The Canyons School District’s Long‑Range Planning Committee presented a boundary and consolidation proposal on Oct. 7 intended to respond to continuing enrollment declines. Committee members documented downward trends, described next steps and outlined a schedule of community hearings; dozens of parents, teachers and special‑education staff then spoke at the meeting to urge alternate options or protections for vulnerable students.

Committee chair Leon Wilcox and staff said the district’s October 1 counts showed a drop of roughly 660 elementary students from the previous year and that declining birth rates, housing costs and demographic shifts are expected to continue. The committee said consolidations are being considered to improve staffing ratios and reduce per‑student costs at very small schools. Wilcox described operational drivers including fixed facility costs, maintenance cycles for roofs, turf and HVAC systems, and the state funding impact of lower enrollment. He told the board the district estimates a roughly $1.6 million state funding reduction tied to earlier enrollment declines and projected about $3.2 million in reduced state revenue if the district remains down by 660 students next year.

The committee’s initial proposal examines combinations and reassignments that would affect small elementary schools including Park Lane, Granite, Bella Vista, Ridgecrest and Willow Canyon. Wilcox said the district has contracted a traffic engineer and a civil engineer to study walking and driving routes and parking lots at specific schools; drone surveys and engineering reports were underway and expected back within one to two weeks.

Permit and transition rules: Wilcox said the district will open the permit application system Nov. 15 but will not accept new permits until February; the district plans to prioritize permit approvals for students directly affected by a boundary decision and to carry existing permits forward if a student's assigned school closes.

Community and program concerns: A large number of speakers expressed opposition to moving specific programs or splitting neighborhoods. Park Lane parents and teachers said the elementary is highly walkable for families, has tight community ties and hosts an Accredited Core Classroom (ACC) program and said moving that program would cause regression. Janette Knight said, “Park Lane isn't just a school. It's the heart of our neighborhood.” Diane Nachalewski, a Park Lane teacher, highlighted mainstreaming gains: “Our academic scores are amazing. We are third out of 28, only behind 2 SALTA schools.” ACC teachers and parents warned that moving specialized special‑education placements or ACC/EEC/ABS programs to schools without established staff and facilities would disrupt students’ routines and impede progress; several speakers urged the board to grandfather current students so siblings and children already enrolled can finish at their present schools.

Safety and accessibility concerns were raised for ECC and ABS students. Rowan’s parent, Lori Richardson, said children with autism who elope face heightened traffic danger and urged the board to weigh proximity to major roads: “Elopement is not an a behavior problem. It's a safety emergency.” EEC staff said Granite’s grounds, shade and accessible routes better accommodate some students; Granite EEC teachers urged keeping their program in place because repeated moves over multiple years have already disrupted some children.

Costs and operations: Commenters requested more transparent cost breakdowns. Several speakers cited district estimates that closing Park Lane and moving those students would require three additional buses at roughly $144,000 per year in recurring transportation cost; others said repaving or reconfiguring parking lots at Park Lane would be a one‑time expense that could avoid recurring bus costs. Multiple commenters asked the district to provide detailed comparative cost estimates for renovating versus consolidating.

Timeline and next steps: Wilcox and board members emphasized further study. The committee scheduled four upcoming community hearings: Granite (Oct. 15), Bella Vista (Oct. 16), Park Lane (Oct. 28) and a districtwide boundary hearing (Oct. 30). Wilcox said longer term rebuild scenarios could include new construction in the late 2020s (he mentioned a goal of 2029 for shovels in the ground for possible rebuilds), but he cautioned that construction timing would depend on revenue, interest rates and other variables. The committee said it will incorporate the traffic and parking reports into updated proposals before making any final recommendation.

Ending: The board did not vote on boundary changes; members encouraged public participation at the scheduled hearings and said the committee will return with refined proposals after the technical reports and additional public input are incorporated.