[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6115957,"mediaKeyId","2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7","parentId",2735245,"title","District updates board on audits, WPU increase and concerns over SB37 and trust-land rules","audioSeconds",2934,"startMs",2939000,"endMs",4076,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7&start=2939&end=4","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7/thumbnail_2939000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6115957/Utah/District-updates-board-on-audits-WPU-increase-and-concerns-over-SB37-and-trust-land-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115957-c6c7199fdf69e6a25e054dbb6147bce9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155700&Signature=O-cc9c3IrqppQ7EqIpb2Su5ptufQTzdehi0biOLeLs0IMrHfpYmespipavo1lEjxTDjAZUt4I-REjp1x-NxZHatzYk7psJ--J3YnPwTmmqgi2grOq1WeIg1oHOGeCFQJJn9jMrKH~BomuVEFbUzoWjmjVJgS8umMCCZsCImEGUtxMl7oGVEStWuGGcYFKkv9Ad3LldBIEuMCouo2DMX6qTT44IY3CvjUXoPKmMS0D3TwUe4nrY4hrj3reL5SR1ftsYLASH8315-kEIzsp0PUTEVcZ24dhe~I4quZ2utvny1PF0SMea4zgnvW0fD5pSO3o6jo35fNS4ZlDE4o6QH7Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-22T09:29:16.87Z","article","Jared Black, the district’s business administrator, told the Cache County School Board on March 20 that the district is participating in a statewide audit of school construction and procurement procedures and that staff were also responding to a separate Legislative Auditor’s Office review of how public entities use internal audit functions.

“We continue to participate, quite heavily in, ongoing state audit about school construction and procurement procedures,” Black said, adding that the Legislative Auditor’s Office also contacted the district the afternoon of the meeting about an audit evaluating internal audit effectiveness.

Black summarized financial items from the just-concluded legislative session: the district expects a 4% increase to the WPU (weighted pupil unit), an educator salary adjustment and a one-time bonus for school-based classified personnel. He said the district anticipates receiving initial funding numbers from USBE (Utah State Board of Education) the following week and will incorporate those figures into budget work and FTE allocations.

On fraud risk, Black provided the board with the district’s annual fraud risk assessment required by the state auditor’s office and said the district remains in the “low” risk category. He noted several internal steps — for example, an ethical-behavior checklist for employees — could move the assessment toward a “very low” category but implementation timing is not yet set.

Board President Terry Rhodes described a separate policy process: Rhodes said he attends the State Board Trust Lands Advisory Committee and reported that the state board is rewriting trust-lands rules to address schools carrying forward more than 10% of allotted trust-land funds. Under the forthcoming rule, excess carryover above 10% would return to the district for reallocation to schools using their funds rather than remaining under state-level balances.

Rhodes also highlighted concerns about S.B. 37, a property-tax bill pending the governor’s signature. He said the measure shifts a portion of the property-tax line that communities expect will support local schools to the state general fund and that the legislature has committed to backfilling districts via income tax. Rhodes warned the change “is a fundamental change in tax policy” and noted income tax receipts are more volatile than property tax.

The board discussed next steps for the budget; Black said staff are on track to publish FTE allocations before spring break and will continue preparing budget materials once the district receives state funding numbers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Meeting - Business Session: March 20, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Jared Black, the district’s business administrator, told the Cache County School Board on March 20 that the district is participating in a statewide audit of school construction and procurement procedures and that staff were also responding to a Legislative Auditor’s Office review of internal audit functions.","taxTitle","Cache County School District, Utah School Boards, Utah","taxId",74853,"location","Utah","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115961,"School board approves consent agenda, kindergarten start dates and 2025–26 school fee schedule",571,2487000,3058000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7&start=2487&end=3058","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7/thumbnail_2487000.jpg","/articles/6115961/Utah/School-board-approves-consent-agenda-kindergarten-start-dates-and-202526-school-fee-schedule","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115961-d5973bbb021dd0cc38c3e10aae68a48e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155700&Signature=F2zmQD1OHI2yRQUAu2L-H6JYS8hkwkK~Bsc1f-ccOWhiiqnEG2h2GdF36LKURVRq~NpUS7~NTmkRzthUvO63-J29T53OYiYIq1AEBSyih35iXOcfMlO3vl-NxfRqkNhEPRtwHTPBEZNCmP9WwBp1~zl70KFlTp4qGuhIqijC1lmg3F-MxOvAngxs4jKGc4JOCmQejKWdR~roL3s-6YV3vQrdRcxT1JOhagLtMvGN3eVvG4xqgybFdpF4jOvWahPHeIHMWg2Mv4KdGu8NRhIjZ-UR-oijRxYSZnwiPHua~LCHpPciTZhQFZ4Ck1XsL~5ISBww6WxnzO-fiZ68dJVCjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cache County School Board voted unanimously on electronic ballots March 20 to approve the meeting’s consent agenda, the kindergarten assessment and start dates for the 2025–26 school year, and the proposed school fee policy and fee schedule for 2025–26.

