[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6566082,"mediaKeyId","3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb","parentId",3207738,"title","Salt Lake City School District previews 2025–26 budget; officials warn special education and nutrition funds remain strained","audioSeconds",1469,"startMs",2655000,"endMs",4124000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb&start=2655&end=4124","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb/thumbnail_2655000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6566082/Utah/Salt-Lake-City-School-District-previews-202526-budget-officials-warn-special-education-and-nutrition-funds-remain-strained","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566082-2ff307104944c673ae8148192c3a6565/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012400&Signature=ZSOp9at~zZTvwwjhwmK-vMR5-kPPtJGQmpSxUZquQVKGiRqa~8enxQH80JINDxAxeUuMkczj4Jgxo5Uf6zhiVS8bZX7Umyx3TxfIT5iR~gS6hOg1VSBpX0mD5Nrd-eLjmEgwkVmqvOTVZ~q4p3GLRh0PqF~bN8Zufcx29udl2mUYz9p-qlxpM3w96CToI6SbmshY1FGIvtlV73gkSj3gdchmZRSM1nTwDwayykdnVrAUmI0kxGWRed~jWUzPaWnEU-XDfGzr9wHCMkHrFN02rzXHv6OyC7-MEbGzbVZiDb~tbt6t4KIzsBvPgrmucYISj3rnQfLV9kRBJblfKtYBzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Salt Lake School District ","date","2025-05-07T03:46:55.443Z","article","Business Administrator Alan Kearsley told the Salt Lake City School Board on May 6 that the district’s proposed 2025–26 operating budget assumes no property tax increase and balances a modest increase in state-funded per-pupil revenue with reductions elsewhere in the state funding formula.

Kearsley said the legislature set the Weighted Pupil Unit (WPU) increase at 4% for next year, but changes to the state funding formula moved money previously allocated for advanced-degreed professional staff into a discretionary pot the district will not receive. “What that means for the Salt Lake City School District is we will receive a $1,500,000 decrease in those fundings for the district,” Kearsley said.

Kearsley framed the proposed general fund as a cautious budget: it includes step-and-lane salary increases and a cost‑of‑living allowance, a 10% rise in health-insurance costs and an ongoing effort to absorb special-education costs that continue to exceed state and federal revenues. “Special-education expenditures continue to exceed the state and federal special-education revenue by millions of dollars,” he said, adding the proposed budget shifts an additional $1 million from the minimum-school program to special education to help cover the gap.

Why it matters: The district’s general fund forms the core of classroom spending. Kearsley said roughly 55% of the proposed $290 million general fund would go to instruction; 90.6% of general-fund spending is salaries and benefits. With personnel accounting for the majority of expenditures, he said, the district’s flexibility to cut spending without affecting employees is limited.

Key details from the presentation

- Revenue assumptions: the district intends to apply the certified tax rate (no local tax increase). The state’s 4% WPU increase should bring more WPU revenue but the reallocation of the professional‑staff cost formula reduces the district’s net funds by about $1.5 million, Kearsley said.
- Personnel and benefits: the proposed budget includes step-and-lane salary increases and a COLA; health and accident insurance premiums are budgeted to rise by 10%.
- Special education: district leaders said they will again use district minimum-school funds to cover special-education shortfalls and plan an additional $1 million transfer to help cover ongoing costs.
- Fund balance treatments: state law requires showing an unassigned fund‑balance line of $0 in the budget; Kearsley said the district still retains assigned/reserved balances, including a statutorily capped economic stabilization reserve not to exceed 5% of the general fund.
- Expenditure mix: instruction makes up the largest share (about 55%), with operations and maintenance around 10% and support services for students and instructional staff making up most of the remainder.

Special revenue funds highlighted

Kearsley summarized several special‑revenue funds and cautionary items:

- Child Nutrition: Revenues come from meal sales and federal/state reimbursements; meal prices have not increased in over a decade. He warned that food cost inflation and reduced federal pandemic-era aid have left the Child Nutrition Fund on a trajectory where expenditures exceed revenues. “There is still some fund balance available, so it’s not crisis mode yet, but we need to change that trajectory,” he said. He noted about 44.5% of child-nutrition expenditures go to purchasing food, with salaries and benefits the second-largest share.

