Diane Knight
The Importance of School Board–Legislator Relationships
One of the critical responsibilities of a school board member is to work directly with state legislators to advocate for education policy that supports students, teachers, and families.
Over the past several months, I have developed strong relationships with several Utah state legislators and have discussed key issues affecting not only education statewide, but also the communities within Seat 1 of the new Aspen Peaks School District.
Legislative Update: Addressing Local Concerns
Last night, I participated in a Legislative Update with the following state representatives who serve different portions of Seat 1:
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Kay Christofferson (District 53) — represents the Traverse Mountain area
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Cory Maloy (District 52) — represents residents west of I-15
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Stephanie Gricius (District 50) — represents nearby communities also impacted by transportation and education legislation
Together, we discussed key education issues, including school safety, transportation funding, and district-level challenges that affect both students and parents in Lehi and the surrounding communities.
Safety Concerns at Viewpoint Middle School
One of the most urgent concerns shared by parents involves the unsafe drop-off and pick-up conditions at Viewpoint Middle School — especially at Center Street and Timpanogos Highway.
Many students are forced to cross these high-traffic roads each day. While busing would be the most obvious solution, the state currently only funds bus routes for secondary students who live two or more miles from school.
School districts can choose to cover these “unfunded” bus routes themselves — which Alpine School District has done in the past — but the critical shortage of bus drivers has caused many routes to double up. Students on the second wave of each route sometimes wait 40 minutes or more, leading many to walk instead, which increases risk.
Short-Term and Long-Term Solutions
A short-term solution could involve incentivizing the more dangerous routes to attract more drivers or pairing closer routes together to reduce long wait times.
Unfortunately, these fixes would only offer temporary relief, as beginning next year, all unfunded secondary routes will be discontinued statewide.
The deeper issue lies in how the state funds bus routes. Current law — Utah Code 53F-2-403: Eligibility for state-supported transportation — considers only the distance to school, not the safety or traffic level of the route.
Legislative Action Moving Forward
I have formally asked our legislators to sponsor an amendment to this section of the law to include considerations for high-traffic and hazardous roads when determining funding eligibility.
This change would better protect students who must walk through unsafe intersections simply because their home lies within two miles of school boundaries.
Advocating for this type of common-sense reform is exactly what effective school board leadership should do — identify local challenges, bring them to legislative attention, and work together to create real solutions.
Diane Knight: Addressing What Really Matters
Every child deserves to travel safely to and from school. As a teacher, parent, and candidate for Aspen Peaks School Board Seat 1, I am committed to addressing the real issues that impact our students every day — safety, accessibility, and legislative accountability.
I’m Diane Knight, addressing what really matters.