The board first approved the consent agenda by electronic vote; the clerk announced the motion “passes unanimously.” No discussion of specific consent items was recorded during the meeting.

On kindergarten scheduling, the board approved recommendations allowing kindergarten teachers to conduct assessments at times that best meet each school’s needs and approved the start dates for the 2025–26 school year. The board’s motion passed by unanimous electronic vote.

On school fees, Jared Black, business administrator, recommended the board approve the fee schedule so schools would have a planning baseline. “I would recommend that the board go ahead and approve what we have presented to this point,” Black said, adding the district will update the policy between now and July 1 to reflect legislation passed this session and that the 2026–27 fee schedule must include at least one route to graduation that is free of fees.

The school-fee motion also passed unanimously on the electronic vote. Board members expressed general concern about extracurricular fees and access: one board member noted that rising activity costs can exclude families and asked the community to look for wider solutions. No changes to the fee schedule were made at the meeting; staff said any required changes following the legislative update would be minor and come back to the board for public hearings.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: approved (electronic vote, unanimous)
- Kindergarten assessment and start dates for 2025–26: approved (electronic vote, unanimous)
- School fee policy and 2025–26 fee schedule: approved (electronic vote, unanimous; policy to be revised before July 1 to reflect legislative action)

The motions were recorded in the meeting minutes and the electronic tallies closed as “passes unanimously.”","The Cache County School Board voted unanimously to approve the consent agenda, kindergarten assessment and start dates for 2025–26, and a proposed school fee policy and fee schedule for 2025–26; the fee policy will be updated before July 1 to reflect recent legislative changes.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115965,"Parent urges board to preserve access for existing dual-language immersion students amid proposed boundary changes",360,2272000,2632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7&start=2272&end=2632","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7/thumbnail_2272000.jpg","/articles/6115965/Utah/Parent-urges-board-to-preserve-access-for-existing-dual-language-immersion-students-amid-proposed-boundary-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115965-21d5168275955ae332d1ec6cbf45d0ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155700&Signature=V-Q7XTHiwNvydMHjR9DAx8ZFIkQ~q-~MITfsslQsIMw2VnNLNwi4K~rmtZmbNTFvhxuVftE2dgF84Cw~Qu1-7KqIT61HjIrXxxCTXGDV1GGZsjInT53ofwAYp9cdM8FH~Is3MVRpwOXYIv8GIn27S44xK~eQw1Agthw8oJZO75iL8aYXMegzJ~YIt0PRJHqBdYH35xkNBDoUWTx1SdOmy26riLK-rQ4~cCx62N0hyKz8aOkLyCJMCHiyKabC9CnYIJ2hd4o5ke73NINeb5BbVg19zNQkFvlX0Sm9A5x6hXyZsd4zxSRixBRdIaxWiEVbTDbuR45dhsiJBlDnaqOxtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Heather Holmes, a parent from Nibley, told the Cache County School Board during public input that proposed high-school boundary changes and a potential move of the district’s Spanish dual-language immersion (DLI) program would harm families who planned to follow the DLI pathway from Heritage to South Cache and then to Ridgeline.

“My family and others like us are being treated as just numbers,” Holmes said. She described a long-term investment in the program: “We’ve invested 11 years of time, effort, and sacrifices to make this program what it is.”

Holmes said that moving the DLI program to Mountain Crest would make it significantly less accessible to many families in the current Ridgeline boundary. “Right now, my eleventh grader can drive my ninth grader to Ridgeline. But with the change, I would have to drive my now seventh grader to Mountain Crest in two years,” she said, asking the board to consider a grace period so current DLI students could continue at both high schools while the district implements changes.

