 Members of
the Classrooms First Commission said they see little
support for a sweeping consolidation of school districts, which Gov.
Pat Quinn proposed last February as a way to save about $100
million. His idea to merge the state's 868 districts into just 300
was based on the potential savings that would come from reducing the
number of school administrators.But it didn't account for the
financial incentives that state law promises to merging districts --
primarily additional money for salaries.
"An across-the-board, one-size-fits-all,
we're-going-to-force-you-to-consolidate proposal is not going to
happen," said one commission member, Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora.
The commission's leader, Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon, said the
estimated cost "reinforces the idea that there's not a
quick-and-easy money-saving solution" for the entire state. "If we
did everything all at once, the cost would undoubtedly be
prohibitive," she said.
Lawmakers last year agreed to form the panel to review the
governor's idea and other possible ways of increasing schools'
efficiency and effectiveness.
It looked at a hypothetical consolidation -- one that is smaller
than Quinn's proposal -- and calculated that it could cost state
government at least $3.7 billion over four years. That assumes all
of Illinois' individual high school districts and elementary
districts are forced to merge into unit districts.
The full cost would be even higher because merging districts are
also entitled to financial aid related to the schools' budgets and
state aid, according to the report by commission member Linda Riley
Mitchell, chief financial officer for the State Board of Education.
Mitchell did not have the information needed to estimate those
expenses.
The report found that if the state went solely to unit districts
that governed both high schools and lower grades, the switch would
merge 478 separate districts into just 101. Of those, 10 would have
fewer than 1,000 students and 29 would have 10,000 or more.
Switching to unit districts isn't the only way to handle a broad
consolidation plan, of course. Other options include merging all
districts below a certain size or perhaps requiring individual
schools to consolidate if they're small or outdated. But those
approaches would carry large price tags of their own.
Commission member David Luechtefeld, a Republican state senator
from Okawville, said that even if requiring consolidation were a
good idea, Illinois simply doesn't have the money to pay those
incentives -- not when the state budget is "a disaster."
The commission, formally named the School District Realignment
and Consolidation Commission, is supposed to issue draft
recommendations around April and then make its final recommendations
by July 1.
Its suggestions for improving schools could touch on a host of
topics. Members said that even though a sweeping merger plan is
unlikely, consolidation could still be on the agenda in smaller
ways.
Districts that choose to merge might be given preference in
qualifying for state construction money so they can update schools.
In some cases, it might make sense for two small districts on
opposite sides of a city to consolidate, so the state could allow
districts to merge even if their borders don't touch.
Districts might also be allowed more freedom to share management
and split costs without fully merging.
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Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson said the Democratic governor
looks forward to seeing the commission's recommendations but still
wants to cut the number of Illinois school districts.
"The governor continues to be interested in a major consolidation
initiative. That doesn't negate the fact that it won't be a
one-size-fits-all approach," Anderson said.
Quinn's call last year to cut the number of school districts by
nearly two-thirds did not explain the billions of dollars it would
cost the state. Anderson denied that Quinn misled people or that he
overlooked the cost.
"Just because it wasn't mentioned doesn't mean it wasn't
accounted for," Anderson said.
Avoiding the huge costs while still requiring districts to merge
could be done by changing the law. State government could declare
that it would no longer help equalize the salaries of two merging
districts. But that would generate even more local opposition to any
merger proposal.
The commission's research found something of a split between
educators and the general public on merging districts.
In an online survey, some form of mandatory merger --
consolidating all districts in a county, for instance, or going
entirely to unit districts -- was favored by a 3-1 margin, the
commission said. But testimony from principals and superintendents
at the commission's hearings tended to support small districts.
Jonathan Goldman, a commission member representing the group
Parent PAC, said districts may wind up being encouraged to evaluate
the pros and cons of merging. They could also be given new
incentives, along with information about other creative ways
Illinois schools are saving money.
But that's a far cry from forcing districts to merge.
"I don't think anyone involved in the process is interested in
looking at a forced consolidation scheme," Goldman said.
___
Online:
Classrooms First Commission:
http://bit.ly/xTuMfg
[Associated Press;
By CHRISTOPHER WILLS]
Christopher Wills can be contacted at
http://twitter.com/chrisbwills.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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