Study recommends merger of Districts 2, 157
By DIANA SROKA - dsroka@nwherald.com
RICHMOND – Merging Districts 2 and 157 won’t save much money, but it could be an opportunity for the elementary and high school districts to create a more cohesive curriculum.
That’s what a former educator turned consultant told school leaders at a joint district meeting Tuesday night, where he revealed the results of a study on whether the districts should consolidate.
“There would be some minor efficiencies, consolidating things, but I don’t think it would have a major impact on the budget,” said Donald Johnson, the consultant who conducted the nearly yearlong study.
Still, Johnson recommended that the districts pursue consolidation, and within the next few years, a referendum. He also suggested an additional administrative position be added for a full-time curriculum director.
Neither district has a full-time curriculum director.
Nippersink District 2’s standardized test scores recently were in the 90th percentile while state scores were in the 70th and 78th percentiles in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The high school’s scores also are above state averages.
But Johnson said asking administrators and other school officials to continue to maintain the curriculum, which hasn’t been updated since 1995, is a “burden.”
“That’s really putting a lot on them,” he said.
The study also said that if the districts don’t merge, they likely would need to pursue a referendum in at least five years. A referendum still would be necessary if they merge, but not as soon.
“There’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing now, but keep in mind, in a few years you’re going to feel the pinch,” Johnson said.
The study also said that consolidation would require the elementary school teacher salaries to be raised to match high school teacher salaries.
If the consolidation were completed by 2010, the amount of money spent on teacher salaries would increase by about 8.3 percent, or $713,543, between the two districts, Johnson said. In subsequent years, teacher salaries would increase by about 1.5 percent.
However, the state covers the added expenses of consolidation for as many as four years, Johnson said. After that, either general state aid or local revenue sources are expected to make up for the difference.
School board members had mixed reactions to Johnson’s study.
Nippersink District 2 Board Member Sharon Bianchini said consolidating the districts would create a stronger sense of community between the schools and foster more community pride.
But board member Diane Bushing expressed skepticism of Johnson’s suggestion to pursue consolidation.
“I’m having some difficulty understanding how this would be a benefit to us,” Bushing said. “The incentives go away, the salaries continue to increase, and the burden falls on the community.”
If the districts decide to merge, 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.
Path to consolidation
If Districts 2 and 157 decide to merge, the process could take six months to a year and a half to complete. Here's the process:
1 - Residents or school board members file a petition to consolidate
2 - Regional superintendent hosts a public hearing on the matter
3 - State superintendent considers consolidation
4 - Referendum is put before voters
