Orem Will Keep Specialty Classes
Fact - Orem Students Do Not Have Equal Access To Alpine School District Specialty Programs.
Fact – ASD is closing Orem schools and eliminating Orem jobs.
Alpine School District leadership decides which schools may have Specialty Classes and which schools may not throughout the district. Alpine School District (ASD) does not provide equal student access to its Specialty Classes to schools in Orem and surrounding communities to the degree that ASD provides such classes to schools on the west side and north end of the school district in more affluent neighborhoods.
Board member Julie King stated at a board meeting “certainly a factor that would justify the splitting of a school district would be the issue of equity, and if students in different zip codes are getting different experiences that aren’t able to be solved. ”
The facts present prove Orem–zip codes are not receiving the same educational opportunities as other cities. (Pg 198 2022 Feasibility Study) Alpine School District is struggling to deal with the growth on the West side of the district and is not able to give the students in Orem equal specialty teachers/programs, rather they are cutting programs in Orem at a very rapid pace. An Orem District split from ASD would be a win-win as it would free up ASD to focus on the growth challenges they face and allow Orem to focus on and solve the unique issues in Orem.
OREM’s CTE, SPECIALTY CLASSES & PROGRAMS:
If we look at historical precedence by Alpine School Districts own actions, in the past five years, Alpine School District has chosen to eliminate schools, specialty programs and jobs. That is a fact.
They chose to close Hillcrest.
They chose to close Polaris.
They chose to close Geneva.
They chose to eliminate all of the jobs at these schools.
They have chosen to eliminate most of the specialty programs/teachers at many Orem elementary schools, and are currently discussing more cuts for 2023.
Will they choose to eliminate the CTE programs at our secondary schools next?
Points:
Myth: Teachers will lose their jobs if a split were to happen.
ASD’s History: In the past 5 years, ASD has chosen to eliminate three schools in Orem alone: Hillcrest, Geneva, Polaris. This includes ASD choosing to eliminate the following jobs at these locations: administrators, teachers, office staff, janitors, lunchroom personnel, school aides, welfare workers (nurse, psychologist, social workers, counselors, etc.). The new 2022 bond graphic states that schools will “merge.” If we stay with ASD, it is certain that ASD will continue to close Orem schools – they state this in their own graphic and have announced. Which means more job loss, more property values decreasing as neighborhood schools disappear, and more perpetual cost to bus children to schools further from where they live. *Important to note here that ASD has then profited from the sale of these properties: Hillcrest ($5.6 million), Polaris (UVU sale price unknown). We must fight to keep the demolished Geneva land for the rebuild of the school.
This means teachers can teach the subjects they are so qualified and terrific at, instead of what Alpine School District dictates they teach, with class sizes that are reasonable. Teachers, administrators, office staff, and all other employees at each school remain employed, working and happy doing what they love.
The past Feasibility Studies have all factored in the cost of keeping every single class, teaching position, specialty and CTE and school to remain open that was existing at the time of each study. Since ASD provided its own study in 2017, they have chosen to eliminate three Orem schools and all of the employment opportunities at each of the three schools. They have also cut a multitude of specialties at many Orem schools.
Here is a table of Provo and Orem side by side, with school specialties and CTEs listed (all elementary and secondary schools). Provo and Orem mirror each other in enrollments, taxes, finances, Title I (low income). If Provo can offer all of these phenomenal programs, then why can’t Orem? The answer is simple: Orem can afford all of the programs, but ASD is taking Orem’s money to offer brand new schools with full specialty programs for children out west – while Orem children get less and have seismically unsafe schools. This is not equity, not even close.
Myth: Teachers will lose their pensions and/or take a salary cut if we split. People supporting a split do not value teachers.
Orem’s Fact: Common sense and fact have been entirely shelved to scare teachers into thinking that their jobs are on the line, or that their pensions will suffer (guaranteed by the Utah law and funding), or that their salaries will decrease (Utah law requires matched salaries for the first year of a split – subsequent years are contracted the same as is currently happening in ASD). The feasibility study showed that teacher compensation and benefits, including the 401K retention bonus program, will be funded in the Orem District, (review our Teacher Article). The most damaging fact that has been skewed and regurgitated is that teachers are not valued. This could not be further from the truth. OREM LOVES ITS TEACHERS – we want teachers to be happy, to teach what they love, while experiencing the highest job satisfaction financially, as well as emotionally and professionally. We want teachers to work in an environment where their voices are valued and where their needs are met. Seeing teachers cry privately while speaking with parents about poor and declining work environments is NOT what anyone wants – but what has, unfortunately, been happening for the past few years. Teachers, we advocate for you. We love you. We want you to be happy. We want you to stay in Orem. When teachers are well-paid, happy and successful, students are happy and successful.
