Transition Planning

Salt Lake City School District is committed to ensuring a successful and smooth transition for students, families, and employees who may be joining a new school community in the 2024-2025 school year. Our goal is to build new, welcoming school communities where all students, families, and staff can thrive. To accomplish this, we have laid out the following timeline of activities to support students, families, and staff during any necessary transitions. Please note: this page will be updated throughout the coming months to reflect new plans and opportunities for families. We welcome your input and invite you to join us on our journey to new educational possibilities.

October 2023-June 2024

The district will keep families updated about the Population and Boundary Study through various avenues, including, but not limited to, email, social media, and the district website.

January 2024

On Tuesday, January 9, the Board of Education of Salt Lake City School District (the Board) voted to

• Close four elementary schools:
  • Hawthorne Elementary ,
  • Mary W. Jackson Elementary ,
  • M. Lynn Bennion Elementary ,
  • Riley Elementary,
• And adjust school boundaries at 14 elementary schools:
  •  Backman Elementary,
  • Edison Elementary,
  • Emerson Elementary,
  • Ensign Elementary,
  • Franklin Elementary, 
  • Liberty Elementary,
  • Mountain View Elementary,
  • Newman Elementary,
  • Parkview Elementary,
  • Rose Park Elementary,
  • Uintah Elementary,
  • Wasatch Elementary,
  • Washington Elementary, and 
  • Whittier Elementary.

Based on the Board’s vote, the district will change the locations of some Magnet Gifted and Talented and some Spanish Dual Language Immersion programs to increase access to district programs for students in every part of our school district. You can find more details on the Population and Boundary Study webpage. 

January 2024-June 2024

Special District Programs: Dual Language Immersion and Magnet Extended Learning Programs

• Students currently in a program that remains open may continue to attend that program even if it is out of their assigned program area.
• If a student attends a program that is relocated or at a school that is closed, the student will move to the location where the program has been assigned.
• If the family would prefer to attend a program at a different school, they can make that request through:
  • the Extended Learning Program Department for Magnet programs, or
  • the open enrollment process for Dual Language Immersion programs.

February 2024

SLCSD Open Enrollment

• The early open enrollment period runs from November 15, 2023-February 2, 2024.
• The Special Open Enrollment period, which will ONLY be open for families impacted by the Board vote on January 9, runs from February 5-19, 2024.
• Schools will support families with the Special Open Enrollment process by:
  • Setting up a location where computers and personnel are available to help families complete an online open enrollment application
  • Providing families with evening times for open enrollment support
• Open enrollment and special open enrollment application review will begin on February 20, 2024.
  • The change in date will ensure families affected by a permanent school closure or boundary change will have an equal opportunity to have their open enrollment application considered at the same time as early open enrollment applications.
• Click here for more information regarding school choice, timeline, and answers to frequently asked questions.
• All student placements will be made after February 19, 2024 and will be communicated to families no later than March 15.
• Students may continue to attend the school they are attending this school year if it is 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.
• The district will honor current open enrollment permits if the school remains open.

All impacted elementary schools will host their first “open house” to welcome families no later than Friday, February 16, 2024. Additional events will be held throughout the spring to welcome families and staff to new school communities.

We will notify families of changes to Early Childhood program locations.

March 2024

Schools will send notification to families of their decision to accept or deny open enrollment applications by March 15, 2024. If a family’s enrollment application is denied, the family has the right to appeal the denial. Below is a link to information regarding school choice appeals.

• School Choice Appeals Process

School Community Councils will update Safe Routes Plans and share with families.

We value our staff and know how much they impact our students. The district will maintain employment for current employees at schools selected for closure. Initial staffing assignments are underway and should be complete by March 15, 2024.

March-June 2024

The district will continue to provide social-emotional support to students at their current school, delivered by the school counselor.

• The focus will be on addressing the different emotions students may be feeling because of a school closure or boundary change.

We will support families and students with community-building activities.

• School principals will lead this effort in collaboration with counselors, teachers, Parent Teacher Associations/Organizations (PTA/PTO), School Community Councils (SCC), and families.
• Activities will focus on bringing families together: meet and greets, school community picnics, end-of-year events, etc.
• School counselors will be available to provide community-building activities and social-emotional support: community circles, etc.

April-May 2024

We will provide families with updated bus routes.