FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Central School District (CSD) is the temporary name for the area encompassing the potential new school district in Northern Utah County. If voters approve of the new school district, the future school board would select the final name.

Through an interlocal agreement, the cities of Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Draper, Highland, and Lehi are studying the creation of CSD to serve the students in their communities. For Draper City, the district would serve the portion of their residents living in Utah County.

At over 84,000 students, the Alpine School District (ASD) is the largest school district in Utah and is growing fast. The six cities in the proposed CSD boundaries have come together to provide an opportunity for their voters to decide whether to split from ASD.

Per state law, the cities are required to conduct a study to assess the feasibility of creating a potential new school district. The cities have hired an independent financial services firm, LRB Public Finance Advisors, to conduct the study. LRB’s team of experts presented their findings at a public meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The study results can be found HERE.

The feasibility study assessed the fiscal impacts of a potential new school district, including start-up costs, capital facilities and staffing as well how those costs will impact taxpayers. It also took an in-depth look at student enrollment growth and revenue projections from federal, state and local sources. The objective study provides the public with the facts they need to make informed decisions.

Yes. A 45-day public comment period kicked off on Wednesday, June 19, 2024 and runs through Friday, August 2. During this time, members of the public can submit their comments online at bit.ly/CentralSchoolDistrictUT, on the CSD website centralschooldistrict.org/contact or by mailing their comments to their city offices.

In addition, there will be at least 12 public hearings regarding CSD. Each of the six cities will hold at least two public hearings between June 19 and August 2, 2024. During these hearings, members of the public will have the opportunity to comment. See a schedule of those hearings on our Public Meetings page.

On April 29, 2024 the city councils for Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Draper, Highland, and Lehi voted unanimously to enter into an interlocal agreement to study the potential creation of CSD. The study findings were presented to the cities at a joint public meeting on June 18. 

From June 19 through August 2, the cities will take comments from the public through a series of public hearings and written submissions.

On August 6, it is anticipated that the city councils for Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Draper, Highland, and Lehi will meet. During this meeting, the councils will vote to determine whether the question of CSD’s creation should be put on the ballot for voters to decide whether or not a new district should be created.

If the councils vote to put the question of CSD’s creation on the ballot, registered voters in Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland, Lehi, and the portion of Draper City located in Utah County, will vote on it as a part of the November 2024 election.

The feasibility study used budget, enrollment, and facilities needs data from Alpine School District and looked at current economic and growth conditions of the interlocal cities. According to the study, Alpine School District needs to raise taxes to meet the enrollment and facility needs of the district. If the CSD cities were to split away from ASD as a whole, the need to raise taxes right now would lessen because the CSD area has stable student growth, a healthy tax base, and relatively minor facility needs. The final fiscal impact would ultimately be decided based on the management decisions of the future school board and the economics, demographics, and facility needs at the time.

If the city councils vote to put the question on the ballot and if voters approve it, the details regarding CSD’s creation will be up to a new school board that would be elected by voters in an election in 2025.

If the school district question goes on the ballot and is approved by voters in November 2024, school board elections would take place in November 2025, school board members would take office in January of 2026 to work to divide existing resources between the ASD and CSD. In July 2027, the new CSD board would take responsibility for educating children in the new CSD boundaries.