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Show Davis enrollment growth is on the rise FARMINGTON During the past year, considerable ground has been covered in providing for enrollment growth in one of the state's fastest growing counties. Growth is particularly a challenge for Davis County Schools since funding school construction is based so heavily on property taxes. With the county comprised primarily of bedroom communities with little commercial property or natural resources, Davis County is among the poorest in the state in ability to gain funding for schools, Sandra Wilkins, Director of Community Relations for Davis County Schools. According to Wilkins, much has been accomplished: Fifty-seven percent of the voters approved a bonding proposal raising $40 million to fund a new high school and other improvements. Construction for a new high school is underway with a completion date of fall, 1992. Plans for a shift of student enrollments from crowded high schools in the north to the south have been completed, including decisions about complex boundary issues. There are currently seven elementary schools on year-round schedules and three elementary schools on extended-day scheduling. Many temporary portable classrooms have been constructed and placed at schools. $1.2 million was provided by the State of Utah for the purpose of reducing class sizes. Many bulges in class sizes were reduced, as well as an overall reduction of .5 student per classroom. The emphasis was in grades K-3. Teacher aides provide assistance in many large classrooms. "District leadership encouraged Utah senators and congressmen to examine ex-amine the current inequitable funding at the federal level for Utah schools," said Wilkins. Moreover, state legislators have been encouraged to investigate the inequitable ine-quitable state funding of capital outlay used for school construction, she said. |