Board members thanked Holmes for her comments and noted that the public comment opportunity is part of the board’s record. The board did not take action during the meeting on DLI boundaries; Holmes’ remarks were recorded as part of the public input segment and will be part of the ongoing boundary discussion.","A parent told the Cache County School Board that moving the Spanish dual-language immersion (DLI) program from Ridgeline to Mountain Crest would make the program less accessible for families who have long committed to the district’s DLI pathway and asked for a transition grace period.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6115970,"Mountain Crest principal credits new phone policy, digital hall pass and intervention tracker for classroom gains",727,1361000,2088000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7&start=1361&end=2088","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2735245-b829f126d0906e9dd142896d9e64a6d7/thumbnail_1361000.jpg","/articles/6115970/Utah/Mountain-Crest-principal-credits-new-phone-policy-digital-hall-pass-and-intervention-tracker-for-classroom-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6115970-9f946a8a90a105750f0ca8a856cd23f8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771155700&Signature=bbf2YitZfEEIh8tcagFFNv7E~on7dSchwU5QHjw9AP9~Bkl1c9QNX9GakWlv1rozFjToWUh9HKIhxzfw5slDXWXVFf26l9JbRK1jVWnwXAEoJrbLLB14vpPiG4CWY-VPbQTt6GybtcxTMRQE7D9uSpso49tvR5RnrTg5On3WPROU5x4qtQanx7ED~r~5Hh2zsURyArPVwZ6vt4uQpGAMYupOW4Guue0RNkcg3O5-Hq2-qmu86wl~3tE-LfRwQIDnICGvOthG3uIGt7HX3YhaR~BgwlrIy~qESSd~aTh5sxs~bWQ66mjD1rFYpSQf9N4dKJ7iDr5N1TVq2mrmFESWrw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Denise Morrison, principal of Mountain Crest High School, told the Cache County School Board on March 20 that the school has seen improved classroom time and lower failing grades after administrators began removing phones from students and rolling out a digital hall pass and a teacher-driven intervention tracker.

Morrison said the district changed how an existing phone policy is enforced so teachers no longer enter a “power struggle” with students. “We changed nothing in the policy other than us as administrators. We’re gonna take the phones,” Morrison said, describing a process in which teachers add a student’s name to a list and administrative staff retrieve the device from a mobile cart. She added that repeat offenses result in longer confiscation and that “we have only had one parent complain about it.”

The principal said the digital hall pass requires students to sign out and sign in anytime they leave class. The system can block repeat or known hallway users and administrators can see who is out of class. Morrison said freshmen embraced the pass and upperclassmen chose to remain in class more often after the change.

Morrison also outlined changes to academic interventions: an intensive third-hour “success” period and an end-of-day program tied to a student tracker each pupil must complete. Students who meet standards earn rewards such as extended lunch or early release privileges. “Our F’s have gone down tremendously,” Morrison said, while acknowledging the effort is a work in progress.

On staffing and funding, Morrison said Mountain Crest has increased co-teaching and added FTEs to lower class sizes for English learners and special education students, and that funds from TSSA (Targeted Supplemental Student Achievement) and trust-land sources are being used to support those efforts. She said the school has struggled to keep a consistent English-learner teacher but has recently hired one and placed that educator where the school expects the most impact.

Board members asked what the school is doing to address lower math and language-arts scores reported on the SOAR report. Morrison said Mountain Crest is using common-literacy approaches, “PLCing” (professional learning communities), targeted tutoring and credit-recovery options and has restructured testing timing so assessments better meet student needs.

Morrison closed by highlighting CTE, AP and extracurricular opportunities at Mountain Crest and by thanking staff for adapting to the new procedures. The board did not take formal action on the report; it served as informational business on the agenda.

Morrison’s presentation included specific operational details (phone confiscation steps, hall-pass blocking, intervention tracker and rewards) that the board said they would continue to monitor at future meetings.","Mountain Crest High School Principal Denise Morrison told the Cache County School Board the school has reduced disruptions and lowered failing marks by enforcing a phone-surrender practice, using a digital hall pass system and expanding targeted interventions and co-teaching.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

District updates board on audits, WPU increase and concerns over SB37 and trust-land rules

School board approves consent agenda, kindergarten start dates and 2025–26 school fee schedule

Parent urges board to preserve access for existing dual-language immersion students amid proposed boundary changes

Mountain Crest principal credits new phone policy, digital hall pass and intervention tracker for classroom gains