Population and Boundary Study

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Page Updated: February 14, 2024

On Tuesday, January 9, the Board of Education of Salt Lake City School District (the Board) voted to approve the district’s recommendation on elementary school closures and boundary adjustments. These changes will go into effect for the 2024-25 school year. That recommendation included:

Closing four elementary schools:
Adjusting school boundaries at 14 elementary schools:

In light of the Board’s vote to close schools, the district will change the locations of some Magnet Gifted and Talented and some Spanish Dual Language Immersion programs. The goal behind these location changes is to increase access to district programs for students in every part of our school district. For example, community members have asked repeatedly for a Magnet Gifted and Talented program to be placed on the west side of our city. Among the recommended changes, we are thrilled to announce a new Magnet Gifted and Talented location at Edison Elementary starting next school year. These will be the program locations beginning in the 2024-25 school year:

Dual Language Immersion (Spanish)

Mountain View Elementary School (existing program)
Newman Elementary School (moved from Mary W. Jackson Elementary School)
Nibley Park School (moved from Emerson Elementary School with Magnet Gifted and Talented)
Nibley Park School (new open access program)

map showing busing areas for new DLI locations

Magnet Gifted and Talented

Edison Elementary School (new location)*
Indian Hills Elementary School (moved from Hawthorne Elementary School)
Washington Elementary School 4^th-6^th grade (existing pilot location)
Whittier Elementary School (existing location)

Changes to busing for special district programs

Another important change is our commitment to providing bus transportation for students who want to participate in Magnet Gifted and Talented programs and Dual Language Immersion programs in the Salt Lake City School District. Previously, the district has not provided transportation for Dual Language Immersion students. Providing transportation will broaden access to academic opportunities for many students, no matter where in the district they live.

Moving forward, the district will provide bus transportation for:

Students who are enrolled in a Magnet Gifted and Talented program or a Dual Language Immersion program who live more than 1.5 miles from their assigned school.
Students whose route to school is considered hazardous, regardless of the distance from the student’s home to their assigned school.

For the next three years, the district will also provide transportation for students currently enrolled in Magnet Gifted and Talented or Dual Language Immersion programs who choose to attend a program location next year other than their newly assigned location.

What happens next?

By Friday, January 12, families impacted by school closures or boundary changes will be contacted by the district via email with details about enrollment options for the 2024-25 school year.

Students who are currently enrolled in Magnet Gifted and Talented or Dual Language Immersion programs will receive a separate email from the district’s Teaching and Learning department with information specifically regarding changes to their student’s placement for the 2024-25 school year.

The district’s Teaching and Learning department will be in contact with all elementary school families in the coming weeks regarding opportunities and changes to the district’s Magnet Gifted and Talented and Dual Language Immersion programs.

Special Open Enrollment Period

Utah is an “open enrollment” state, which means families can choose for their student to attend any school – even if it is not their boundary school – as long as the school has room to accept the student on a special permit. Families can apply to “early open enroll” at their school of choice every school year. Early open enrollment period will end on February 2, 2024.

We will also have a Special Open Enrollment period specifically for families whose school was selected for permanent closure or boundary changes. The Special Open Enrollment Period will be available from February 5, 2024 – February 19, 2024. Families will need to apply using the online Open Enrollment Application. On the application, you can mark that you are applying because of a school closure or boundary change.

Families impacted by closures or boundary changes may apply during the regular early open enrollment period or during the special open enrollment period, which is available only for impacted families.

2024-25 Enrollment

Students may continue to attend the school they are attending this school year if it was their neighborhood boundary school and it remains open.
Families may continue to use the open enrollment process to attend a district school that is not their neighborhood boundary school.
District will honor current open enrollment permits if the school remains open.
If needed, a Special Open Enrollment Period will be available to families whose school may be selected for permanent closure or boundary changes by the Board of Education. The Special Open Enrollment Period will be available from February 5, 2024 – February 19, 2024. Families will need to apply using the online Open Enrollment Application. On the application, you can mark that you are applying because of a school closure or boundary change. Please note that, if needed, the Special Open Enrollment period will be only for families who have been impacted by school closures or boundary realignment.

You can find more information on our School Choice webpage.