- Student activities: Funded by fees, fundraising and gate receipts; the district maintains a small reserve for uneven years.

- Pass-through taxes: Kearsley reminded the board that some property-tax dollars are incrementally diverted to redevelopment/tax‑increment projects and to charter-school local replacement funds; such pass-throughs reduce the share of property-tax revenue available in the general fund.

Board questions and clarifications

Board members pressed for clarity on a range of items: why salary totals did not drop sharply despite consolidation and school closures (Kearsley explained salary increases outpaced the effect of reduced FTE); what would happen to food programs if federal reimbursements were cut (Kearsley said some programs would likely be eliminated if federal funding were lost); and whether school-based student-activity fee systems and online payment platforms will be improved (Kearsley said a new platform is planned for July 1).

Kearsley also offered process notes: the full budget book will be distributed ahead of the May 20 meeting; a public budget hearing is scheduled for June 3, when the board will adopt the final 2025 tax rate (the district plans to use the certified rate).

What’s next

Kearsley invited board members to request one-on-one budget briefings in the coming days. The board will receive the final budget book May 20, hold a public hearing June 3 and act on the FY 2025–26 budget and certified tax rate at the end of the public process.

Ending note: Kearsley told the board the district is using conservative revenue estimates so the board is more likely to see favorable rather than unfavorable surprises when actuals are reported later in the year.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","SLCSD Board Meeting, May 6 2025 5:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Business Administrator Alan Kearsley told the Salt Lake City School Board on May 6 that the district’s proposed 2025–26 operating budget assumes no property tax increase and balances a modest increase in state-funded per‑pupil revenue with reductions elsewhere in the state funding formula.","taxTitle","Salt Lake School District , Utah School Boards, Utah","taxId",65987,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6566077,"Residents, teachers and students press board over plan to reuse district properties for CTE center and athletics",1576,6689000,8265000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb&start=6689&end=8265","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb/thumbnail_6689000.jpg","/articles/6566077/Utah/Residents-teachers-and-students-press-board-over-plan-to-reuse-district-properties-for-CTE-center-and-athletics","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566077-8ca61901bfd413aaa7a0f0532a6b7a6f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012400&Signature=Y~d4SqIuuQw1ZXkY4F6vnduior8tObFxD5CjJVvYYHqIUd8dqcT8vaKBvXZCYfbo6vy-wFZ4vq8YvU2Bhep8BezIfXQk4K11Yinisd7iTYCWPM-9j5p3frvYv~Ck9ozzXBLLr8-muRtuNvwx9n7rk6jriw8cqk6qnGoK8UMvCNjFqc-HuDL-KHvS63t1qlmhtbCAP9vmINTDvsB-h4L3g6zp3zE4baG95c-T6A-f1rBxrqTU0JG6CXxxW1bGFqYWebXgfwIM2~K2Ivk35VFaa5xiMmhsYu7tIQh1Y1VoV~GJyCKsJk0cjlYU1SNPNjY8hBC0j-Ee8h1l9GfBmX6h0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salt Lake City School Board held a time‑certain public comment session at 7:15 p.m. on May 6 focused on proposed district uses for several properties, including the former Riley Elementary site and athletic‑field needs. Dozens of residents, teachers, students and parents spoke, asking for clearer plans, protections for neighborhood schools and equitable access to career and technical education programs.

Several themes emerged from the comments:

Welding instruction, access and equity: Denise Hefner, who identified herself as the district’s welding teacher for 17 years, said the district historically placed welding at Highland High because the new tech center “didn’t want the dirty trades” when it was built. She told the board the Highland shop is undersized and fragmented and that “welding instruction would be far more effective if housed at a centralized purpose‑built location that ensures equitable access for all students.” She said welding demand has grown: “When I first began teaching in 2008, I had a total of 82 students. As of this school year, enrollment has grown to 314, making welding the largest CTE program offered by the tech center.”

