I have taught in 5 different school districts during my teaching career, and have seen the benefits and challenges of various smaller and larger school districts along the Wasatch Front. The fact is, smaller districts tend to HEAR their teachers a lot better. The individual students are known by district officials better. Most districts in the USA (except for troubled big city school districts like LA and Chicago districts) are not the ginormous size that Alpine School District is. Studies on school district size show that the best options for teachers, students, and taxpayers is to have districts smaller than 50,000 in size. This will have the best representation, economic outcomes, and help students be able to reach the basic goals they are supposed to achieve. Because smaller means you can better minister to the one. THE MOST important ones are the students. By having local enough representation, we will better serve those students: who education is really supposed to be about.

Our six local city councils each voted unanimously to put this proposition on the ballot because they recognized it would enable much better representation on important issues, increase funding at our schools, and facilitate lower taxes. The new school district will be strong, stable and efficient, as the sixth largest in Utah and larger than 99% of districts nationally.

We’ve lost our sense of community and become too big and disconnected. I don’t ever see bonds passing if we stay together.

The best teachers individualize instruction to meet the unique needs of each student. I support Prop 11 because it gives our local community the resources and decision making ability to meet the unique needs of our community. As a teacher of and parent of children in special programs, I am looking forward to even more robust opportunities for students, teachers and programs that will come from the local focus of Prop 11. I’m also very excited to have all local representation on our school board!