With data showing that Provo School District could be efficient with only 12 schools instead of 14, the district's Board of Education realized on Tuesday that they need to get something started on the Grandview/Lakeridge issue as soon as possible.

"Lakeridge Elementary is going to open with or without you," said Superintendent Randy Merrill, concerning the school slated to open on the west side of the district in the 2008-2009 school year.

During their monthly study session, Merrill presented a feasibility study on Grandview to the school board, concluding that Provo does not need 14 elementary schools and has enough capacity with the current 13 school model. The plan with 14 elementary schools would be an inefficient use of tax dollars, according to the study, and it reduces educational services to children.

Even with information compiled by the superintendent, assistant superintendent, director of personnel, business administrator and the principal from Westridge Elementary -- one of the schools immediately impacted by Lakeridge -- parents and neighbors expressed a desire for everything ranging from more study and possible options to keep Grandview Elementary open to balancing the district's student population, closing an east-side school where students are dwindling instead of the west side where population could expand, having the benefits of small schools addressed, and just letting the community be involved in the decision-making process.

"I want there to be three plans proposed: One, keep Grandview open; two, close Grandview; three, close an east-side school," said Sharlene Coleman, a parent, during the meeting.

"We need a timely decision on this; we want to know where we're going. No one wants to put their kid in a school they think is going to close in a year," said a member of the focus group that met last month.

The problem with the focus group, board member Sandy Packard said, is that they only met once and not much was accomplished in that time. She offered to chair a committee to study the issue during the meeting. Members of the former focus group believe it would be best to meet on a weekly basis to figure out the future of Grandview as soon as possible.

Brooke Barker is available at 344-2559 or bbarker@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D4.