Last modified: April 9, 2025

Policy 6900 Funding Small Schools

• Download Policy 6900 Funding Small Schools 

The Provo City School District Board of Education acknowledges the importance of balancing financial prudence with the priority of providing neighborhood elementary schools, even those that may be experiencing a population downturn, whether temporary or long term. For the purpose of this discussion, a small elementary school has a population of between 300 and 400 students, and except for unexpected growth that may occur, the student enrollment is not expected to increase in the near future.

The Board’s belief in the importance of neighborhood elementary schools is a large reason for this policy. Often, districts will see smaller enrollments and immediately move to revising school boundaries or school-closing efforts. While the board retains the ability to implement these or other practices in dealing with decreasing enrollments at certain schools, other efforts may be preferable.

The Board may choose to direct the superintendent to implement aspects of the associated procedure (6900 P1) [yet to be developed]. In so doing, the board would expect to be presented with a plan to keep the school open with the following criteria:

• up to a three-year plan wherein the school would actively strive to develop and implement an educational focus that will attract increased numbers of students;
• a staffing and funding model that will support educational goals; and
• a comprehensive data review in the final (3rd?) year of the plan to help determine if the school is improving and, by extension, able to be more appealing in attracting students.

During the review of the data, the board will then make the decision of whether or not to keep the school going as is, change boundaries, or close the school.

The board instructs the superintendent to develop a procedure for outlining the criteria for the program and evaluation of its effectiveness for each school needing to participate in such a plan. The superintendent will involve principals in the development of the respective plans.

Genehmigt durch den Verwaltungsrat

11. Januar 2022