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Show December 16, 1982 Newsprint Page 3 Schools to Face Big Challenge in Meeting Childrens Needs Without More Taxes Utah, and especially the Uintah Basin, has a big challenge to meet posed by rapidly rising school enrollments during the next ten years without resorting to tax increases. Greater emphasis must be placed on achieving operating economies and providing alternate ways of solving the problem of new students who will be entering the public schools. This was the conclusion presented by Utah Foundation, the private research organization, in their latest projections of enrollments in the public schools. According to the report, Utah will have about 460,800 students in the public schools by 1987 and S33,700 students by 1992. This represents an enrollment growth of 91,500 or 25 percent over the next five years and 164,300 or 44 percent over the next ten years. Presently, Utahs public school enrollment totals 369,338 students, a gain of 14,798, or 4. 2 percent over the number enrolled a year ago. School enrollments in the Uintah School District rose by 693 students or 11.8 percent this year, the highest percentage change in the state. The 1982 fall enrollment for the district is listed at 6,548 students, compared with 5,855 for . growing enrollments. Some estimates have placed the cost of housing the projected increase in Utah enrollments over the next decade in excess of $2 billion. The study notes that the enrollment increases will be very rapid over the next few years, but are expected to taper off somewhat toward the latter part of the 1 980 decade. These increases, however, will surpass the growth experienced during the late 1950s and early 1960s when the huge post World War 11 baby crop reached: school age. Much of the growth during the past few years has been in the elementary grades (K-and in the middle-schogrades ). The growth will begin to affect high school (10-12- ) enrollments, which are expected to increase by 36,300 students or 53 over the next ten years. Finally, the enrollment bulge will be affecting college enrollments during the later half of the 1980 decade and throughout most of the 1990 decade. The study points out that school enrollment growth results from two main elements (1) the number of live births in the state and (2) the net excess of migration of population to the state compared with numbers. While both of these factors have been rising rapidly over the past decade, there are signs that they may be beginning to peak. Thus, there may be some slowdown in enrollment growth toward the latter part of the 1980 TABLE 1 FALL ENROLLMENTS IN UTAH PUBLIC UtahTs SCHOOLS year-to-ye- ar ol 6) (7-9- out-migrati- leCade- - -- on TABLE 2 1981. Duchesne School Districts enrollment rose 7 percent, or by 284 students. Daggett School District had an 1 student increase' or 5.7 percent. Even if no changes were made in the funds available per enrolled pupil, total operating costs in Utah schools would increase $155 million by 1987 and $312 million by 1991 Over the past five years, however, the operating funds per pupil have risen by an average of 8. 5 percent per year. Should this trend continue, total annual school operating costs in Utah would exceed $1 billion by 986-8- 7 an $2 billion by 1992-9Foundation analysts point out that efforts have begun in Utah to increase productivity in the public schools. In addition, the report observes that greater attention must be given in the future to determine which programs and services provided by the schools are essential in the educational process. Moreover, some compromises probably will have to be made in providing added schools to house 1 1 3. students enrolled in Utah not include schools. Currently, there are 21 such students in the Daggett School District and 29 in the Tooele School District. Does Prepared Utah State out-of-st- ate by UTAH Board of FOUNDATION froi report published by the Education. Utahns More Aware of Drunks Governor Scott M. Matheson has as Drunk proclaimed December 8 and Drugged Driver Awareness Week in Utah. In signing the proclamation, he has reiterated his concern for the problem of impaired driving in Utah. The week is being observed nationally to draw attention to the injuries and deaths which occur as a result cf impaired drivers. During the first ten months of 1982, total highway fatalities were down 14 percent from the same period last year. However, alcohol related traffic deaths are down 26 percent. This means there are 34 people still alive because many drinkers knew when to say .when or let someone 12-1- to use seatbelts during this week of activity but shows a 30 percent arrest rate. observance and to carry on the practice REDDI is continuing and every driver, whenever operating or riding in a car. passenger and pedestrian should keep a One of the successful efforts to curb lookout for erratic or unusual driving driving under the influence has been patterns and report them to the nearest associated with drinking drivers. Project REDDI Report Every Drunk police agency. The Governors Commission on Driver Immediately. This effort has been Very likely this is a result of more awareness by the motoring public and spearheaded by the Utah Highway Patrol Drinking and Driving has presented its with cooperation from county sheriffs and findings and recommendations to the greater priority on countermeasures by city police departments throughout the governor and to the Interim Legislative police, prosecuters and judges during state. Several agencies have kept track of Committee on Transportation and Public 1982. citizen reports of suspected drunk drivers. Safety. They call for harsher penalties, The news has been full of facts and when REDDI was faster license revocation, stricter From stories related to this vital issue. The activities and concerns of national and started, through September, 499 calls prosecution, victim restitution payment, were reported. Police were able to locate improved treatment, better coordination local officials and citizens has been of activities, better and longer, alcohol 191 of these reported drivers and arrested evident. Governor Matheson emphasized education and improved methods and 143 of them. the fact that the best protection against the i ThUis.onlyAAmplc.of.Ujc.toiAlcitizfn . . .equipment for enforcement. impaired driver is for all motorists in. Utah.. else drive. Last year, during the first ten months, 44 percent of all traffic victims lost their lives in alcohol related accidents. So far this year, only 38 percent have been . mid-Apr- il, . i i |
