By Shauna Lund, Iron County School District
Iron County School District administrators and the Board of Education continue to look at creative solutions for future building needs.
Superintendent Lance Hatch and Business Administrator Todd Hess updated the board on some possibilities under consideration. The discussion included facility needs and possible funding methods.
Unlike many counties in Utah, Iron County is predicted to continue growing. The University of Utah Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute projects a population of 98,098 by 2060. Although the median age of that population is expected to increase, the growth still includes a jump in students. Currently, most education buildings in the district — particularly elementary schools — are at or near capacity.
Hess said he and facilities manager Hunter Shaheen recently drove around the county to look at new developments. New construction continues for both single family homes and multi-family communities.
Even with the trend of fewer children in families, enrollment growth will occur with the new housing. Building space has not kept up with that growth. The District built two elementary schools — Iron Springs and Three Peaks — more than 10 years ago and currently they are at capacity. Additionally, the demand for alternative education programs like Southwest Education Academy (SEA) and Launch High are also growing. Current building space limits the number of students who can utilize those options.
With the failure of the general obligation bond in 2024, Hatch said the district has begun looking at more creative solutions to alleviate overcrowding at a lower cost. Possibilities include:
Splitting SEA into all three high schools. While this option could possibly expand the number of students in the program, it would mean teaching students via a broadcasting system. This option would end the personal touch that makes SEA successful. Launch High’s setup would not work at multiple schools.
Building additions to Iron Springs and Three Peaks elementary schools. While eight rooms at each school might accommodate more students, the load on administrators, cafeteria space and interventions would grow. Cost would be about half the price of a new elementary school.
Building a large new elementary school and converting South Elementary to an alternative programs school. The issue may be that growth will still necessitate another elementary school in the future.
Retrofit the basement at Cedar High School to house SEA.This option is actually costly — about $9.3 million — because of challenging site conditions. It’s unlikely that natural light could be added in those classrooms. The space would only accommodate SEA or Launch, not both.
Hatch also outlined funding options. The first, he said, is general obligation bonds. The district proposed two G.O. bonds in 2023 and 2024. A G.O. bond requires voter approval. Repayment is funded through property taxes. Neither proposal passed.
A second option is Lease Revenue Bonds. Voter approval is not required. The repayment of those bonds are sourced from existing revenues including property taxes and other allocations. Any required increases in taxes would necessitate a truth in taxation hearing.
Hess said the district is also exploring the possibility of paying off some existing bonds early to present a more tax neutral plan to taxpayers.
Board member Stephanie Hill asked administrators to also look at alternative scheduling, such as year-round at the elementary level or double sessions at the secondary level. She said her concern is increasing the financial burden on taxpayers.
The Board and Administration will continue to explore options to address growth and other space needs.