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ong>How big is too big, officials wonder

SALT LAKE CITY -- State education officials are debating whether to endorse a limit on the number of students for each school district.

The issue may come up in legislative meetings this summer, said Utah State Board of Education member Mark Cluff, and the USOE should have an opinion on it.

"We should discuss it and come to a position on school (district) sizes, and whether we want to be involved in that or not," Cluff said.

Many national researchers agree that 15,000 to 25,000 students is an optimum school district size, board Vice Chairman Janet Cannon said.

When districts grow larger than 25,000 students, she said, per-pupil costs go up and test scores go down.

"I, for one, am really in favor of smaller school districts," she said.

Four of the state's 40 school districts have more than 30,000 students. Davis School District has 62,000 students, making it the third largest district in the state. Weber School District is about 1,000 students away from the 30,000 mark.Most states have many small districts, Cluff said. Idaho has 200 compared to Utah's 40.

Chris Williams, Davis district spokesman, said he believes large districts have an advantage over smaller ones because the responsibilities are spread out among a greater number of staff. Williams is a former spokesman for a 14,000-student district in Pocatello, Idaho.

Small districts often depend on just a few administrators to accomplish many tasks, he said.

"You can make more headway and progress in a bigger district," he said. "In a small district, you just don't have the time."

A quality education can be obtained in a district of any size, he said.

"Really, what it comes down to is relationships between parents, teachers and students," he said. "If there's a great relationship going on there you're going to come out with a great education."

Discussion of the issue will resume next month, Cluff said. At the suggestion of Utah PTA legislative Vice President Ronda Rose, the board will also look at whether adding more school board members in big districts would help parents feel better represented.

Currently, small districts have five school board members and large districts have seven. The USOE does not have the power to limit school district size, but a bill passed last year allows residents to vote to split large districts into separate entities.

In December, State Associate Superintendent Patrick Ogden said that parts of Orem, Sandy, West Valley and Alpine have expressed interest in creating smaller school districts.

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