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Granite School District land trust review: few goals met; constitutional amendment B will raise future allocations
Summary
At the Feb. 4 Board of Education meeting, Dr. Wilson presented the FY23-24 land trust final report, showing the district spent $8.2 million with no state sanctions, but most school-set academic goals were unmet. Constitutional Amendment B will raise the state distribution cap from 4% to 5%, phasing in additional money for Granite beginning FY27.
Dr. Wilson, district staff, told the Granite School District Board of Education on Feb. 4 that the district’s land trust final report for fiscal year 2023–24 showed Granite received a little more than $8.2 million and was one of five districts in the state without sanctions for failing to spend at least 90% of its allocation.
The report looked at school-level goal-setting and outcomes: elementary schools set about 157 academic goals across roughly 56 schools and met 30 of those goals (about 19.11%), with 24 goals showing partial progress and others marked NA when schools shifted to new goals midyear. Junior high schools set 36 academic goals across 15 schools and met roughly 22% of those goals; high schools showed similar patterns, with many high-school goals focused on graduation-rate increases. Dr. Wilson said schools tend to report they are “on track” more often than summative assessments later show.
The broader funding picture changed after voters approved Constitutional Amendment B last month. Dr. Wilson said the amendment increases the allowable annual distribution from the state school fund from 4% to 5%, but the change will not affect Granite’s allotment until fiscal year 2027 because FY26 distributions had already been set. Statewide, officials project an increase of about $13.2 million in land trust dollars; Granite historically receives about 7.8% of state land trust funds, which Dr. Wilson said would translate to roughly an additional $1 million annually for the district — moving Granite’s projected land trust total from about $8.7 million to roughly $9.7 million when the change takes effect.
Board members asked how land trust planning will work for newly opening schools. Dr. Wilson said Brockbank — a new site — now has a school code (404) and held a special community council election with staggered one- and two-year terms; district staff used projected student rosters to populate anticipated data so the new council can set an initial plan. He also noted LEA boards receive an annual training module (provided by Joe Kramer) on reviewing and approving school plans, and that LEA boards must review and approve plans by June 1. Schools are asked to submit drafts by March 25 to allow approximately six weeks of review.
Dr. Wilson summarized the district’s next steps: provide board members access to the land trust portal to review final reports and school plans, continue coaching schools on setting and tracking more predictive goals, and support community councils as they prepare plans for the coming year.
Board discussion emphasized two themes: protecting land trust funds as a local resource and improving school capacity to set realistic, measurable goals. "So that's a huge effort from our L and I directors, my staff," Dr. Wilson said, stressing the district’s compliance record. Julie Jackson, board member, said the percentage of goals met “feels like it's a low amount of people who met their goals,” and board members discussed focusing support on goals that showed no progress.
The board received the report for review; no formal vote on any land-trust motion was recorded during the Feb. 4 meeting.