Embedded CTE vs. standalone CTC: Russell Askren, a parent and current program supporter, argued against a standalone career and technical center (CTC). “CTE programs need to be embedded in comprehensive high schools,” he said, adding that a distributed model encourages students to “complete their entire education at one place” and avoids making CTE feel “second class.” Several students and parents said some CTE programs require specialized equipment and may be reasonable at a centralized site, but others — including robotics and some computer‑science courses — should remain or be established at comprehensive high schools.

Historic West High adaptive reuse idea: Public commenter Josh Stewart and others proposed adaptive reuse of the 1921 portion of West High as child‑friendly housing while building the new West High school facilities on other parts of the site. That idea drew both interest and questions about feasibility and next steps.

Neighborhood schools and facility investment: PTA leaders and neighborhood residents from Wasatch and Bryant pressed the district to commit to a timeline and plan for renovation and investment in the district’s oldest buildings, arguing that repeated investments in certain sites could leave nearby schools — “the oldest elementary and middle schools in the district” — without upgrades. “When will it be Wasatch’s turn? Will it ever be Wasatch’s turn?” Wasatch PTA President Julia Lyon asked.

Security, lighting and communication concerns: Aaron Torres, a neighbor of the abandoned Rozelle/Rawls Heights property, described long‑running crime and neglect at the site. He said he supported the proposed athletic improvements but criticized the district’s communication and asked for details on security plans. Torres said a late addition of about $3.4 million to install 60‑ to 70‑foot lights raised concerns among neighbors about light intrusion; he asked for clear policies and operational plans for the lights.

Students and program voices: Ella Fransen, a West High senior and robotics captain, argued that some programs are life‑and‑school‑defining and need to remain at West: “If we do not have a robotics shop at West High, the program will die,” she said, noting the team is one of the state’s top programs despite limited space and repeated fire‑inspection problems.

Calls for clearer public materials and timelines: Multiple speakers said district communications (including a QR code on a mailed flyer) lacked sufficient project detail. “If you tell me to scan to get more information and I go to your website and I see the exact same thing, where do I go to get the information?” one parent asked. Speakers requested timelines, cost breakdowns, maps that show which high schools would use which fields for which sports, and plans for bus logistics and accessibility.

District response and next steps: The board noted the comments and the need to provide more transparent project materials. Vice President Brian Jensen and staff acknowledged the request for clearer timelines and said district staff would work to update public information and provide opportunities for further community meetings.

Why it matters: The proposals touch on facility planning, program location and equity — who gains access to career and technical training and which neighborhoods receive capital investment. Multiple speakers urged the board to balance districtwide access to CTE, preserve strong programs located at comprehensive high schools, and provide neighborhood investment and protections for adjacent residents.","Residents, teachers, students and parents told the Salt Lake City School Board on May 6 that the district must provide clearer plans, stronger outreach and neighborhood protections before moving forward on proposed uses of former Riley Elementary and other properties for a career and technical education center and athletic fields.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6566064,"Votes at a glance: Key motions and roll‑call votes from the May 6 Salt Lake City School Board meeting",1694,33000,1727000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb&start=33&end=1727","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb/thumbnail_33000.jpg","/articles/6566064/Utah/Votes-at-a-glance-Key-motions-and-rollcall-votes-from-the-May-6-Salt-Lake-City-School-Board-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566064-756f4d2e4661623fab83b76b7497670c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012400&Signature=mJk0ixWemCZCJS~CMxFgjFtZtgqbdlBdSoWv8lolxnpOzN3~H500X2NUG0-6HXAh6f0yBRmPyG1cqkLnExcwWW8YEMDbak84deBoqF9fZ~ywhbjSHx0MD5656t76F5yWIReIeK8mcvL5plNHOj5IHzEtAfb820HhNfV0ZKkbLyc~IQKK3iL8xGMUtnt1OYFVJ0g53la6EKPsqRA8DAWanyv6qZ5V3KV49fBRI92NlyWDCpgva1DQ4jNGMldXctzyNgylEicNKnGTWk-P8yrU-vt0L91cyiTxMmTLligwn~e8G-yg-UyIEBiDtwTRsOwgegjkwY9hV15~4oPPBGL2YQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salt Lake City School Board recorded several formal actions during its May 6 meeting. Below is a concise summary of motions, outcomes and recorded roll‑call tallies from the transcript.

