Date of Award:

5-1976

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Economics and Finance

Department name when degree awarded

Economics

Committee Chair(s)

B. Delworth Gardner

Committee

B. Delworth Gardner

Committee

Jay C. Anderson

Committee

A. B. LeBaron

Abstract

The aim of this study is to estimate the future school enrollment in the Uintah School District that results from oil shale development. Future need for classrooms and teachers is also projected, and costs to the school district for providing this need are estimated.

Yearly revenue from the oil shale plant and from new residential buildings due to the plant is also estimated. The annual costs and revenues are compared and it is observed that the costs exceed the revenue during the first five years. The deficit can be reduced, however, if stagger sessions are used to provide needed classrooms and teachers. Also, temporary rather than permanent structures could go a long way towards reducing the cost to the school district.

It is observed that a premature withdrawal of the oil shale company from the county would produce insolvency for the school district. The financial ability of the district in terms of assessed valuation is very closely related to the success of the shale industry. The time needed for industry maturity and eventual withdrawal is a very crucial.

factor in determining the needed finances of the school district. Caution must be exercised before any "big" capital expense is undertaken. Stagger sessions in combination with temporary structures may be the most prudent and economical way to provide the needed facilities. Stagger sessions eliminate capital expense, and the temporary structures could be sold or turned to other uses when not needed for classroom use. If stagger sessions are used, there may be no financial adjustments required of the school district in the event of industry withdrawal.

This study should help education planners in the district involved to plan and execute a prudent school program despite the pressures from fast population increases. It should also help the planners to look ahead in securing funds to run the district. Armed with such statistics as are found in this study, the school district, the state government, and the oil shale companies could hopefully work out a method of filling in the gap during the revenue-short period until the industry fully matures.

Checksum

e4eac80d5afdecb6cbf7f2a374f41f2d

Download

Included in

Economics Commons

Share

COinS

Copyright for this work is retained by the student. If you have any questions regarding the inclusion of this work in the Digital Commons, please email us at .