary schools in the district have seen a dip in enrollment. And every one is operating below capacity. Bennion, in particular, remains the lowest, at 25% utilization. In 2019, when it was first considered for closure, it was at 36%. In fact, the district is spending $5 million a year just on utilities, according to the audit. That puts Salt Lake City “closer to that of school districts with more schools and more students.”— but that costs a lot upfront, the audit noted, before money is saved down the road.
The district could also consolidate on support staff, including lunch workers. Auditors believe that would also allow the district to raise the pay for those who remain to more equitable levels. It has the highest percentage of students with special needs of any district in the state. And it’s the third highest for percentage of those learning English, such as refugees. It also sits in the top ten for students who are economically disadvantaged.
Larger schools also have more opportunities, the audit said, for extra programs, such as dual language immersion.
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