1) Motion: Enter closed executive session
- Motion (time and purpose): To go into closed executive session on 05/06/2025 “to discuss the character, professional competence, or the physical or mental health of an individual.”
- Outcome: Passed by roll call. Recorded roll call (excerpted): Amanda Longwell — yes; Bridal (Grace/Bridal Williams appears earlier) — yes; Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes; Ashley Anderson — yes; Bridal Jensen — yes. (Motion passed; the board recessed to closed session and indicated it would return in 30 minutes.)

Provenance: meeting opening, motion to go into executive session (transcript start ~00:32–01:16).

2) Motion: Approve consent agenda (with 2 items moved to action)
- Motion: Approve the remainder of the consent agenda excluding items 2B7 and 2B10, which were moved to the action agenda.
- Outcome: Passed by roll call. Recorded roll call: Ashley Anderson — yes; Bridal Jensen — yes; Amanda Longwell — yes; Grace Williams — yes; Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes.

Provenance: consent‑agenda vote recorded earlier in meeting (transcript ~17:19–17:49).

3) Motion: Approve Human Resource Services report (moved from consent to action)
- Motion: Approve the human resource services report as posted.
- Outcome: Approved by roll call. Recorded roll call during action agenda: Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes; Ashley Anderson — no; Bridal Jensen — yes; Amanda Longwell — yes; Bryce Williams — abstain. (Motion passed.)

Provenance: action‑agenda vote on human resources report (transcript ~12,480–12,990).

4) Motion: Move Administrator on Special Assignment to action; subsequent approval
- Motion to move the administrator‑on‑special‑assignment item to the action agenda; then a motion to approve the position.
- Outcome: Motion to move to the action agenda passed by roll call; subsequent action to approve the temporary administrator on special assignment passed (roll‑call vote recorded: Ashley Anderson — no; Bridal Jensen — yes; Amanda Longwell — yes; Grace Williams — yes; Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes; Bryce Williams — yes).

Provenance: discussion and roll‑call vote recorded in the discussion and action sections (transcript ~8,296–9,140 and ~13,903–14,304).

5) Motion: Direction to board leadership on 2025–26 school land trust plans
- Motion: The board directed board leadership and the superintendent to either (a) schedule an electronic meeting to approve outstanding land trust council signatures or (b) request an extension from the Utah State Board of Education; staff will coordinate timing and follow up.
- Outcome: Motion passed on roll call (Amanda Longwell — yes; Bryce Williams — yes; Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes; Ashley Anderson — yes; Bridal Jensen — yes).

Provenance: action recorded during land trust discussion (transcript ~13,800–13,850).

Notes on procedure and next steps
- Where board members requested additional review (for example, on school land trust plans), staff and board leadership were given direction to schedule a timely follow‑up (electronic meeting) or request an extension from state officials to ensure compliance without disrupting school operations.
- The board publicized that other action‑agenda items would be considered after discussion; staff indicated they would place a memo documenting charter‑school compliance on the next consent agenda.

