Transcript for Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Members Attend School For First Time

This morning we have an inside look at the small but radical changes in a community that has for decades been the stronghold of a it willis Mormon church known as the flds. We recently traveled to this isolated desert community that is still allegedly controlled by the imprisoned flds prophet, this man, Warren Jeffs and what we found is things are slowly starting to shift in fascinating and sometimes moving ways. This would not have been possible even just last year. So you looked it up. Good job. Reporter: A public school for 13 years, public education was outlawed by the prophet of the flds, Warren Jeffs who even though he's now in prison for marrying and raping underage girls is alleged by federal authorities to still govern nearly every aspect of life in this polygamist community where the women wear prairie dresses but now in these twin towns along the border of Arizona and Utah his grip appears to be weakening as this school illustrates. For Keisha Barlow it's her first time in school. I thought it would be kind of weird but I guess it's okay. I have noticed that sometimes they will be wearing your traditional dresses or your traditional wear. They have slowly evolved into blue jeans. Reporter: There are other signs of change here. A new subway and the decision by Warren Jeffs' bodyguard to purchase a compound built for the move fete and turn it into a bed and breakfast. These are typical rooms here and very comfortable. Reporter: The church is under legal assault too. The federal government accusing local officials here of being controlled by Warren Jeffs, a charge town council members did not seem to want to answer. You wouldn't want to respond to that? An attorney for the town council later insisted that officials do not take their orders from Jeffs but it's clear in this divided town that many believe their prophet an admitted pedophile is a victim of prejudice. Is that the true of what's happening with the prophet? In my opinion, yes. Reporter: Despite the ongoing tension optimists point to this school as evidence that this community is now firmly on its way to joining mainstream America. They weren't super happy to see me at the town council meeting but that school, many of the kids come in several grade levels behind but the principal says they are able to catch up quickly. Just great to see progress and it's fascinating to see that's still going on in America in 2015. That was my thought statistically.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.