Voters in parts of Utah’s largest school district — the 84,000-student Alpine School District — have opted to split the district in three and form two new school systems.
The Deseret News reports 58% of the ballots cast on Proposition 11 were in favor of removing several northern Utah County communities from the Alpine district — Lehi, American Fork, Highland, Alpine, Cedar Hills and a portion of Draper.
Meanwhile, on the west end of Utah County, about 62% of ballots were cast in favor of Proposition 14, which would carve out a new school district from the parts of the Alpine district that include the cities of Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Cedar Fort and Fairfield.
With two new districts expected to be formed in Utah County, the four remaining cities in the current Alpine School District — Orem, Vineyard, Lindon and Pleasant Grove — would become a reorganized district by default.
Proponents of Proposition 11 argued that creating a new district in the north part of Utah County would offer significant tax savings and result in more balanced and responsive school board representation.
Opponents countered that splitting the existing Alpine School District would hurt students by unnecessarily dismantling one of the state’s highest-performing districts.
Meanwhile, proponents for Proposition 14 argued that a smaller district in western Utah County would ensure “local control and fair representation” while keeping taxes local and addressing “overcrowded and underserved westside schools.”
Proposition 14 opponents warned that a smaller district on Utah County’s west side would diminish educational opportunities and could lead to educators in local schools leaving for opportunities