Why this matters: The votes recorded on May 6 included both procedural approvals (consent, executive session) and substantive policy/administrative decisions (human resources ratification, creation of a temporary district role). Several roll‑call votes recorded dissent and abstentions, reflecting active trustee engagement on personnel and budget priorities.","The board recorded a series of procedural and substantive votes during the May 6 meeting, including approval to enter closed session, approval of the consent agenda with items pulled, adoption of a temporary administrator on special assignment, and ratification of a human resources report. The meeting also included a motion to delay or schedule a",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6566067,"Open Classroom and Salt Lake Center for Science Education present student-growth and inclusion data to board",1156,9179000,10335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb&start=9179&end=10335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb/thumbnail_9179000.jpg","/articles/6566067/Utah/Open-Classroom-and-Salt-Lake-Center-for-Science-Education-present-student-growth-and-inclusion-data-to-board","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566067-0381a9f5badccd94ecb605f9aa309993/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012400&Signature=RnE8LGwsb~~5xDrer8zfl14~hAAs2wsW-pCwV4Smixh~S6D9I1yfb9ZvxGnjG0nlLd3hwxYWkvGc8LFwiqKEK9zeu7QdIqNefBsP~i0v7XXNpu9rPzFvJ8oYf9Dx7Kg80KFm7a7sjHNN3QY0jbRTTrGKBgET~KXFz7-49uVp4kMvlRikApOzD-mOlfLjzq6QC3XZ1ZrGRgL7u24wSoMDzRxVlKCSbm3SzgaRUZn4-79RNv1-PfZaPV3YTmPVQhUpe~0tSpe0e6~Izc84gS1AhiXuSWYrcnWCNWxrMlvZZoVbaXvAujGGmYhwrlp-2GA84adWTA1zE6moNfZMBEUutQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Two Salt Lake City School District‑authorized charter schools presented annual reports at the May 6 board meeting, describing academic outcomes, enrollment trends, inclusion work and community partnerships.

Open Classroom (charter, preschool–8)

Principal summarized gains in growth and achievement and said Open Classroom is not in school‑improvement status. Key points:
- The school reported improved median growth percentiles (MGPs) across middle‑school grades, with several teachers producing MGPs above 54 in math, language arts and science; third‑grade reading was reported at 59.5% on level.
- Open Classroom said students with disabilities made a 12.18 percentage‑point increase on achievement points and multi‑race students rose by 9.08 percentage points.
- Enrollment continues rising; the principal said fall enrollment is projected around 307 and the school aims to reach its chartered capacity of roughly 400 students ahead of its 2026–27 re‑charter.
- The school described a strong parent‑cooperative model and local partnerships (community garden, arts grants) and noted attendance and tardies as ongoing priorities.

The school’s principal answered board questions about students with disabilities, saying roughly 20% of Open Classroom’s students hold individualized education programs and that supports are provided primarily through push‑in services and pull‑outs rather than self‑contained classrooms.

Salt Lake Center for Science Education (SlickC, high school)

SlickC’s principal described a science‑focused, project‑based high‑school model that emphasizes experiential learning, inclusion and partnerships with the University of Utah and local organizations. Highlights included:
- SlickC’s graduation rate in recent reporting was high (presented as approximately in the high 90s percent in the presentation); school leaders said the campus is a top‑performing district school.
- The school emphasized an inclusive, non‑tracked model where students take physics first followed by chemistry and biology, and teachers co‑teach with push‑in supports for students with disabilities.
- Students participate in field labs, outdoor experiential learning and community‑partner projects (e.g., lab visits, HawkWatch bird‑banding statistics projects, and partnerships that have produced tangible student work such as cosmic‑ray detectors).

Board reaction and next steps

Board members thanked both charters for the reports and asked that the district’s finance committee review how charter finances relate to the district budget (the board directed the finance subcommittee to review charter audits and financials in a future meeting). District staff indicated they would prepare a memo documenting the annual reviews and compliance determinations for consent at a future meeting.

