Payson has been growing in population over the last several years and is running out of classroom space for elementary school students.
After closing and selling Frontier Elementary School in an effort to save $500K per year on maintenance costs, Payson Unified School District shuffled students into the remaining Julia Randall Elementary and Payson Elementary School facilities.
There is currently only enough space to add one more elementary school classroom, even though the District is working to clarify a plan to add more teachers to keep class sizes below the permitted maximum. Since the schools have returned to in-person learning, several grades are close to their size limits.
Superintendent Linda Gibson told the Board in a presentation that administrators are developing internal expectations for grades and class sizes, and they will want input when they are finished
The current formula shows the district is approaching a need to add teachers and classrooms for first, fourth and fifth grades. Only one room is available, however.
Money for new classrooms and other capital projects is administered through the State’s School Facilities Board. The district will likely exceed capacity well before any capital improvements or new development could be approved and acted upon, given the complex and cumbersome nature of approvals and timelines. (Source)