4 Studies Show, Orem District Is Feasible

4 feasibility studies conducted during the past two decades show that Orem is positioned well to sustain itself financially as a city school district. These studies took place in 2004 (the Pioneer District study by an Ad Hoc Committee), 2006 (the Orem District study by Lewis & Young), 2017 (the Orem District; other cities by ASD), and 2022 (the Orem District study by DEC). They all reach the conclusion that not only is Orem sustainable on its own, but that a split is viable and can prove beneficial to students, taxpayers and local voices/views. There have also been more studies conducted that we can learn from too, for example the split between Jordan and Canyons which has proved beneficial and vital to both districts in the short and long term.

The 2022 Feasibility Study Shows the various REVENUES brought into a School District as well as the EXPENSES it costs to run the District. The Study forcasts how much an Orem School District would bring in based off the students in the district and what that cost will run. As you can see an Orem District will have a $5.2 Million surplus.

The total expenditures cover 100% of the Alpine School District currently covers, including the additional raises for teachers in Orem.

The question remains, “Why delay the inevitable?” Who will have the most to gain or lose from a split from Alpine School District? These questions become ever more vital and urgent to answer in the face of exponential growth on the west and north side of the district, the upcoming and never-before-seen price tag of a staggering $600 million bond, Orem’s share of that indebtedness, and the imperative need for immediate seismic hazards to be remedied in Orem’s own 12 unsafe schools.

The slide below from Alpine School District 2017 Study shows how many students were in Orem - 2017 Student Population 16,292 - in Alpines 2021 History and Enrollment Projection Report Orem’s student population actually grows to 16, 889 showing that Orem has stable student growth. Read more about Orem’s Stable Student Population here.

Bottom Line - Is an Orem School District Feasible? - YES! We’ve gotten that answer from Alpine School’s Business Administrator in his 2017 Feasibility Study, and the answer is still the same today. Orem can have it’s own school district.