Why it matters: The presentations gave the board an updated view of two district‑authorized charters’ academic performance, inclusion approaches and enrollment plans as the district prepares for re‑charter reviews and fiscal planning.","Two district-authorized charters — Open Classroom (preschool–8) and the Salt Lake Center for Science Education (SlickC, high school) — presented academic, enrollment and program reports May 6. Open Classroom reported increases in median growth percentiles and plans to re‑charter in 2026–27; SlickC highlighted experiential STEM programming, a 97%",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6566072,"Board approves temporary 'administrator on special assignment' to accelerate co‑teaching and inclusion work",635,8296000,8931000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb&start=8296&end=8931","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3207738-338c06fc6d48913a0c5b0beb435e3bfb/thumbnail_8296000.jpg","/articles/6566072/Utah/Board-approves-temporary-administrator-on-special-assignment-to-accelerate-coteaching-and-inclusion-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6566072-6048e5c9694df95b4459597d43a65bd5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012400&Signature=AezteKgXyD01ImkiiU6oDe3hy0wVocwdVYyap3XmhUDqfxyE~~2t4lMnk1xcb-I8xfhH0-kIJD3GpRyPzUqYTWjqlm30BrEyZI3EvGCCS3xj4YllTXWpFgnDRVD~QaDAonJdJrQ1FHHBf3M9TKQEHUn3xOTomfsZNd4dj5ISdFfeBOsrNfkCdKDkkS9SuVKElJUasuLkRybFvCR81tXrk3rrzTQ~Bm~AxwVG9qBCwiAVlnpjnq9-PSSKLrpsGRefUb02i-x58TXZeu4j66LhCXjTq6ZM~rSizRaCSClB4vdYYVxfhgDr7vuBi9hIUCTZNRsXQl38XSnv4Zmn5oiB6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Salt Lake City School Board approved a temporary administrator on special assignment on May 6 to support districtwide inclusion and the district’s co‑teaching efforts.

Superintendent spoke in favor of the position during the discussion agenda, saying the role would “work with leaders in the school district to improve our practices across all of our schools,” focusing on training principals, assistant principals and central teams to implement co‑teaching and push‑in strategies rather than primarily relying on pull‑out services.

Staff said the role is intended to be temporary and funded using one‑time resources to avoid ongoing maintenance‑of‑effort conflicts with federal programs. Business Administrator Alan Kearsley told the board outside counsel had reviewed maintenance‑of‑effort concerns and found no significant conflicts for the temporary position.

Board debate and vote

Board members supported the systemic rationale for placing the role at the district level so that one person could coach leaders across schools rather than providing narrower, school‑level coverage. “If it’s placed at a school level … we just are unable to do the systemic pieces that we want to accomplish,” the superintendent said in justification.

Some trustees opposed the hire on fiscal and priority grounds. Board Member Ashley Anderson said she was concerned about approving another administrator‑level temporary position when school buildings are requesting permanent supports such as behavior specialists and family‑school collaboration coordinators that were cut in recent years. She said she could not support “an administrative role in addition at this time.”

The motion to approve the administrator on special assignment passed on a roll‑call vote recorded at the meeting: Ashley Anderson — no; Bridal (Bryce) Jensen — yes; Amanda Longwell — yes; Grace Williams — yes; Charlotte Fife Jefferson — yes; Bryce Williams — yes (the recording lists some votes as abstain elsewhere, but the roll call recorded at final vote showed a majority in favor). (Vote details are captured from the board’s roll call during the meeting.)

What the position would do

District officials said the temporary administrator would:

- Provide district‑level coaching and professional development to principals and leadership teams on inclusion and co‑teaching best practices.
- Coordinate training between special education and general education staff under the teaching-and‑learning umbrella.
- Work with teacher‑leaders, principals and central office teams to implement consistent, districtwide approaches to push‑in supports, tiered interventions and monitoring.

Why it matters: Board members said the role aims to accelerate implementation of the board’s Inclusive Schools Resolution and make systemic changes that a single, school‑level hire could not accomplish.

Next steps: The approved position will be posted and staffed according to district hiring procedures; staff said they would report back on implementation timelines and outcomes to the board.","The Salt Lake City School Board voted May 6 to add a temporary administrator on special assignment to support districtwide inclusion and co‑teaching practices. Proponents said the short‑term district‑level role enables systemic training for principals and leaders; opponents said schools need more permanent building‑level supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Salt Lake City School District previews 2025–26 budget; officials warn special education and nutrition funds remain strained

Residents, teachers and students press board over plan to reuse district properties for CTE center and athletics

Votes at a glance: Key motions and roll‑call votes from the May 6 Salt Lake City School Board meeting

Open Classroom and Salt Lake Center for Science Education present student-growth and inclusion data to board

Board approves temporary 'administrator on special assignment' to accelerate co‑teaching and inclusion work