Districts 2, 157 to review study on merger
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com
Richmond and Spring Grove’s elementary and high school districts already share a superintendent, superintendent’s assistant, and several other school services.
Now school leaders are exploring whether the two districts should merge.
“The question has been in the community for years, and there’s always the question of ‘Will it save us money?’ ” said Sue Maurer, the District 2 board vice president.
Almost a year ago, Districts 2 and 157 hired a consulting firm to investigate whether it was feasible for them to consolidate. On Tuesday, school board members from both districts will conduct a joint meeting to review the conclusions of that study.
The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Nippersink Middle School, 10006 Main St., in Richmond. The public is invited.
The study cost $6,500 and will be paid for with a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education, Superintendent Dan Oest said.
It aimed to highlight eight facets of school operations and evaluate how consolidation would fare. For example, one area under review was transportation. The study was to evaluate how well the current transportation system runs, what potential problems could arise if transportation services were combined, and what effect combination would have on mileage and routing, among other issues.
“Is the manner in which we’re conducting business the most efficient, economical and the best instructional approach?” Oest said. “Is there a benefit in reorganizing, or can we improve ... under the existence that we have?”
The study also will address school financing, and how consolidation would influence property tax rates and other revenue sources.
If the study recommends that the two districts combine, the road to consolidation would take at least six months.
“There’s a lot more legwork than just the study,” Maurer said.
The consolidation process takes at least six months and involves a citizens’ committee, public hearing, and approval from the regional and state superintendents and voters, according to the State Board of Education Web site.
If the districts decide to consolidate, it would not be a first for the area. Several years ago, Spring Grove Elementary District 11 and Richmond Elementary District 13 merged to form Nippersink District 2.
