Jordan School District (Utah)

Jordan School District, situated in the southern half of Salt Lake County, provides public education for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. District offices are located in Sandy, Utah.

Jordan School District is the largest of Utah's 40 school districts with a reported 2000-2001 fall enrollment of 73,137. The district covers approximately 250 square miles extending from the Wasatch Mountain range on the east to the Oquirrh range on the west. The district's borders encompass eight municipalities and unincorporated areas of Salt Lake County. The municipalities of West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton, and Draper are experiencing dramatic growth while other areas of the district are experiencing moderate or no growth.

Jordan School District is one of the largest employers in South Salt Lake Valley. The district is making a major contribution to the area's economy by providing full-time and part-time jobs for nearly 8,500 people. About 54 percent of the jobs require university degrees and state certification. The other 46 percent of the positions are classified according to the skills required. Classified positions do not generally require university degrees or state certification.

Jordan School District is an equal opportunity employer and actively recruits teachers from universities throughout the nation. The district also follows a policy of promoting from within to increase job satisfaction and reduce the employee turnover rate.

The district is governed by a five-member elected Board of Education. Voters in each of the district's five precincts elect one member to serve as their representative on the Board of Education. School Board elections are held in November in conjunction with the general election. The board members elect a president and vice president at the time new members are sworn into office. The board is committed to a policy of public involvement. School Community Groups, ad hoc committees, task forces, and other organizations give patrons opportunities to help guide the decision-making process. The Superintendent of Schools and the Business Administrator are appointed by the Board of Education. The district is also subject to the general oversight of the Utah State Office of Education.

County commissioners on July 3, 1905, approved a resolution appointing the county school representatives from districts 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 as members of the Board of Education of the new Jordan School District. The board was directed and authorized to meet on Monday, July 10, 1905, at 2 p.m. at the Sandy City Hall in School Representative Precinct No. 7. The county school law provided that the county superintendent was to serve simultaneously as county superintendent as well as superintendent of both Granite District and Jordan District. The original district boundaries corresponded to the boundaries of the Jordan Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jordan School District is under the direction of a five-member Board of Education, with day-to-day operations overseen by the Superintendent of Schools. As one of the fastest growing districts in the state, Jordan School District in 2002 consisted of 82 schools: 53 elementary schools (27 of which are year-round), 15 middle schools, 9 high schools, 2 technical centers, and 3 special schools.

The board approved a reorganization of the district's administrative structure in March 2002. Prior to the reorganization, a single Deputy Superintendent provided support for the Office of the Superintendent and administered services related to personnel, curriculum development, program and instructional improvement, special education, planning and goal setting, student services, program evaluation, information systems, and public information. The Business Administrator managed all the activities related to finances, school board meetings, elections, tax assessments, and other general business matters. The new structure more distinctly groups business and educational services together under two deputy superintendents--Deputy Superintendent for Business Services and Deputy Superintendent for Instructional Services. Prior to the reorganization, area assistant superintendents oversaw elementary, intermediate, and high schools in four geographic areas (northwest, northeast, southeast, southwest) as well as Auxiliary Services Division, Human Resources Department, Curriculum and Staff Development, and Compliance and Special Programs. The reorganization adds three new administrative areas.

Jordan District was formed through the consolidation of 14 of the 36 small school districts in Salt Lake County-districts 21, 22, 23, 27, 34, 35, 41, 42, 43, 44, 57, 61, 65, and 67. The respective boards transferred all school property to the Board of Trustees of Jordan School District.