WEST JORDAN — The Jordan School District has the chance to save money by doing something unexpected in high-growth areas: It is shifting a few schools from year-round to traditional schedules.
It's the latest in a growing shift away from year-round schools in Utah.
The Hill family lives in the Jordan District, and school is a year-round event. So when Wendy Hill learned she might have an option to have her five kids on a traditional schedule, she was thrilled.
“I would love for the schools to go to traditional, for the elementary school to go to a traditional calendar,” Hill said.
That’s because for them, being on the same schedule just makes sense, she said.
“They end up missing school for reunions and for trips that we have planned in the summer, so I think their attendance would be better at school,” Hill said.
Jordan School District officials will consider feedback from parents as they consider shifting the schedules of a few schools. Boundary changes and a new school have opened up space in massive elementary schools that once had more than 1,200 students. But space isn’t the only factor.
“You save around a $100,000 in operational costs," said Jordan School District administrator Brad Sorensen, "so that’s what you’re looking at — roughly the difference between running a traditional calendar versus a year-round calendar.”
That saves the district about $100,000 per school, per year. And for a school district still trying to balance growth and funding while bouncing back from a district split a few years ago, it’s a way to build trust with the community.
Jordan is the latest in a series of districts, including Granite, Salt Lake and Davis, that are phasing out year-round schools because of costs. Some had opted for year-round for academic reasons, believing students would perform better without a long summer break. But Sorensen says those gains didn’t materialize.
“It really shows that kids tend to do similar, that the track really isn’t making a difference,” Sorensen said.
So while it can, Sorensen says the board will ask parents what they would prefer.
“I think the board is very receptive to listening to what the patrons want," he said. "I think as a whole we’re always looking. The preference is a traditional calendar.”
But the change may be temporary. The driving factor of growth may force the district to resume year-round schedules, which would be just fine with Emily Funk.
“I like how it’s year-round and they get little breaks here and there," Funk said. "They still have a summer, and they still have breaks to go on vacations. I think it’s better for kids.”
District leaders say they won’t please everyone, but they’re trying to find a balance that will benefit most of them.
“I think you’re always looking at alternatives and options and things you can do with the resources that you have,” Sorensen said.
The results of the surveys for Butterfield Canyon and Herriman elementary schools came back with parents favoring the switch to a traditional schedule, but the staff at both schools favors year-round.
The district has five other elementary schools in Riverton and West Jordan switching to a permanent traditional schedule in the fall.
Email: areed@ksl.com