Myth: Orem schools will lose CTE and specialty programs if Orem splits from ASD.
Four feasibility studies (2004, 2006, 2017, & 2022), including the 2017 study conducted by ASD itself, concluded that an Orem District is feasible financially. Each study reached this same conclusion of success by financially accounting for every CTE program at secondary schools and every specialty program at elementary schools to remain in each school that was existing at the time the studies were conducted.
ASD’s History: Since the ASD 2017 study, ASD has chosen to remove specialties from Orem schools. If Orem had been its own district, this removal of specialties would not have happened. If CTE programs are eliminated from secondary schools, it will be because ASD chooses to do so.
Geneva parents were promised they would get their specialties back if they agreed to merge with Suncrest. They still don’t have their specialties back.
Centennial Elementary had to raise $15,000 to keep specialty programs for the kids in their school.
ASD is in the process of removing more specialty programs from Orem and surrounding city schools.
Orem’s FACT: Orem residents and city council members have voiced their support for specialty programs to be reinstated at elementary schools, and for all current CTE programs to remain intact at every secondary school in Orem. Orem residents have voiced the desire to bring back languages that were dropped from secondary school programs, and also for additional courses to be introduced in STEM, robotics, coding, etc.
The fact may be easily stated, given historical precedence by Alpine School District’s own actions: the only way to save Orem teaching jobs and specialty/CTE programs will be to split from Alpine School District. Alpine School District WILL CONTINUE TO ELIMINATE OREM PROGRAMS, SCHOOLS AND JOBS – THAT IS A FACT. They state it on their 2022 bond literature! Orem has the opportunity right now to forge its path forward for its children. That path is through an Orem independent school district. Let’s keep every Orem school open, let’s keep every Orem teaching job filled, and let’s bring back/guarantee our specialty and CTE programs!
Did you know? Valley View Elementary in Pleasant Grove was planned for closure in early 2021, yet still has not been closed as of September 2022. Why is Pleasant Grove avoiding the closure of schools, while Orem has not been able to avoid the closure of three schools? Another certain Pleasant Grove school was slated for imminent closure until an influential family stepped forward to save the school. Orem was not given the opportunity to save its schools, which causes one to wonder if other cities are getting preferential treatment while Orem is not. Another example of “equity” not being met by ASD.
Orem’s Fact: Orem residents and city council members have stated their overwhelming support and intention to KEEP EVERY SINGLE OREM SCHOOL OPEN AND FOR BELOVED SPECIALTY PROGRAMS TO BE REINSTATED.
A New District means job openings and positions that need to be filled.
State Law ensures job security.
The feasibility study shows Orem can fund its current programs (before these speciality programs are cut from ASD.)
The map above shows 25 schools along Orem’s State Street corridor, from Orem’s Cherry Hill Elementary, north to American Fork’s Forbes Elementary. Only 12 schools along this corridor in Orem have three or more Specialty Classes. Fifty two percent (52%) of the schools, many in low-income neighborhoods, have lowered access to Specialty Classes compared to schools in comparable socio-economic communities. Comparing this number to the rest of the Alpine School District, 29 out of 35 schools had full access (3 or more) to the Specialty Classes. Only 6 schools (17%) out of 25 in the north and west areas of the ASD had lowered access to the district funded Specialty Classes.
The majority of schools located in low-income neighborhoods receive less opportunities to have Specialty Classes than schools in more affluent neighborhoods. Again, this is a condition that would trigger a district split as said by ASD school board member, Julie King - when “students in different zip codes are getting different experiences” and denied equal access to learning and instruction.
Resource Link:
Salt Lake Tribune - 2017 - ASD School Consolidation
Daily Herald - 2021 - ASD School Consolidations
Change - 2021 - Petition to save PG School